The Preaching Matters Podcast: Recent Episodes
Dr. Alan Carr
Welcome to The Preaching Matters Podcast. Preaching Matters is a weekly podcast about expository preaching, sermon preparation, preaching tips, and the art and science of homiletics. In our episodes, we talk about preaching and sermon preparation in a refreshing, engaging fashion. We discuss all matters related to preaching because Preaching Matters.Reach out to Alan Carr at thepreachingmatterspodcast@gmail.comThe Preaching Matters Podcast is a ministry of Alan Carr and The Sermon Notebook. Http://www.sermonnotebook.org
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In today's episode, we discuss some ways we can improve our sermon delivery. You can have a well-designed, well-prepared sermon and have it lose its effectiveness because of poor sermon delivery. We have all been there, but if we will integrate a few simple changes into our preaching, we can improve our delivery in astounding ways. I have never met an honest preacher who says he cannot improve his preaching. We can all get better at what God has called us to do. Let me know what you think.
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Contact me at alancarr@gmail.com.
The podcast is a ministry of Dr. Alan Carr and The Sermon Notebook (http://www.sermonnotebook.org)
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It is no secret that I love expository preaching. I love to hear expository sermons. I love to prepare them. I love to preach them. I believe they are the essential, non-negotiable diet of a healthy church. In this episode, I will (once again) discuss why I believe this is true. Let me know what you think.
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Contact me at alancarr@gmail.com.
The podcast is a ministry of Dr. Alan Carr and The Sermon Notebook (http://www.sermonnotebook.org)
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In this episode, we talk about murdering our darlings. What does that mean? It means we need to be brutal with our sermons in the sense that we cut out of them any word, phrase, sentence, paragraph, illustration, story, etc., that does not need to be there. If it doesn't help the sermon progress toward its intended goal, it needs to be removed. Listen along and let me know what you think.
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Contact me at alancarr@gmail.com.
The podcast is a ministry of Dr. Alan Carr and The Sermon Notebook (http://www.sermonnotebook.org)
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In this episode, we discuss the challenges and blessings of preaching Christ at Christmas. There are only so many texts that speak about the Lord's first advent. But in those few passages, there is a wealth of theological truth. Every year, we have the privilege of preaching the birth of Jesus. We need not approach the Christmas season with fear. We can approach the season with confidence, knowing the Bible contains a vast repository of spiritual truth related to the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ. This truth can transform December from being a time of wondering what we will preach this year into a time of how will I preach everything I have already seen.
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Contact me at alancarr@gmail.com.
The podcast is a ministry of Dr. Alan Carr and The Sermon Notebook (http://www.sermonnotebook.org)
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Preaching is a difficult task. It stresses the mind, the emotions, and the body. But preaching is a privilege. Learning to manage the stressors related to preaching will help us build longevity in the pulpit. This episode will explore some of the struggles preachers face on a weekly basis.
Support the show
Subscribe to this podcast, leave us a review, and tell others about us if you find it helpful.
Contact me at alancarr@gmail.com.
The podcast is a ministry of Dr. Alan Carr and The Sermon Notebook (http://www.sermonnotebook.org)
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What are the essential elements of biblical preaching?
How do you know you’re preaching a Christian sermon and not simply giving a religious or spiritual lecture?
While gospel-centered expository proclamation is the best approach to fulfilling the biblical call to preach, this episode could probably use more detail. Since preachers like alliteration and lists, I might suggest a checklist reflecting what I propose as the essential factors of faithful Christian preaching. Next time you prepare a sermon, maybe keep these questions in mind. Or, the next time you preach, share this list with your fellow elders or another team of trusted advisers and ask them to apply the questions to your delivered message.
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Is your sermon CONTEXTUAL?
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Is your sermon CONVICTIONAL?
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Is your sermon CLEAR?
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Is your sermon COMPASSIONATE?
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Is your sermon CROSS-CENTERED?
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Contact me at alancarr@gmail.com.
The podcast is a ministry of Dr. Alan Carr and The Sermon Notebook (http://www.sermonnotebook.org)
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In this episode, I want to look at our motivations for preaching. I want us to see that we should preach for some very good reasons, even while we reject some very bad reasons. Listen to this episode, then reach out and let me know what you think.
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Contact me at alancarr@gmail.com.
The podcast is a ministry of Dr. Alan Carr and The Sermon Notebook (http://www.sermonnotebook.org)
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This episode delves into what can transform our ordinary preaching into great preaching. I share eight principles that distinguish a great sermon from an ordinary sermon. Thanks for listening!
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Contact me at alancarr@gmail.com.
The podcast is a ministry of Dr. Alan Carr and The Sermon Notebook (http://www.sermonnotebook.org)
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This episode discusses the importance of preaching the gospel in the pulpit and everyday life. There are reasons why we should preach the gospel. There are ways to preach it as well. Today, we believe that the Bible teaches us how to more effectively share the gospel with a lost world as preachers and believers. Let me know what you think.
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Contact me at alancarr@gmail.com.
The podcast is a ministry of Dr. Alan Carr and The Sermon Notebook (http://www.sermonnotebook.org)
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Understanding the Book of Proverbs
The Book of Proverbs is one of the most treasured pieces of wisdom literature in the Bible. Known for its concise sayings and memorable instructions, Proverbs offers wisdom for daily living and emphasizes the fear of the Lord as the foundation of knowledge. Preaching through the Book of Proverbs expositionally presents many unique challenges. The book’s structure, thematic and literary diversity, and focus on practical wisdom create an interesting yet complex struggle for preachers.
Expositional preaching aims to faithfully convey the author's original intent in a passage while making it applicable to the congregation. This episode provides a framework for expositional preaching through the Book of Proverbs, addressing key considerations such as structure, themes, literary style, and application.
- Introduction and purpose (Proverbs 1:1-7)
- Fatherly discourses (Proverbs 1:8-9:18)
- Solomon’s proverbs (Proverbs 10-22:16)
- Sayings of the wise (Proverbs 22:17-24:34)
5 . Solomon’s proverbs compiled by Hezekiah (Proverbs 25-29) - Sayings of Agur (Proverbs 30)
- Sayings of Lemuel (Proverbs 31)
- The virtuous woman (Proverbs 31:10-31)
Principles for Preaching Through Proverbs Expositionally
1. Preach with a Literary Awareness
2. Focus on Larger Sections and Themes in the First Nine Chapters
3. Use Topical Exposition in the Middle Section (Proverbs 10-29)
Examples of themes include:
- The righteous versus the wicked
- Diligence and laziness
- Honesty and integrity
- Wealth and poverty
- Speech and its consequences
- Family and parenting
4. Maintain Christ-Centeredness
5. Emphasize the “Fear of the Lord” as the Foundation
6. Preach with a Sensitivity to Application
Steps to Prepare Expositional Sermons from Proverbs
1. Select the Text with Purpose
2. Study the Literary and Historical Context
3. Identify the Main Idea and Supporting Points
4. Outline the Sermon Expositionally
5. Craft Christ-Centered and Practical Applications
6. Employ Illustrations and Visuals
Challenges and Considerations in Preaching Proverbs
1. Avoid Legalism and Moralism
2. Contextualize for Today’s Audience
3. Balance between Individual Proverbs and Broader Themes
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Contact me at alancarr@gmail.com.
The podcast is a ministry of Dr. Alan Carr and The Sermon Notebook (http://www.sermonnotebook.org)
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Over the centuries, many different styles and types of sermons have emerged in preaching and sermon delivery, each with strengths and weaknesses. Topical sermons have gained significant popularity due to their ability to address contemporary issues directly and cater to the immediate interests of the congregation. Many preachers like them because they are easy to prepare, while other types, like textual and expository sermons, require a far more significant time investment.
Despite their appeal, topical sermons can be dangerous. They can undermine a church community’s spiritual growth and biblical literacy. This episode delves into the inherent risks associated with topical sermons and advocates for a more balanced and scripture-centered approach to preaching.
Let’s discuss the dangers of the topical sermon. Then, I want to show you a better way.
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Contact me at alancarr@gmail.com.
The podcast is a ministry of Dr. Alan Carr and The Sermon Notebook (http://www.sermonnotebook.org)
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We all know that churches are struggling. Some are sick, and others are dying. The church you serve might be one of those churches that is on the deathbed. In this episode, I want to address the modern church’s problem. In episode 138, we discussed the symptoms of a dying church and what causes the church to get sick and die. In this episode, we will continue this conversation by discussing how we, with God’s help, can turn the ship around. I would love to hear from you and get your input. Thanks for listening.
Support the show
Subscribe to this podcast, leave us a review, and tell others about us if you find it helpful.
Contact me at alancarr@gmail.com.
The podcast is a ministry of Dr. Alan Carr and The Sermon Notebook (http://www.sermonnotebook.org)
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We all know that churches are struggling. Some are sick, and others are dying. The church you serve might be one of those churches that is on the deathbed. In this episode, I want to address the modern church’s problem. In this episode, we will discuss the symptoms of a dying church and what causes the church to get sick and die. In the next episode, we will continue this conversation by discussing how we, with God’s help, can turn the ship around. I would love to hear from you and get your input. Thanks for listening.
Support the show
Subscribe to this podcast, leave us a review, and tell others about us if you find it helpful.
Contact me at alancarr@gmail.com.
The podcast is a ministry of Dr. Alan Carr and The Sermon Notebook (http://www.sermonnotebook.org)
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Let’s face it. Sometimes, sermon preparation is as easy as it is at other times. I call the hard times “hitting the wall.” Just as writers struggle with writer’s block, we preachers can struggle with sermon block. I am referring to those times when the words won’t come, the thoughts won’t connect, and the sermon will not come together. I want to offer a few suggestions to help you overcome sermon block. Let me know if this episode has been helpful to you.
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Contact me at: alancarr@gmail.com.
The podcast is a ministry of Dr. Alan Carr and The Sermon Notebook (http://www.sermonnotebook.org)
If you would like some Preaching Matters Podcast merch, you can support the show while advertising for the show.
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Sometimes, the Lord will lead you to preach a passage you have not studied. What do you do when this happens? You preach it, of course. We talk about this and much more in this episode. Let me know what you think.
Support the show
Subscribe to this podcast. Leave us a review. Point your friends to this podcast.
Contact me at: alancarr@gmail.com.
The podcast is a ministry of Dr. Alan Carr and The Sermon Notebook (http://www.sermonnotebook.org)
If you would like some Preaching Matters Podcast merch, you can support the show while advertising for the show.
Podcast T-Shirt: https://www.etsy.com/listing/1477329809/podcast-logo-preacher-gift-sermon-notes?click_key=10bfd3485c9c310cd30c1ea506644847488583b2%3A1477329809&click_sum=c33942ee&external=1&rec_type=ss&ref=landingpage_similar_listing_top-1&frs=1
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Preaching is a powerful, God-given tool for inspiring, motivating, convicting, and comforting people. But preaching can also be dangerous. We can hurt people, lead them astray, and cause them much confusion.
Here are ten mistakes every preacher should avoid while preaching:
1. Using offensive language or engaging in hate speech: Preachers should avoid using language that is discriminatory against or harmful to a particular group of people. We can say what needs to be said without offending people. Some people strive to shock people when they preach. Only a foolish person is controversial, for controversy’s sake.
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Being too political: While addressing social issues from the pulpit is essential, preachers should avoid endorsing specific political parties or candidates.
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Ignoring the audience: Preachers should try to connect with their audience and avoid speaking condescendingly or dismissively. Make eye contact. Address them with respect.
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Lacking preparation: Preachers should take the time to prepare their sermons thoroughly so they can deliver a clear and concise message.
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Being insensitive to the congregation’s needs: Preachers should be mindful that members of their congregation may be dealing with personal issues and should avoid making insensitive comments.
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Being judgmental: Preachers should avoid making sweeping judgments about people based on their beliefs or actions.
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Using too much humor: While humor can effectively engage an audience, preachers should avoid using it excessively or inappropriately.
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Preaching for too long: Long sermons can be tiring and may cause the audience to lose focus. Preachers should aim to keep their sermons to a reasonable length.
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Focusing too much on money: While discussing financial matters with the congregation is essential, preachers should avoid making money the sole focus of their sermons.
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Lacking authenticity: Preachers should avoid being insincere or disingenuous: Preachers should avoid being insincere or disingenuous.
Support the show
Subscribe to this podcast. Leave us a review. Point your friends to this podcast.
Contact me at: alancarr@gmail.com.
The podcast is a ministry of Dr. Alan Carr and The Sermon Notebook (http://www.sermonnotebook.org)
If you would like some Preaching Matters Podcast merch, you can support the show while advertising for the show.
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Growing in faith is a lifelong journey. It involves deepening our knowledge of God through Scripture, cultivating a prayerful relationship with Him, obeying His commands, and persevering through trials. It also requires engaging with the community of believers, serving others, and practicing spiritual disciplines.
To be effective pastors and preachers, we must constantly grow in our faith. This episode discusses how to do that. Join me as I discuss this essential topic today.
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Subscribe to this podcast. Leave us a review. Point your friends to this podcast.
Contact me at: alancarr@gmail.com.
The podcast is a ministry of Dr. Alan Carr and The Sermon Notebook (http://www.sermonnotebook.org)
If you would like some Preaching Matters Podcast merch, you can support the show while advertising for the show.
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Bi-vocational pastors are a unique gift to the church. They are usually the hardest-working men in ministry. If you are a bi-vocational pastor, I want to encourage you. In this episode, I speak to the bi-vocational pastor, offering some suggestions and insights that I pray will offer some much-needed encouragement. Let me know what you think about this issue.
Ask Ralph - Christian Finance
Join financial expert Ralph Estep, Jr - Daily tips for balancing your faith and finances.
Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify
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Subscribe to this podcast. Leave us a review. Point your friends to this podcast.
Contact me at: alancarr@gmail.com.
The podcast is a ministry of Dr. Alan Carr and The Sermon Notebook (http://www.sermonnotebook.org)
If you would like some Preaching Matters Podcast merch, you can support the show while advertising for the show.
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In this episode, we discuss ways to become better pastors and preachers. Pastoral ministry is, in some ways, an art form. In any art form, there is always room for improvement. Listen and let me know what you think.
Ask Ralph - Christian Finance
Join financial expert Ralph Estep, Jr - Daily tips for balancing your faith and finances.
Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify
Support the Show.
Subscribe to this podcast. Leave us a review. Point your friends to this podcast.
Contact me at: alancarr@gmail.com.
The podcast is a ministry of Dr. Alan Carr and The Sermon Notebook (http://www.sermonnotebook.org)
If you would like some Preaching Matters Podcast merch, you can support the show while advertising for the show.
Podcast T-Shirt: https://www.etsy.com/listing/1477329809/podcast-logo-preacher-gift-sermon-notes?click_key=10bfd3485c9c310cd30c1ea506644847488583b2%3A1477329809&click_sum=c33942ee&external=1&rec_type=ss&ref=landingpage_similar_listing_top-1&frs=1
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In this episode, we will discuss the pros and cons of bi-vocational and full-time ministry. Let me know what you think about this episode. What did I miss? Let me know what you think.
Ask Ralph - Christian Finance
Join financial expert Ralph Estep, Jr - Daily tips for balancing your faith and finances.
Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify
Support the Show.
Subscribe to this podcast. Leave us a review. Point your friends to this podcast.
Contact me at: alancarr@gmail.com.
The podcast is a ministry of Dr. Alan Carr and The Sermon Notebook (http://www.sermonnotebook.org)
If you would like some Preaching Matters Podcast merch, you can support the show while advertising for the show.
Podcast T-Shirt: https://www.etsy.com/listing/1477329809/podcast-logo-preacher-gift-sermon-notes?click_key=10bfd3485c9c310cd30c1ea506644847488583b2%3A1477329809&click_sum=c33942ee&external=1&rec_type=ss&ref=landingpage_similar_listing_top-1&frs=1
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In this episode, I will discuss preaching sermon series. We will discuss:
I. Define the Purpose and Theme - Decide on what you will preach.
A. Understand the Needs of Your Congregation
B. Choose a Theme or Book
C. Define the Series Objectives
II. Plan the Series
A. Outline the Series Structure
B. Create a Timeline
C. Develop a Preaching Calendar
III. Prepare Each Sermon
A. Conduct Thorough Research
B. Develop Clear Objectives for Each Sermon
C. Craft Engaging and Relevant Messages
D. Include Application and Reflection
IV. Communicate and Engage
A. Promote the Series
B. Encourage Congregational Participation
C. Gather Feedback
V. Evaluate and Reflect
A. Assess the Impact
B. Celebrate Successes
C. Plan for the Future
Ask Ralph - Christian Finance
Join financial expert Ralph Estep, Jr - Daily tips for balancing your faith and finances.
Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify
Support the Show.
Subscribe to this podcast. Leave us a review. Point your friends to this podcast.
Contact me at: alancarr@gmail.com.
The podcast is a ministry of Dr. Alan Carr and The Sermon Notebook (http://www.sermonnotebook.org)
If you would like some Preaching Matters Podcast merch, you can support the show while advertising for the show.
Podcast T-Shirt: https://www.etsy.com/listing/1477329809/podcast-logo-preacher-gift-sermon-notes?click_key=10bfd3485c9c310cd30c1ea506644847488583b2%3A1477329809&click_sum=c33942ee&external=1&rec_type=ss&ref=landingpage_similar_listing_top-1&frs=1
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We all want to be better preachers and deliver more powerful sermons.
We want our sermons to have cohesion. Cohesion is “ the act of cohering, uniting, or sticking together.” We want our sermons to stick. If our sermons are to possess cohesion, they must have three elements: Unity, Order, and Purpose.
- Unity means a whole or totality, combining all its parts into one.
- Order is a condition in which each thing is properly disposed of concerning other things and its purpose; it is a systematic or harmonious arrangement.
- Purpose is an intended or desired result.
In this episode, I will discuss the keyword and the transitional sentence and give you two ways to improve your next sermon. Adding these two elements to your sermon preparation will improve your next sermon.
Ask Ralph - Christian Finance
Join financial expert Ralph Estep, Jr - Daily tips for balancing your faith and finances.
Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify
Support the Show.
Subscribe to this podcast. Leave us a review. Point your friends to this podcast.
Contact me at: alancarr@gmail.com.
The podcast is a ministry of Dr. Alan Carr and The Sermon Notebook (http://www.sermonnotebook.org)
If you would like some Preaching Matters Podcast merch, you can support the show while advertising for the show.
Podcast T-Shirt: https://www.etsy.com/listing/1477329809/podcast-logo-preacher-gift-sermon-notes?click_key=10bfd3485c9c310cd30c1ea506644847488583b2%3A1477329809&click_sum=c33942ee&external=1&rec_type=ss&ref=landingpage_similar_listing_top-1&frs=1
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In this episode, I want to share eight reasons you should write sermon manuscripts. We will talk about:
- Writing a manuscript will shorten your preparation time.
- Writing a manuscript will help you find the right words.
- Writing a manuscript will ensure your sermon is in harmony.
- Writing a manuscript will allow you to have a record of your sermons and what you said in them.
- Writing a manuscript will force you to think through the specifics.
- Writing a manuscript to make the sermon easier to use in other formats.
- Writing a manuscript will make you a better writer.
- Writing a manuscript will make you a better preacher.
Let me know what you think about writing manuscripts.
Ask Ralph - Christian Finance
Join financial expert Ralph Estep, Jr - Daily tips for balancing your faith and finances.
Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify
Support the Show.
Subscribe to this podcast. Leave us a review. Point your friends to this podcast.
Contact me at: alancarr@gmail.com.
The podcast is a ministry of Dr. Alan Carr and The Sermon Notebook (http://www.sermonnotebook.org)
If you would like some Preaching Matters Podcast merch, you can support the show while advertising for the show.
Podcast T-Shirt: https://www.etsy.com/listing/1477329809/podcast-logo-preacher-gift-sermon-notes?click_key=10bfd3485c9c310cd30c1ea506644847488583b2%3A1477329809&click_sum=c33942ee&external=1&rec_type=ss&ref=landingpage_similar_listing_top-1&frs=1
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We all want to preach better, more effective sermon. In this episode, I want to share with you 15 tips for more effective preaching. Listen to this episode, use what you can, and ignore what you can't.
Thank you for listening to The Preaching Matters Podcast. May the Lord use you to preach effective sermons for his glory. Preaching Matters! Let us strive to be the best we can be for the glory of God.
Ask Ralph - Christian Finance
Join financial expert Ralph Estep, Jr - Daily tips for balancing your faith and finances.
Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify
Support the Show.
Subscribe to this podcast. Leave us a review. Point your friends to this podcast.
Contact me at: alancarr@gmail.com.
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10 Essential Components of Preaching
In the last chapter of Scripture, he writes the apostle Paul left Timothy, with these words: “1 I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; 2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.” (2 Tim. 4:1–2). With these words to Timothy as a foundation, what follows are ten essential commitments that every preacher should have as he prepares to preach the timeless and sufficient Word of God faithfully.
- Preaching must be biblically centered and biblically grounded.
- Preaching must be God-exalting.
- Preaching must be Christward.
- Preaching must be doctrinally and theologically accurate.
- Preaching must be dependent before and after the preaching event.
- Preaching must be well-prepared.
- Preaching must be authoritative.
- Preaching must demand something.
- Preaching must be both articulate and imaginative.
- Preaching must be passionate and engaging.
We discuss these Ten Essential Components In Preaching. Let me know what you think.
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Let's face it: We are not good listeners. This is true in private conversations and when it comes to listening to preaching. I want to share a few thoughts on improving our listening skills in this episode. This is not an exhaustive list of tips. These are a few that came to mind as I thought about this issue.
Thank you to Pastor Clint Davidson from Chapel Hill Baptist Church in Birmingham, AL for suggesting this episode.
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In this episode, we continue talking about biblical word studies. Today, we want to discuss six mistakes we can make when doing word studies.
Here is what not to do:
1. Don’t conduct English-only word studies.
2. Don’t rely on a word’s etymology.
3. Don’t ignore how a word’s usage changes over time.
4. Don’t collect evidence for a word’s meaning in an unbalanced way.
5. Remember when a concept is present, though the word isn’t.
6. Don’t be frightened into quitting.
If you can think of anything I missed, reach out and let me know.
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Conducting a word study is many people’s first foray into deeper Bible study. You might do a word study when teaching the Bible, preparing for a small group, or reading for personal edification. Word studies can quickly go awry, so here are six steps to help you conduct a word study with greater confidence.
For this episode, I will use the STEP (Scripture Tools for Every Person) Bible website, which can be found at stepbible.org. Here are the steps we will cover in this episode.
- Pick the right word.
- Find the Greek or Hebrew word.
- Find other occurrences.
- Note the range of possible meanings.
- Check with the commentators.
- Make your decision.
It takes time and energy to discover a word’s meaning in a given context, but with these six steps, the help of the Spirit, and the grace of God, I trust we’ll get it right more often than we get it wrong.
Fellowship One:Seven
Fellowship One:Seven™ is biblical podcast from Child Evangelism Fellowship®. On the...
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On today's episode, I want to share several thoughts more on preaching. These observations are designed to enhance our preaching, help us avoid the common traps of preaching, and make us more listenable as preachers.
As always, I would love to hear from you. Let me know what you think, and if you have any thoughts I missed, please send them along.
All of Life for God
The All of Life for God podcast is an engaging and thoughtful collection of exclusive...
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On today's episode, I want to begin sharing several thoughts on preaching. The observations are designed to enhance our preaching, help us avoid the common traps of preaching, and make us more listenable as preachers.
As always, I would love to hear from you. Let me know what you think, and if you have any thoughts I missed, please send them along.
All of Life for God
The All of Life for God podcast is an engaging and thoughtful collection of exclusive...
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Support the Show.
Subscribe to this podcast. Leave us a review. Point your friends to this podcast.
Contact me at: alancarr@gmail.com.
The podcast is a ministry of Dr. Alan Carr and The Sermon Notebook (http://www.sermonnotebook.org)
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Today, we will discuss the three stages of a pastor's life. As we move through our years in the ministry, we will change, and our ministry will change with us. I want to walk you through the three stages you will pass through as you live out your calling to preach. I pray this will be helpful and challenging to you.
All of Life for God
The All of Life for God podcast is an engaging and thoughtful collection of exclusive...
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In today's episode, I discuss the difference between letting the Bible say what it says and making it say what the preacher wants it to. We will also discuss the differences between exegesis and eisegesis. This is not a trivial matter. It is akin to the differences between lightning and a lightning bug.
I want to make a strong case in favor of exegesis. When we practice exegesis, we "lead out" of the text, the truth placed there by the inspiration of God. When we practice eisegesis, we "lead into" the text ideas that form in our human minds.
Listen to the episode, and decide what you want to be: a preacher who tells you what God said in his Word, or one who reads into the Bible what he wants it to say. The choice seems cut and dried to me. Let me know what you think.
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In this final episode of the series on Finding Your Preaching Style, I talk about how you can learn to be yourself in your preaching. We will talk about the experiences that have shaped us into the people we are and how those experiences shape our preaching. We will also address several other issues related to our preaching style and how to find yours.
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This episode continues the thought from episode 116. We are seeking a way to find our preaching style. God does not want us to be an echo; he wants us to be a voice. The best way to be a voice for God is to be the preacher God created you to be. Find your style and be yourself. That is what I want to help you do.
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Every preacher has a unique preaching style. Some preaching styles are very effective, while others are not. In this episode, I want to discuss Ten Preaching Styles To Avoid.
We will discuss:
- The "Look at Me" preacher
- The "Comedian" preacher
- The "Bible Commentary" preacher
- The "Rubber Chicken" preacher
- The "Microwave" preacher
- The "Aimlessly Driving Around" preacher
- The "I'm Talking To Myself" preacher
- The "Boring, Monotonous" preacher
- The "Screaming" preacher
- The "Hammer" preacher
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Effective preaching is not just what we say, it's how we say it. No matter how strong our content, bad delivery can sink a sermon. In this episode we discuss sermon delivery. I offer several tips to help you improve your sermon delivery. Listen and let me know what you think. Do you have any sermon delivery tips that can help others? Send them to me.
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As preachers of the Bible, we must never forget that the Bible is our final authority for all matters of faith and practice. We are not to preach our opinions or the opinions of others, echo the flawed teaching of other men, or allow our church traditions to assume a place more important than the Bible.
To understand this better, we need to examine the doctrine of Sola Scriptura. Sola Scriptura teaches that the Bible is the only authority we have. The Bible rules our preaching, living, and every aspect of the church.
I discuss the doctrine of Sola Scriptura in this episode. Let me know what you think.
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In this episode, I give a simple introduction to Bible study—Bible study pared down to its most simple terms. Perhaps you have advanced far beyond this most straightforward method. That is good, but plenty of people are still learning how to study their Bibles. Even if you are an advanced Bible student, listen to the episode and share this method with those getting started. May God bless your studies for his glory.
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In this episode, we will discuss Some Tips for Effective Preaching. We all want our preaching to be better, and it can be. If we put in the effort God will bless our preaching for his glory. I will deal with the points listed below. I pray this episode will be a help to you in your preaching ministry.
Study the Word
Memorize scripture
God’s Word will not return to Him void (Isaiah 55:10-11).
The Word is sharper than any two-edged sword (Hebrews 4:12).
God watches over and hastens His Word to perform it (Jeremiah 1:12).
He honors His Word above His name (Psalm 138:2).
God’s Word is sent out through us to bring healing and deliverance into the lives of His people (Psalms 107:20).
God anoints His Word and through it breaks every yoke of bondage (Isaiah 10:27 ).
* God promises the Holy Spirit will “bring all things to your remembrance whatsoever He has said unto us” (John 14:26). We must, however, put in the time and effort to know what God’s Word says.
Depend upon the Lord
Have an experience with the cross
Have a sound support system
Use your voice well
Be informative
Preach sound doctrine
Reading
Exhortation
Get to the point
If God has called you to preach the Word of God, don’t quit! He will prosper your work and ministry in due season.
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What is the most important tool the preacher has? What will give him more power with people, a more significant listenership, greater respect and standing among the congregation, shelter him when the enemies of truth attack him and help him maintain all the relationships in his life with grace? What is the preacher’s secret weapon? Does such a weapon even exist? If it does, it must be hard to find or more expensive than most preachers can afford.
What if I told you that the preacher’s secret is free and available to every preacher, regardless of who he is, what kind of personality he has, where he ministers, how he preachers, his level of education, his ability to craft powerful sermons or anything else you can name. What if I told you your secret weapon is something you already have? What if I told you that you have more of this one thing than you have of anything? Indeed, you are fabulously wealthy with this secret weapon. All you have to do is learn to use it. All you have to do is let it out, and no matter how much of the secret weapon you use, you will never have any less of it.
Do you want to know what this secret weapon is? Listen to this episode and find out what I believe is The Preacher's Secret Weapon
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This episode will discuss ten ways to improve our sermon outlines. I hope you are enjoying the show. Let me know. God bless.
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In this episode, I discuss how God uses preaching to accomplish much for his glory in his kingdom work. I want to show you how God uses preaching to:
- Evangelize Sinners
- Edify Saints
- Encourage the Suffering
- Establish His Church
- Expose Sin
- Equip the Church
Listen to this episode and find out why This Is The Way.
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Contact me at: alancarr@gmail.com.
The podcast is a ministry of Dr. Alan Carr and The Sermon Notebook (http://www.sermonnotebook.org)
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We know what we are commanded to do. We are commanded to preach the Word of God. But what does that mean? In this episode, we conduct a brief study of 2 Timothy 4:1-5. Let the Word of God speak to you as we study this powerful passage. Then get out there and Preach the Word!
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The podcast is a ministry of Dr. Alan Carr and The Sermon Notebook (http://www.sermonnotebook.org)
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Does the Old Testament still matter in our modern culture? Of course, it does! In this episode, I discuss three reasons why the Old Testament still matters in modern preaching.
We will deal with the following reasons:
1. The Old Testament is the foundation for the work of Jesus.
2. Believers find their true identity in the Old Testament.
3. The Old Testament teaches believers how to live to the glory of God.
If you are convinced, like I am, that the Old Testament still matters, listen to this episode and let me know what you think. You should also listen if you believe the Old Testament can be jettisoned. Who knows? You might change your mind.
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The podcast is a ministry of Dr. Alan Carr and The Sermon Notebook (http://www.sermonnotebook.org)
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You would think Jesus would be the center of everything we say and do. You might think every sermon has Jesus as its primary focus. But is this accurate? Are our sermons all about Jesus, or are they about all sorts of other things? The truth is, we miss Jesus far more often than we want to admit. Let’s talk about it.
In this episode, we will discuss where we often miss Jesus in the text and how we can avoid this.
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The podcast is a ministry of Dr. Alan Carr and The Sermon Notebook (http://www.sermonnotebook.org)
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Compassion is a rare trait in our society. Many people struggle to find support during difficult times in their lives. Unfortunately, even churches often lack genuine compassion. Those who have been hurt and broken by life come to church seeking relief and guidance from God's Word, hoping to find comfort. Instead, they are often met with judgment, condemnation, and harsh criticism. This is not what they need, and it only makes things worse. In this episode, we discuss how to cultivate compassion. We must listen, pray, and preach with a compassionate heart so that we may provide the support and healing that people need. Let me know what you think.
Thanks for listening.
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The podcast is a ministry of Dr. Alan Carr and The Sermon Notebook (http://www.sermonnotebook.org)
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Our world is filled with hurting people. Our world is filled with lost souls who need to hear the gospel. If we will effectively reach the hurting and the lost, we must do so with compassion. In this episode, I begin a discussion about preaching with compassion. I want to tell you what compassion is, why it matters, how it can be impeded, and how it can be developed. Listen to the episode, and reach out to me with your thoughts.
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The podcast is a ministry of Dr. Alan Carr and The Sermon Notebook (http://www.sermonnotebook.org)
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Let's face it: preaching is hard work but worth the effort. God uses preaching to save his people. God uses preaching to feed the church. God uses preaching to glorify himself. If we want to be effective preachers, our preaching should be biblical. In this episode, I share the ten essential ingredients of biblical preaching.
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The podcast is a ministry of Dr. Alan Carr and The Sermon Notebook (http://www.sermonnotebook.org)
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Pastoring a small church can sometimes feel like walking through a minefield. I want to offer a few tips to the small church pastor in this episode. These tips may help you avoid stepping in the wrong place and blowing yourself and the church to pieces. Give this episode a listen, and let me know what you think. Reach out with your questions, comments, and experiences. You and your ministry may seem small to people, but you are a big deal to God. I would love to hear from you.
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The podcast is a ministry of Dr. Alan Carr and The Sermon Notebook (http://www.sermonnotebook.org)
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In this episode, we are going to talk about fear. Specifically, we will discuss some of the fears plaguing the minds of pastors and preachers. Listen to this episode if you have fears (And who doesn't?). I pray there will be some help in my words for you. If you want to discuss some of your fears, please reach out. God bless you and thank you for listening.
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The podcast is a ministry of Dr. Alan Carr and The Sermon Notebook (http://www.sermonnotebook.org)
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Today, I am sharing the content of a sermon I preach about praying in Jesus's name. I want to show you why we do it and what it means to pray in Jesus' name.
I do not have enough room to share the complete sermon manuscript in these notes. If you want a copy, please email and ask. It will be provided without cost.
Thanks for listening.
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The podcast is a ministry of Dr. Alan Carr and The Sermon Notebook (http://www.sermonnotebook.org)
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- Discouragement is part of ministry
Facing discouragement is normal in all ministries. Something is off if someone in ministry claims to be on a perpetual high. If you are feeling discouraged, you are not alone.
2 . Remember How God has worked in your life
He saved you, called you, gifted you, prepared you, shaped you, and used you. Recollect those times when God’s work through you has been clear and evident.
-
Identify the actual standard for your ministry
It is so easy to start feeling pressured by standards that God is not holding you up against. God is not expecting you to be someone else. He wants you to be you. Empowered, growing, improving, but still you. -
Who should you please?
You cannot keep everyone happy all the time. You may preach with great sensitivity and still step on some toes. -
Pray, prepare and preach
What do we discover if we take stock of your lifetime of sermons and add them to mine and a few others? We discover that the chances of this Sunday’s message being the catalyst for a spiritual revolution are meager.
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The podcast is a ministry of Dr. Alan Carr and The Sermon Notebook (http://www.sermonnotebook.org)
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In this episode, we continue our discussion with Jesse Carr, who is the Pastor of Sharon Heights Baptist Church in Brookside, AL. Join us as we discuss several matters that will be of particular interest to preachers and pastors. As always, I would appreciate hearing from you. Reach out at alancarr@gmail.com. Thank you for listening.
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In this episode, we sit down once again with Pastor Jessae Carr. Jesse is the Pastor of Sharon Heights Baptist Church in Brookside, AL. Jesse is my son, and in exchange for his Christmas meal, he has consented to sit down for a couple of interviews. The first will air this week, and the second installment will air next week.
Jesse has a lot of insight and experience in pastoral ministry. I believe our time together will be a blessing to you and will be helpful in your ministry for the Lord.
Let me know what you think.
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The podcast is a ministry of Dr. Alan Carr and The Sermon Notebook (http://www.sermonnotebook.org)
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In this episode, we will discuss how we can make our preaching more vivid, more picturesque, and, thus, more engaging. Employing the proper techniques can help our listeners see what we are saying. When we speak using vivid language, our words can touch the human senses, drawing the congregation into the message so they can hear, see, touch, smell, and taste the picture we paint.
We will talk about the Bible's usage of various figures of speech. We will briefly discuss the vivid preaching of Jonathan Edwards. Then, we will close by speaking about some tools to help us become more pictorial, lifelike images in our words.
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The podcast is a ministry of Dr. Alan Carr and The Sermon Notebook (http://www.sermonnotebook.org)
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In this episode, I want to ask and answer the question, How Can I Be A Better Preacher? We all want to be better at what God has called us to do, right? I want to share 20 tips that can help us be better preachers.
- Learn to depend on the Holy Spirit to guide your Bible study and sermon preparation.
- Listen to experienced preachers and study their techniques.
- Practice public speaking in front of friends and family.
- Read the Bible (In more than one version), good commentaries, and other theological works to understand scripture better.
- Ask for feedback from your audience and use it to refine your preaching.
- Learn how to develop a distinct style and voice to make your preaching more engaging.
- Learn how to communicate the message with humor, stories, and illustrations.
- Learn how to use technology to enhance your presentations effectively.
- Learn how to use body language to emphasize key points.
- Learn how to deliver a clear and concise message.
- Learn how to end a sermon.
- Learn how to begin a sermon.
- Learn how to be yourself.
- Learn how to stop thinking about yourself.
- Learn how to use your weaknesses to your advantage.
- Learn how to maintain eye contact with the congregation.
- Learn how to enunciate your words.
- Expand your vocabulary. More importantly, learn how to turn a phrase and use similies and metaphors to paint word pictures.
- Learn how to read the Bible clearly and distinctly.
- Pray for the Holy Spirit to guide you as you preach.
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The podcast is a ministry of Dr. Alan Carr and The Sermon Notebook (http://www.sermonnotebook.org)
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Charles H. Spurgeon has been called the "Prince of Preachers." He achieved his title by being devoted to the Word of God and the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. Spurgeon had a sharp mind, encyclopedic knowledge of the Puritan writers and world history, and a near-photographic memory. God blessed Spurgeon with a keen intellect. God used these attributes in significant ways in Spurgeon's life and ministry.
In this episode, we want to learn from the "Prince of Preachers." Spurgeon offers preachers of all ages six gems to guide us in our sermon preparation. Join me in this episode, and let's learn from Spurgeon.
The following list is what I will speak about today.
1. Fiercely Protect Your Preparation Time.
2. Select Short Texts, Then Rotate.
3. Write Manuscripts or Outlines . . . and Let Your Wife Help.
4. Feed Sheep, Not Giraffes.
5. Have the Humility to Consult Commentaries.
6. Preach Jesus Christ.
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The podcast is a ministry of Dr. Alan Carr and The Sermon Notebook (http://www.sermonnotebook.org)
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Preaching today is a minefield. When it comes to preaching, the good, the bad, and the ugly are all around us. If you are like me, you have a desire to be the best preachier you can be. You want to be clear. You want to preach the gospel. You want to glorify God. But if we were honest, we would all have to admit there are problems with our preaching and with preaching in general.
In this episode, I want to point our a few problems I see with modern preaching, and I want offer some steps we can take to help us reach a cure for some of the more common problems we see in the modern pulpit.
- We will talk about.
- Superficial Ideas
- A Lack of a Defined Faith
- Hasty Sermon Preparation
- A Lack of Enthusiasm
- Pulpit Language
- Leaving out the "How " in Preaching
- Sermon Delivery
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The podcast is a ministry of Dr. Alan Carr and The Sermon Notebook (http://www.sermonnotebook.org)
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Preaching a compelling Christmas message is a challenging assignment. How can we stay fresh year after year? Let me offer a few suggestions.
- Capture the true wonder of Christmas. Set it in the total context of the drama of redemption.
- Avoid allegorical and sentimental approaches. Christmas messages focusing exclusively on the “sweet, precious baby in the manger” are inadequate and irresponsible. Like the flood account of Genesis, the Christmas story is a story of God’s supernatural provision of Himself as Immanuel. At the same time, Scripture indicates that Immanuel was born to be our Savior, who would die as our substitute to deliver us from judgment.
- Explore less familiar texts. Tackle texts like Micah 5:2-5 contain the prophecy related to Bethlehem and assert the coming of the One who will be great to the “ends of the earth.” Consider also Zechariah’s Benedictus in Luke 1:67-79. In this passage, Zechariah refers to Jesus as the “Horn of Salvation,” referring not to a musical instrument but to an animal’s offensive weapons—horns.
The following Bible passages make excellent preaching texts.
Old Testament
Numbers 24:15–17
Isaiah 11:1–10
Psalm 2
Isaiah 40:1–11
Psalm 8
Ezekiel 34:22–24
Isaiah 9:1–7 (esp. v. 6)
Micah 5:2
New Testament
Matthew 1:18–25
John 1:1–4
Matthew 2:1–11
John 1:1–14
Matthew 2:13–23
2 Corinthians 8:9
Luke 1:5–25
2 Corinthians 9:15
Luke 1:26–38
Galatians 4:4–6
Luke 1:39–45
Philippians 2:1–8
Luke 1:46–56
Colossians 1:15–20
Luke 1:57–66
1 Timothy 1:15
Luke 1:67–80
1 Timothy 3:16
Luke 2:1–7
Hebrews 2:14–18
Luke 2:1–20
Hebrews 4:14–16
Luke 2:21
Hebrews 10:5–7
Luke 2:22–38
-
Connect the cradle and the cross. While Jesus entered this world as an infant in Bethlehem, grew up in Nazareth, called disciples to follow Him, healed the sick, and fed the poor, the author of Hebrews asserts that He was born to die (2:14-15).
-
Intensify exposition of the wonder of the incarnation. Remind hearers that the Word did indeed become flesh. Help them grasp in some measure the reality of the Almighty as an infant of inches. Don’t allow them to think of the infancy of Jesus witho
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Preaching From The White Spaces
You know what "white space" is, don’t you? It's the tiny space between the verses in our Bibles. Most of the time, there's nothing there to think about. The previous verse moves right into the following verse; nothing is missing or intentionally left out. The story flows, and the logic flows. It all fits and makes perfect sense.
But there are those times when some matters appear left unsaid in the "white space." God hasn't revealed everything. He has done so intentionally. We don't need to know everything that happens behind the scenes! We can't know everything anyway. So why bring this up? Sometimes, what lies in the white spaces is essential.
David's heart and faith change remarkably between v4 and v5. He moves from despairing faith to rejoicing faith. He moves from crying "How long, O Lord?" in vv1-2 to singing to the Lord in v6.
God happened! God answered David's prayer of vv4-5. God lifted David’s eyes! God heard, moved, revived, restored, refreshed, and renewed His servant’s heart and faith! It’s not written or recorded, but it’s there nonetheless! There is no doubt the invisible hand of God has lavished grace upon His child!
I think that’s precisely why it is in the white space. You can’t see God move. His Spirit moves like the wind, unseen yet undeniable. The evidence that God has been on the scene in this psalm, in answer to David's pleading and praying, is undeniable, too.
God hears and answers the prayers of His people. God grants much-needed faith, grace, and mercy. God gives daily bread. That's the point of Psalm 13! It's right there in black and white!
White spaces fill our Bibles.
- Doctrine should never be based on what isn’t in the white spaces.
- White spaces can be dangerous when we read into them thoughts they do not contain. If we are not careful, we will fill the white spaces with inference, imagination, and speculation, inevitably leading to eisegesis.
- Sometimes, the white spaces can lead us to biblically accurate conclusions. (Luke 15:11-32)
- Sometimes, the white spaces are artificial. (John 13:31-14:3)
- Should a preacher ever preach from the white spaces? He should do so only if he can prove what he believes he sees there from the clear words of the Bible.
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We all know we should read and study the Bible. But sometimes, the task seems overwhelming. In this episode, I want to introduce you to the inductive Bible study method. This Bible stidy method is build on three main pillars. They are:
Observation
Interpretation
Application
This episode gives you a very basic introduction to this method. There is tons of help on the Internet, if you are interested in learning more. Here is a link to Precept Austin that is filled with great insight into the inductive Bible study method.
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In this episode, we will discuss how to develop an expository sermon. I want to share ten key elements that every expository sermon should contain. These ten elements of sermon preparation will help you think through the essential steps you need to follow.
These key elements will help you answer the following questions:
- Observation - What does the passage say?
- Interpretation - What does it mean?
- Unification - What is its central theme?
- Divisions - What are its divisions?
- Implications - What does it imply?
- Application - What does it require?
- Illustrations - What are helpful illustrations?
- Introduction - How can it start well?
- Conclusion - How can it finish strong?
Following these elements will set you on the path to better expository preaching.
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In this episode I talk about mishandling a Bible story. This is something we should never do. This is something we try hard not to do. But there are times when we handle the stories in the Bible in ways we should not. There are several ways in which we can do this, and I mention several in this episode.
What follows is a brief list.
- Skip the story
- Flip the story
- Moralize the story
- Transform the story into a lecture
- Over-reveal the story too early
- Flatten the story
- Lose the story
- Leave out important details
- Change the context of the story
- Blur the moral of the story
- Add elements to the story that don't fit
- Use a selective interpretation of the story
- Present the story as a myth or legend
- Make the story about yourself instead of the characters
- Ignore the original audience of the story
- Make up details or embellish the story
- Use the story to support a particular agenda
What other ways can we mishandle a text? I would enjoy hearing your take on this issue.
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Let's face it, times are tough. Money is tight. Books and Bible software can be expensive. In this bonus episode, I am going to share with you several free resources you can access and use today to deepen you Bible study without spending a dime. I am also going to list a couple of paid resources that are worth the financial investment, if you have the funds. Let get to it.
Paid Resources
- Logos - Logos.com (This software is expensive, but worth the investment.)
- Accordance - Accordancebible.com (This software is also expensive, but it is so valuable to me. It is my go to Bible study tool.)
Free Resources
- Precept Austin - http://preceptaustin.org/ (A wonderful collection of links to some fantastic study materials. This site is huge and profitable.)
- Christian Classics Ethereal Library - https://ccel.org/ - (Tons of books and writings)
- Monergism - https://www.monergism.com/ (over 1,000 free ebooks to download.)
- E-Sword - https://e-sword.net/ (Free Bible study software)
- Blue Letter Bible - https://www.blueletterbible.org/ (Awesome free resource)
- Bible Study Tools - https://www.biblestudytools.com/
- Navigators - https://www.navigators.org/resources/
- Bible Hub - https://biblehub.com/
- Study Light - https://www.studylight.org/
- Bible Gateway - https://www.biblegateway.com/
- Bible Project - https://bibleproject.com/
- Bible Studies - https://biblestudies.org/
- Bible Net - https://biblesnet.com/studytools.html
- Carm - https://carm.org/
There you have it. I hope this small selection of resources will help you study the Bible deeper and preach the gospel better.
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In this episode, I want to provide you with a few reasons why you should write you conclusion first. We often start the sermon writing process with the introduction. I want you to see that there is a better way.
The three reason I will discuss for writing the conclusion first are:
- It Can Help Clarifies the Central Main Point
- You Can Pull Together the Movements in the Sermon
- You Can Make People Want to Come Back and Listen To You Again
The task of sermon writing is both a privilege and a responsibility, and the approach one takes can make all the difference. Writing the conclusion first might seem counterintuitive, all the more reason to try it. I’m not saying pick a conclusion apart from God’s Word. Do your exegetical work, find your main idea, and when you sit down to write the sermon start at the end. It clarifies your sermon’s central point, gives structure and clarity to its various movements, and most importantly, leaves your congregation eager to return for more. Look, there is nothing magical about when you write your conclusion. But having a good conclusion that reinforces the conclusion is important and too easily passed without thought. So, the next time you sit down to pen a sermon, consider starting at the end.
Let me know what you think. If you try this, let me know how it goes for you.
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Ten Preaching Mistakes To Avoid
I sometimes feel awkward giving preachers advice on preaching. We all have our individual style and preaching habits, after all. But since I’m a Senior Pastor who preaches many times a year, hear me out. I have much to say about preaching. There are many opinions always floating about in my head. Not all of them are correct, I am sure. But I have done much preaching over the years. I have preached around 7,000 sermons in hundreds of churches in America and other nations. Thus, I am not speaking as a nocive but as a seasoned preacher. Maybe I am wrong, but I think I have learned a few things along the way.
Over the years, I’ve listened to hundreds of messages, some from great preachers and some from not-so-great. Thanks, Facebook Live! Over the years, I’ve noticed what I believe are some vast mistakes many pastors are making.
In this episode, I talk about ten preaching mistakes you should avoid.
- The preacher voice.
- Preaching from a Bible, people can’t understand.
- Preaching on un-relatable topics.
- Having too many points.
- Preaching too long.
- Not being prepared.
- Not being real.
- Not explaining the why.
- Not sharing personal stories.
- Not challenging people to take the next steps.
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In this episode, we will discuss AI and ChatGTP and whether or not they can or should be used in pastoral ministry. The answer is both yes and no. Listen to the episode and let me know what you think.
Below is an expository outline from ChatGTP that you might find interesting.
Prompt: Write an alliterated expository sermon from Numbers 21:1-9 using references from the King James Version
Response: In Numbers 21:1-9, we read about the Israelites' journey through the wilderness and their encounter with fiery serpents. The passage teaches us about the consequences of sin and the importance of repentance. Let us examine this story through an alliterated expository sermon.
First, we see the Israelites' Rebellion. They spoke against God and Moses, complaining about their circumstances and the lack of food and water. Their grumbling reflected their lack of faith and trust in God. We, too, may face difficult situations, but we must resist the temptation to rebel against God and instead trust His plan.
Second, we see the Repentance of the Israelites. After being bitten by the fiery serpents, the Israelites realized the error of their ways and repented. They came to Moses, confessing their sin and asking for his intercession. When we sin, we must repent and turn back to God. He is always willing to forgive and restore us to a right relationship with Him.
Third, we see the Remedy for the Israelites' affliction. God instructed Moses to put a brass serpent on a pole. Anyone bitten by a serpent could look upon the brass serpent and live. This was a foreshadowing of Christ, who would be lifted up on the cross to provide a remedy for our sins. We, too, can look to Christ and find healing and salvation.
In conclusion, the story of the Israelites and the fiery serpents teaches us about the consequences of sin, the importance of repentance, and the remedy provided by Christ. Let us learn from their mistakes and turn to God in faith and trust.
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Every preacher needs to be able to preach without notes on some occasions.
It is not a freakish skill that only some possess or a unique style that only some need to cultivate. It is something every preacher can and sometimes needs to do. In this episode, I suggest ways to cultivate the ability to preach without notes when the situation calls for it. It can be helpful to distinguish between three different modes of preaching without notes.
Impromptu Preaching - Impromptu preaching involves almost no preparation. Calls to impromptu preaching come through many parts of a pastor’s life.
Impromptu preaching can be strengthened, primarily through attention to the four rules of thumb.
Say one thing.
Play your riffs.
Don’t be afraid to pause.
Know how you will end.
Extemporaneous Preaching impromptu preaching happens with little warning; extemporaneous preaching allows for some focused time for preparation. Extemporaneous preaching involves working from an outline. Some preachers make extemporaneous preaching their usual style. Others use it for services when they do not have as much time to prepare as they might like. Whatever the occasion, these rules of thumb can guide the preparation of an excellent extemporaneous sermon:
Craft a strong, clear structure for the sermon.
Talk your way to the sermon.
Work out the beginning and the ending of the sermon in more detail.
Internalized Manuscript - Like an extemporaneous sermon, a sermon from what I will call an internalized manuscript is composed through a mixture of speaking and writing. Preaching in this style requires extensive time for preparation. It involves writing out a complete sermon manuscript, digesting it deeply, and then setting aside the manuscript to preach the sermon without notes of any kind. Digesting a manuscript is different than memorizing it word-for-word. Digestion requires internalizing a manuscript’s sense, form, and key phrases and then bringing that internalized manuscript to life in speech.
Craft a strong, clear, and simple structure.
Write the manuscript out.
Use typographical devices
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In this episode, I discuss the church's Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary issues. We are going to see what matters when it comes to our preaching and our belief system.
One of the problems in the church is our inability to distinguish between what matters and what doesn't in our preaching. As a result, some preachers spend most of their time preaching on third-level (tertiary) issues about which the Bible is silent. What should they be doing instead? They should focus most of their time and attention on the primary doctrinal issues of the faith. The secondary issues I will mention are important and will come up in our preaching. Still, they should never overshadow the preaching of the primary doctrines of the Bible.
I know you will disagree with some of my conclusions. It might even be that this episode will clear up some confusion you harbor regarding what should and shouldn't be preached. No matter how you fall on these issues, I would love to hear from you. Reach out and let me know what you think.
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In this episode, I begin discussing issues often disputed in the church. Today, I deal with 2 Timothy 4:1-5 and Romans 14 regarding how we should treat one another and what is and isn't involved in our call to preach.
This is a topic that lies heavy on my heart. I see so many people being hurt by those who seek to lay the burden of modern Phariseeism and human piety on the backs of others. And I see some who believe they can exercise their liberty in Christ without regard for who it wounds. These people believe they can do whatever they think is right and dare anyone to say anything about what they choose to do.
I submit that both viewpoints are wrong and do not glorify God.
Listen to the episode and let me know what you think. I would love to hear from you.
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In this episode, we offer tne tips for preachers as they prepare their sermons. If nothing else, these are simple reminders that preaching is bigger than we know and more straightforward than we believe.
- Here are the points I elaborate on in the episode.
- Hermeneutics come first.
- Christ-centered preaching is Christian preaching.
- The correct doctrine prevents wrong application.
- Preaching is a pastoral activity.
- Humility is critical.
- Novelty is a potential enemy.
- History is your friend.
- Learning is your job.
- Spiritual formation is the point.
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In this episode, we discuss the Bible. We explore different views of inspiration, all of the false views but one. We will discuss plenary, verbal inspiration.
Let me know what you think. It would be a blessing to hear from you.
I mention this each week, but if you have ideas for future episodes, let me know. Who knows? I might use them.
Thank you for listening.
Support the showBe sure to subscribe to this podcast. Please leave us a review, and point your friends to this podcast.
You can contact me, Alan Carr, at alancarr@gmail.com.
Our website is: https://preachingmatters.buzzsprout.com/
The podcast is a ministry of Dr. Alan Carr and The Sermon Notebook (http://www.sermonnotebook.org)
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Six Essential Elements Of Good Preaching
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Good Preaching Is Exegetical
Great preaching mines the text for all the truth it contains. It allows the Bible to speak for itself. Good preaching takes a text and explains the central truth within the text. Good preaching does not allow opinions, traditions, or relationships to cloud the text’s true meaning. Good preaching reveals the immediate and general context of the text. Good preaching respects the boundaries established by the context. Good preaching exposes and respects the intent of the original author. Good preaching rests upon the grammatical-historical context of the passage. -
Good Preaching Is Applicational
Good preaching applies the truths within the text to a modern audience in a way that relates to them today. Good preaching bridges the gap between the original Holy Spirit’s intention in inspiring the text and the people who hear it preached now. -
Good Preaching Is Persuasive
Good preaching calls for action by the preacher and his hearers. -
Good Preaching Is Christ-exalting
Great preaching must exalt Jesus Christ and have him as its center since he is the center of Scripture. He must have pre-eminence in all things, which applies to preaching no less than anything else! Since the Spirit’s great ministry is to glorify and illuminate Christ, it follows that preaching incredibly blessed by the Spirit will be preaching that exalts Christ.
The camera is meant to be on Jesus but slips to someone or something else. We all feel the pressure from our listeners for ‘practical’ sermons – four things to go away and do. Of course, it’s not that Bible doesn’t apply to us, but I wonder if our emphasis is always in the right place.
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Good Preaching Is Doxological
If man’s chief goal is to glorify God, surely that must be the goal of every sermon – moving people to worship. A sermon is not a lecture; it’s not about presenting mere information. We want the people of God to encounter God in preaching as his word goes forth. J.I. Packer once wrote: ‘The proper aim of preaching is to mediate meetings with God.’ -
Good Preaching Is Faithful
Good preaching sets forth God’s word on its terms as clearly as possible The great preaching I have heard always comes from men who are convinced that the Word of God is already powerful and that we don’t need to dress it up with gimmicks or gadgets to make it effective. It comes from the mouth of the infinitely glorious, intelligent, wise God.
These are the elements of good preaching. Ignore them, and your preaching will never be good. Implement them, and all your preaching will be good.
Support the showBe sure to subscribe to this podcast. Please leave us a review, and point your friends to this podcast.
You can contact me, Alan Carr, at alancarr@gmail.com.
Our website is: https://preachingmatters.buzzsprout.com/
The podcast is a ministry of Dr. Alan Carr and The Sermon Notebook (http://www.sermonnotebook.org)
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- Passion — Passion doesn’t mean that you have to rant and rave, but it does mean that you should show some conviction about what you’re preaching. There is a flaw in my nature: I don’t keep listening if I’m not interested in the communicator in the first 5 minutes.
- Prayer — I didn’t include this because I was supposed to, but because it is the lifeblood of our sermon preparation. As pastors, we can easily forget to pray. Prayer can quickly become something we do instead of part of who we are. Prayer needs to be at the forefront of our sermon preparation. If God’s Word is the source of our preaching, then God should be the source that we seek to lead us.
- Planning — Regarding sermon writing, some pastors must stop claiming that their laziness is God’s Spirit at work. Sometimes God throws a curve ball, and you must change your sermon last minute. Planning honors God, and God honors planning. The next time you have a Sunday where you’re not preaching, spend time that week acting as if you were and write a sermon for the following Sunday. Your sermon is already done the following week, or at least the nuts and bolts of it, and you can work on the following Sunday. All of a sudden, you are two Sundays ahead in sermon prep. Being ahead in my sermon planning has been my greatest liberator in sermon preparation.
- People — Any sermon that is not focused on the needs of the people is not worth preaching. It’s only when I focus on the needs of the people that I preach anything worth listening to. If I preach what I feel and not what the people need, I may as well be preaching to an empty room.
- Purpose — What do you want people to do with your message? If there is no next step for the people to take, then what was the point of preaching the message in the first place? You must have a clearly defined message purpose. When you’re done, what do you want people to walk away and do? Don’t overthink it. Finding purpose in a sermon doesn’t have to be painful for you. It just needs to be practical for them.
- Precision — This is where much of the hard work pays off. When you deliver a sermon, why have the text to begin with if you are not faithful to the text? There is room for interpretation on some things in Scripture that maybe you or I should agree on, but we need to be precise in dividing God’s Word. I better preach this passage God has laid before us precisely. I want to do my best every week to rightly divide God’s Word to His people.
- Power — This is the one I have no control over. This is the part that I cannot generate and cannot manipulate. This is the part that I beg God for every single week. “Lord, send YOUR power!”
Support the showBe sure to subscribe to this podcast. Please leave us a review, and point your friends to this podcast.
You can contact me, Alan Carr, at alancarr@gmail.com.
Our website is: https://preachingmatters.buzzsprout.com/
The podcast is a ministry of Dr. Alan Carr and The Sermon Notebook (http://www.sermonnotebook.org)
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This week we talk about Planning Your Preaching. In this episode, we discuss planning a preaching calendar. We will cover the following material.
Why Should You Plan Your Preaching?
- A Plan Helps You Prepare Better and Faster
- A Plan Helps Others Prepare Better
- A Plan Allows for Greater Leadership of the Holy Spirit
How do I start? Here are six "gets" pointing you in the right direction.
- Get in the Word
- Get Guidance
- Get Time
- Get Together
- Get Excited
- Get At It
But start easy. At first, don't plan a whole year. Plan two or three months, then move up to six months, and then longer. Expect some setbacks; some things will work differently than you planned. Sometimes we get ahead of the Lord and must make corrections. Creating and using a preaching plan will save you time in the long run. You will preach more of the Bible, and your people will appreciate it.
I mentioned a book by Stephen Rummage. Here is the link to the book on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Planning-Your-Preaching-Step-Step/dp/0825436486/ref=asc_df_0825436486?tag=bngsmtphsnus-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=80608063550957&hvnetw=s&hvqmt=e&hvbmt=be&hvdev=c&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=&hvtargid=pla-4584207590434709&psc=1
Support the showBe sure to subscribe to this podcast. Please leave us a review, and point your friends to this podcast.
You can contact me, Alan Carr, at alancarr@gmail.com.
Our website is: https://preachingmatters.buzzsprout.com/
The podcast is a ministry of Dr. Alan Carr and The Sermon Notebook (http://www.sermonnotebook.org)
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The phrase "Saturday night special" was coined by a journalist in 1917 to describe a cheap, easily obtained, often disposable handgun. Saturnight specials are notorious for being easy to get and dangerous to the shooter and the person he hopes to shoot. While Saturday night specials are a danger to the public, I want to discuss a different sort of Saturday night special. This type of Saturday night special is the sloppy sermon slapped together at the last moment. They usually appear after a week of little to no sermon preparation. The preacher is pressed for time and cobbles together something resembling a sermon. He takes this hastily prepared sermon to the church and feeds it to the Bride of Jesus. It's like providing fast food to an honored guest. It's not a good thing. The preacher will one day give an account of all the times he fed a spiritually deficient meal to the Bride.
Let's consider the Saturday night special and how to avoid it.
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You can contact me, Alan Carr, at alancarr@gmail.com.
Our website is: https://preachingmatters.buzzsprout.com/
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In this episode, we continue to talk about the vital matter of sermon application.
Perhaps the most challenging part of sermon preparation is applying the text to a modern congregation. The text of the Bible is ancient, and the same cultural-historical context which caused the Spirit of God to inspire the original text to the original recipients does not always apply to our modern congregations. While this is true, the ancient text contains eternal, timeless principles that do apply. Our job, as expositors, is to isolate and declare those divine principles which were true in the lives of the original recipients and which are still true today. Those principles will always be true in every culture, context, and congregation.
In this episode, we will learn how to make better biblical applications in our preaching.
Support the showBe sure to subscribe to this podcast. Please leave us a review, and point your friends to this podcast.
You can contact me, Alan Carr, at alancarr@gmail.com.
Our website is: https://preachingmatters.buzzsprout.com/
The podcast is a ministry of Dr. Alan Carr and The Sermon Notebook (http://www.sermonnotebook.org)
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Perhaps the most challenging part of sermon preparation is applying the text to a modern congregation. The text of the Bible is ancient, and the same cultural-historical context which caused the Spirit of God to inspire the original text to the original recipients does not always apply to our modern congregations. While this is true, the ancient text contains eternal, timeless principles that do apply. Our job, as expositors, is to isolate and declare those divine principles which were true in the lives of the original recipients and which are still true today. Those principles will always be true in every culture, in every context, and in every congregation.
In this episode, we will begin the process of learning how to make better biblical applications in our preaching.
Support the showBe sure to subscribe to this podcast. Please leave us a review, and point your friends to this podcast.
You can contact me, Alan Carr, at alancarr@gmail.com.
Our website is: https://preachingmatters.buzzsprout.com/
The podcast is a ministry of Dr. Alan Carr and The Sermon Notebook (http://www.sermonnotebook.org)
If you would like some Preaching Matters Podcast merch, you can support the show while advertising for the show.
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My goal in this episode is to help us better understand how to read the Bible as a story, seeing how every part of Scripture fits together to reveal the glory of Christ Jesus—from Genesis to Malachi and from Matthew to Revelation. 2 Cor 4:6.
Like a puzzle, the pieces of the Bible fit together in perfect harmony to reveal Jesus in all his glory. Understanding how the Bible works together will help us better understand the Bible’s unity and central message, which includes the ways Jesus is found in the Old Testament.
Seven places in the Old Testament where Jesus can be found.
1) Jesus is the Last Adam
2) Jesus is testified to by ‘the Law and the Prophets’
3) Noah: a Foretaste of judgment and salvation through Christ
In his story, two themes emerge, judgment and salvation—which offer a foretaste of Jesus in the Old Testament.
4) Isaac: Jesus is the “seed” of Abraham and the true substitute
5) Jesus is greater than the Law-covenant
A Greater: Exodus-Rest Matt 11:28-Prophet Deut18:15-Tabernacle
6) Jesus is a greater future, King David,
In King David, all of God’s promises from Noah to Abraham to Moses converge. And yet, as with all parts of the Old Testament, the Davidic narratives look ahead to a greater future king. Psalm 72 explains how Jesus is found in this part of the Old Testament, which helps us look ahead to a ‘greater’ David, a future king.
Four dimensions to this future king, Jesus Christ, are revealed in Psalm 72:
Royalty with Righteousness, Psa 72:1–4; As Long as the Sun Rises, Psa 72:5–7;
A King for Everyone Everywhere, Psa 72:8–11; A Heart of Compassion, Psa 72:12–19.
7) A vivid portrait of our suffering servant
“Salvation is of the Lord,” Jon 2:9. And all along the way in God’s story, the story of salvation advances a step further as the Lord takes the initiative to save.
How will this salvation be accomplished? The Lord’s salvation is made possible through a sinless sufferer, which is tied to the traditional concept of a substitute—one cast in terms of the previous patterns but who now, in himself, solves the problem of sin fully and forever.
We have a problem: sinful humans must be reconciled to a holy God.T he Lord will accomplish a substitutionary sacrifice for sin. He will do it through the suffering of his obedient servant. The servant, who is our Savior is God’s answer to the tension we have highlighted time and again. The Messiah-Servant, Jesus Christ, will do two things in his substitutionary death: First, he will take what is ours—our iniquities. And second, he will give us what is his—his righteousness. He will provide an obedient covenant partner. 2 Cor 5:21.
We find a vivid portrait of the future death of Messiah Jesus, our Suffering Servant, in Isa 53:1-12.
Support the showBe sure to subscribe to this podcast. Please leave us a review, and point your friends to this podcast.
You can contact me, Alan Carr, at alancarr@gmail.com.
Our website is: https://preachingmatters.buzzsprout.com/
The podcast is a ministry of Dr. Alan Carr and The Sermon Notebook (http://www.sermonnotebook.org)
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Resemblance - The first characteristic of a type is that a resemblance, similarity, or correspondence exists between the type and the antitype. However, this should not be thought of as some superficial relationship, but rather a genuine and substantial counterpart. It should be natural and not forced. Not everything that has correspondence is a type, though all types must have the element of correspondence. Numerous things in the OT are similar to things in the NT, but they are not necessarily types. A type has resemblance to that for which it is a type, but it has more than resemblance. The following elements are also necessary in order to have an official type.
Historical Reality - Persons, events, or things in the OT that are types of things in the NT had historical reality. A type in the OT is not something without reality. The types were persons who lived, events that happened, things that were seen. Seeing types in the OT does not mean the Bible student should look for hidden or deeper meanings in the text. He should stick with the historical facts as recorded in the OT. In other words the type should rise naturally out of the text, and should not be something the interpreter is reading into the text. The tabernacle is a type (Heb. 8:5; 9:23-24), but that does not mean that every small item in the construction of the tabernacle in some way depicted a New Testament truth.
Prefiguring - A type has a predictive or foreshadowing element to it. It looks ahead and anticipates and points to the antitype. A type is a shadow (Col. 2:17) that points ahead to another reality. A type is a form of prophecy. Prophecy is prediction by means of words, whereas typology is prediction by correspondence between two realities, the type and the antitype. Again there are many similarities and resemblances in the Scriptures, but not every correspondence or resemblance is a type. To be an official type, the correspondence or resemblance must have a predictive element, a foreshadowing and anticipation of the antitype. The type has a forward focus.
Heightening - In typology, the antitype is greater than and superior to the type. There is an increase, a heightening, an escalation. Christ is superior to Melchizedek. Christ's redemptive work is greater than that of the Passover, of which He is the antitype answering to the Passover, the type.
Divine Design - Types are not mere analogies or illustrations which Bible readers note. Instead they are resemblances planned by God. The type was designed in such a way that it carried a likeness to the antitype, and likewise was planned by God to be the "fulfillment" and heightening of the type. Since centuries separated most of the types from their antitypes, it obviously required God's planning to have the types depict or picture the antitype.
Support the showBe sure to subscribe to this podcast. Please leave us a review, and point your friends to this podcast.
You can contact me, Alan Carr, at alancarr@gmail.com.
Our website is: https://preachingmatters.buzzsprout.com/
The podcast is a ministry of Dr. Alan Carr and The Sermon Notebook (http://www.sermonnotebook.org)
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Preachers love finding types of Jesus in the Old Testament. It thrills us, and it makes for thrilling preaching. But is what we found a type, or is it merely an illustration? There is a difference. We talk about that difference in this episode. Listen in to discover what a biblical type is.
Support the showBe sure to subscribe to this podcast. Please leave us a review, and point your friends to this podcast.
You can contact me, Alan Carr, at alancarr@gmail.com.
Our website is: https://preachingmatters.buzzsprout.com/
The podcast is a ministry of Dr. Alan Carr and The Sermon Notebook (http://www.sermonnotebook.org)
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In this episode, I explain and warn against the tendency we have to moralize the text and characters in the Bible. In our zeal to help people improve, we often fail to share the proper way to betterment with them: A relationship with Jesus Christ. Moralistic preaching is dangerous because it gives people false hope. Moralizing the text and calling upon people to do better without pointing them to Jesus sets people up for failure. Moralizing the text can lead lost sinners to believe they can become pleasing to God through their good works and positive life changes. The antidote to moralism in our preaching is to focus on Jesus in every sermon.
Gove this episode a listen and let me know what you think.
Support the showBe sure to subscribe to this podcast. Please leave us a review, and point your friends to this podcast.
You can contact me, Alan Carr, at alancarr@gmail.com.
Our website is: https://preachingmatters.buzzsprout.com/
The podcast is a ministry of Dr. Alan Carr and The Sermon Notebook (http://www.sermonnotebook.org)
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This episode will conclude our time talking about what I would say to my younger self if I had the opportunity to do so. I hope this little foray into this subject has been helpful in some small way.
- You will likely move many times or at least change churches.
- When you have to leave a church, you will leave many friends too.
- Spiritual warfare is real; the enemy will attack you and your family in ways you never imagined.
- You will be discouraged and think about quitting often. (Most pastors call this day Monday.) The average length of a pastorate is 3.6 years. The way to stay longer is simple–don’t leave. Wait for God to move you. If the church fires you, you are free to go. Otherwise, stay where you are.
- If you do have to leave, remember that the people will remember the end of your ministry more than they will the beginning.
- Beware of making close friendships in your congregation.
- Take care of your physical, mental, and spiritual health.
- The church will go on when you are gone.
- Prepare the church so it is ready for the man who follows you.
- Don’t do full-time ministry for part-time pay.
- Insist on an annual pay review.
- Own your own home.
- Encourage the church to pay into a 401K that you own.
- Do not opt out of Social Security.
- Never believe everything people say about you, whether good or bad.
- Don’t take yourself too seriously.
- Permit yourself to fail.
- Own your failures.
- Learn to laugh at yourself.
- Learn to evaluate criticism.
- Learn from your failures, and embrace your successes lightly.
- Be quick to say with sincerity these five things: “Thank you; Well done; I am sorry; I forgive you; How can I help you?”
- You will never be as great as you think you are.
- You will not change the world. (God called you to preach the Word.)
- Strive to preach and be forgotten.
- Learn when it’s time to walk away.
- Live within your means.
- Take your time when making major changes in the church. (No major changes in the first year.)
- It will take you between 5 and 7 years to become the pastor of your church.
- Respect is earned, not deserved, because we carry the title of Pastor.
- Send ample time with God in prayer and Bible reading.
- Jealously guard your time. No one else will.
- Find balance, even when it seems selfish.
- Reevaluate your spiritual life often.
- Learn the secret of contentment.
- Find your joy and happiness in Jesus, not ministry or the church.
- Invest in the lives of others.
- Keep moving forward, especially in the hard times.
- Ground your theology in Jesus.
- Remember, God always knows best.
- It will
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You can contact me, Alan Carr, at alancarr@gmail.com.
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Once again, we are talking about what I would tell my younger self about the ministry if I could travel back 40 years and speak to the younger me. Today, we will consider numbers 61-75 on my list.
- When you don’t know what to preach, preach what you want to, as long as you preach the Word of God.
- Preaching and pastoring will be the hardest thing you will ever do.
- Integrity and love for Christ will not be enough; you have to be able to lead people.
- People will avoid you and act weird around you simply because you are a pastor.
- People expect you to be available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
- Workaholism will be rewarded, but it will destroy your family.
- When people stop attending your church, it will hurt.
- Don’t get caught up in playing the comparison game.
- Attacks from inside your church will be worse than attacks from the outside.
- You must fight pessimism, bitterness, and even depression.
- Your success in the eyes of others will be measured by how many people you can get in a room.
- You will never be good enough for everyone in the church.
- Your family will be profoundly affected, either good or bad.
- Without a seminary degree, you will be considered less qualified.
- Money will be a constant problem.
Support the showBe sure to subscribe to this podcast. Please leave us a review, and point your friends to this podcast.
You can contact me, Alan Carr, at alancarr@gmail.com.
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In this episode, we continue to consider what I would tell myself about preaching and pastoring if I could talk to my younger self. We will consider numbers 30-60.
- You will be misunderstood, maligned, manipulated, and misjudged.
- Learn to forgive others without delay.
- Learn how to apologize quickly and simply without rationalizing or justifying.
- Some people will never accept you as their pastor.
- Learn how to help your wife feel good about what you are doing and to find her role in your ministry.
- Learn how to work with the elder and/or deacons.
- Find a mentor.
- You are not a professional; you are a pastor.
- Understand your strengths and weaknesses.
- Identify and use your spiritual gifts.
- Make seeking the glory of God in your ministry the top priority.
- Learn how to preach without imitating the last good preacher you heard.
- Learn how to counsel the troubled.
- Master the art of asking penetrating questions that will open someone’s heart.
- Learn how to take criticism without losing your confidence or cool.
- Learn how to respond to troublemakers the way Jesus would.
- Learn how to choose staff members wisely.
- Learn to be prepared for temptation ahead of time.
- Learn to delegate some duties to church members so you can give more attention to your priorities as pastor.
- Don’t try to do everything by yourself. This will overburden you and prevent others from participating in the church’s work.
- Take every second of vacation the church gives you.
- You are pastoring a parade.
- The people who demand the most often serve the least.
- Always faithfully preach the Word.
- Learn to preach scripture-based expository sermons.
- Learn to preach and go home.
- Never preach for the altar call alone.
- Never preach for the applause of men,
- Preach for the glory of God.
- Always be Gospel-centered in your preaching.
- Never waste a congregation’s time by preaching foolishness.
Support the showBe sure to subscribe to this podcast. Please leave us a review, and point your friends to this podcast.
You can contact me, Alan Carr, at alancarr@gmail.com.
Our website is: https://preachingmatters.buzzsprout.com/
The podcast is a ministry of Dr. Alan Carr and The Sermon Notebook (http://www.sermonnotebook.org)
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A Message To My Younger Self
If I could travel back in time and talk to my younger self, I would tell the younger me at least 115 lessons I have learned.
- Make sure your priorities are in order.
- You are expendable (But not at home—God, Family, Church).
- Never force your family to carry the workload of the church. The church members must take ownership of the church, do the work necessary to maintain the church, and do what is necessary to keep the church functioning.
- Do not allow your wife to be the pastor.
- Get to know the people in your congregation. This means you will need to spend time with them.
- Learn how to say no without feeling guilty. It’s OK to say “No.”
- Learn how to be quiet.
- Learn how to introduce someone to Jesus.
- Learn how to build a sermon from a text.
- Learn how to preach.
- Learn how to lead a worship service.
- Learn to say “I don’t know” when you don’t.
- Never allow people to put you on a pedestal.
- Never allow the church to become your identity.
- Don’t demand people call you by titles such as “Reverend,” “Pastor,” “Preacher,” “Brother,” etc. You cannot command respect by demanding it.
- Always remember, life is more than ministry.
- Always guard your testimony.
- Always walk with integrity.
- always tell the truth, even when it hurts.
- As much as possible, integrate the youth into the life and ministry of the church.
- Don’t act like a teenager. Grow up and be a good example.
- Beware of the two primary traps pastors fall into—money and women. Never touch the money; avoid any situation where moral compromise is even a remote possibility.
- Choose wisely the battles you need to fight. Not every hill is worth dying on, and every challenge to your authority is worthy of a fight.
- Be authentic, transparent (But not too transparent), and genuine. Be a real human being with real frailties and faults.
- You will often see ugly behavior.
- You will be guilty of ugly behavior.
- No matter how hard you try, not everyone will like you.
- You will be hurt deeply by people in the church.
- Beware whom you trust in the ministry.
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Support the showBe sure to subscribe to this podcast. Please leave us a review, and point your friends to this podcast.
You can contact me, Alan Carr, at alancarr@gmail.com.
Our website is: https://preachingmatters.buzzsprout.com/
The podcast is a ministry of Dr. Alan Carr and The Sermon Notebook (http://www.sermonnotebook.org)
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In this episode, we will continue to look at Spurgeon's chapter in Lectures To My Students entitled The Minister's Fainting Fits.
When Do Depressions Come?
- Times of great success.
- Before times of great achievement.
- When we become too sensitive.
- When troubles multiply and discouragements follow each other in long succession.
- For no reasons we can identify.
Why does God allow these difficult times?
- To destroy our pride.
- To keep us humble.
- To keep us dependent on God alone.
- To keep our eyes on Jesus alone.
- To keep us from trusting our feelings.
Let me know what you think about this issue.
If you would like to read this chapter, you can do so here, free of charge: https://www.unionpublishing.org/resource/the-ministers-fainting-fits/
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Let's face it, we all get discouraged, disillusioned, defeated, and disquieted. This can be especially true for those who preach and pastor. In this episode, we will consider a chapter from Lectures To My Students by Charles Spurgeon. In his chapter entitled The Minister's Fainting Fits of Depression, Spurgeon deals with the preacher's battle with discouragement and depression. There is much help for the preacher in these words from the "Prince of Preachers."
Let's talk about the battle with a melancholy spirit we all fight.
Spurgeon gives us some, but certainly not all, of why we struggle with depression. Here is a brief outline of what we will discuss today.
1. We are men and subject to all human frailties.
2. We all struggle with physical weakness to one degree or another.
3. The work of the ministry itself is exhausting.
4. We tend to be somewhat isolated from others.
5. Our work is sedentary.
Let me know what you think about this issue.
If you would like to read this chapter, you can do so here, free of charge: https://www.unionpublishing.org/resource/the-ministers-fainting-fits/
Support the showBe sure to subscribe to this podcast. Please leave us a review, and point your friends to this podcast.
You can contact me, Alan Carr, at alancarr@gmail.com.
Our website is: https://preachingmatters.buzzsprout.com/
The podcast is a ministry of Dr. Alan Carr and The Sermon Notebook (http://www.sermonnotebook.org)
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Preaching Next-Level Sermons
Can you honestly say you are always happy with every sermon you preach? Are you pleased with how you preached the sermon? Did you feel as though your sermon connected with the congregation? Or would you have to admit there is room for improvement? If we are truthful, we all know there is much room for improvement in our sermons and how we preach them.
In this episode, we will consider Preaching Next-Level Sermons. I want to help us, as preachers, to take our preaching to the next level.
But, you may be asking, “Isn’t biblically true content enough? Isn’t that enough if I preach the truth?”
Well, yes, biblical content is what we should always strive to deliver when we preach. But, no, biblical content alone is not all we need to consider when developing and preaching our sermons.
Consider this: Most of the people in your church have heard more sermons than they can count. Thus, they have probably heard plenty of sermons on the passage you’re preaching on Sunday. And it could be that they’ve already heard you preach a sermon on the passage. But this does not mean we should find a new text. it means we should take steps to elevate our sermon to the next level. This is what I want to help us achieve.
Leonard Sweet, in his book Giving Blood: A Fresh Paradigm For Preaching, puts it like this:
“Preaching is nothing less than the craft of making the familiar strange… When our usual ways of ‘knowing’ the Scriptures have become too cozy and comfortable, only defamiliarization enables us to hear the challenging stories of judgment and the hope within and behind the texts. When we open the Scriptures up to new angles and locate them in different contexts, we allow people to become reacquainted with texts that can shine new light into their shadowed doubts and dilemmas.”
When we work hard to communicate the living word of God actively and freshly, we are pastoring and feeding our people well.
When approaching a familiar passage from a new angle, we connect new dots in people’s hearts, minds, and lives.
Today, I will give you 23 elements you can use in your sermons to spark new thoughts and connections to the text for your listeners. Are you ready? Let’s go.
- The text
- Takeaway(s)
- Fears
- Desires
- Aches
- Ultimate truths
- True stories
- Fiction stories
- Imaginative stories
- Cultural realities
- Attitudes
- Behaviors
- Applied future
- Personal Testimony
- Transitions
- Strongholds
- Bottom line
- Narratives
- Experiences
- Quotes
- Images
- Questions
- Lies
In their proper place, all these elements can help your sermon connect, come alive, and be used by God to change those who hear you preach. Let’s put in the hard work necessary to take our sermons to the next level. Our preaching will evolve. Our listeners will experience a far greater impact. Our preaching will be exponentially better. We may even be more satisfied with the finished product.
Support the showBe sure to subscribe to this podcast. Please leave us a review, and point your friends to this podcast.
You can contact me, Alan Carr, at alancarr@gmail.com.
Our website is: https://preachingmatters.buzzsprout.com/
The podcast is a ministry of Dr. Alan Carr and The Sermon Notebook (http://www.sermonnotebook.org)
DEVELOPING AN EFFECTIVE SERMON CONCLUSION
Many preachers understand how to take off but don’t know how to land the sermon plane effectively. they circle the runway, looking for a place to land, because they put little thought into how they will get out of the sermon.
The last words always lasts the longest. What you say last, particularly in an oral medium, lasts longest in people’s minds, memories, and impressions.
They can introduce a sermon but struggle with providing an effective conclusion. I will describe three characteristics of an effective conclusion and offer several approaches you can incorporate into your preaching.
- Effective conclusions are a surprise.
- Effective conclusions are brief.
- Effective Conclusions are direct.
Get into the habit of listening for the takeaway.
What does this sermon require?
What does this sermon demand?
What will the takeaway look like in real life?
Here are some possible conclusions you could employ:
Summarize the sermon
Choose to give a specific application
You can anticipate objections
You can return to the original idea in your sermon’s introduction
You can vision cast
Thoughts on creating an effective conclusion.
Always point back to Jesus Christ - Jesus is center stage. The goal of preaching is not to get people to fall in love with you as the preacher but to get them to fall in love with Jesus. Since the Bible is the story of Jesus’ redemptive work, every sermon should draw people to the cross and the Resurrection of Christ.
End with emotional intensity - The conclusion should be the emotional high point of the sermon—the crescendo. The target of your preaching should shift from the hearer’s head to their heart. I’m not suggesting we use emotions to manipulate, but rather that we persuade a person’s will to respond.
Ask for a specific response - A sermon’s conclusion isn’t dynamic until it’s specific. The conclusion of a sermon should always answer the question, “Okay, now what?” And if you ask people to do too many things in response to the message, you’ve asked them to do nothing. Determine what one actionable challenge you should offer at the end of this message.
Make it personal - Every listener should feel that you are dealing directly with their heart as an individual.
Sound the alarm - Warn them of the consequences of disobedience. Don’t hesitate to be bold. If you have preached a salvation sermon, do not be afraid to warn them of avoiding Hell.
Make it convicting - Arouse moral indignation and then turn it on them. A good example is the story of Nathan and David (2 Samuel 12). You are not the Holy Spirit. He does the drawing and the saving. Avoid any manipulative language that might cause some to make a false profession.
Be encouraging - Be sure to tell the congregation that they can implement and live out the call to action in the sermon through God’s power and the help of the Holy Spirit.
Be expectant - Offer an opportunity to believe in Christ and the gospel with the expectation that some will respond.
The Word of God is powerful when it gets into the souls of your hearers. Lead them in that commitment and expect that some will be saved. Avoid using manipulative pressure tactics. Our goal is not to close the sale and get commitments. We aim to help people begin a new life transfo
Support the showBe sure to subscribe to this podcast. Please leave us a review, and point your friends to this podcast.
You can contact me, Alan Carr, at alancarr@gmail.com.
Our website is: https://preachingmatters.buzzsprout.com/
The podcast is a ministry of Dr. Alan Carr and The Sermon Notebook (http://www.sermonnotebook.org)
Today's episode is about Passion in Preaching. Passionate preaching connects with people. Passionate preaching helps connect the people in the pew with the truth of God's Word. Passion preaching encourages passion in the people. Let's investigate the matter of Passion in Preaching together today.
Bible & Bourbon with Pastor Ben
Some people think the Bible & Bourbon don't go together, but we disagree!
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In the episode, we will finish the process of studying Ephesians 2:1-10. I want to help you see how I prepare a sermon, find the natural breaks in the text, and understand the words that make up the text. Today, we will consider Ephesians 2:4-10. I will walk you through the text, giving you some of the word studies we find there, and I will also provide the first point of our sermon outline, along with four subpoints.
I pray this study will be helpful to you as you strive to improve your preaching.
Support the showBe sure to subscribe to this podcast. Please leave us a review, and point your friends to this podcast.
You can contact me, Alan Carr, at alancarr@gmail.com.
Our website is: https://preachingmatters.buzzsprout.com/
The podcast is a ministry of Dr. Alan Carr and The Sermon Notebook (http://www.sermonnotebook.org)
In the episode, we will begin the process of studying Ephesians 2:1-10. I want to help you see how I prepare a sermon, find the natural breaks in the text, and understand the words that make up the text. Today, we will consider Ephesians 2:1-3. I will walk you through the text, giving you some of the word studies we find there, and I will also provide the first point of our sermon outline, along with four subpoints.
I pray this study will be helpful to you as you strive to improve your preaching.
Balm To The Soul
Conversations covering anything spiritual, holistic and alternative.
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Anyone who says being a preacher is easy doesn't know what they are discussing. If you are a preacher, you know the struggles that go hand in hand with the ministry. If you are to avoid disillusionment, discouragement, disappointment, and disaster, there are some facts about preaching you must know. I share ten of those facts with you in this episode.
- Preaching is a divine privilege.
- Preaching demands loyalty.
- Preaching is a calling wrapped in failure.
- Preachers need encouragement.
- The congregation will follow a great preacher home.
- Preachers should strive to be anonymous.
- No one in the church knows how difficult it is to preach every week.
- Preaching depends on constant prayer.
- Preachers are part of the family of God.
- Preachers often get it wrong, but they still love Jesus.
Do you have any more facts about preaching you would like to share? Let me know.
Support the showBe sure to subscribe to this podcast. Please leave us a review, and point your friends to this podcast.
You can contact me, Alan Carr, at alancarr@gmail.com.
Our website is: https://preachingmatters.buzzsprout.com/
The podcast is a ministry of Dr. Alan Carr and The Sermon Notebook (http://www.sermonnotebook.org)
Peter Mead, the director of Cor Deo, a ministry training program in Chippenham, England, asks, “What is the difference between one sentence and half an hour?” This is a critical question in sermon preparation and preaching.
We work hard to understand a biblical passage. We look at the context, wrestle with the flow of thought, analyze the words, the context, the historical background, and all the other details in the text, and do our best to determine what the biblical author was trying to communicate. Our end goal in studying the passage should be to summarize the passage with a single succinct sentence, which I call the proposition.
However, we don’t just say a sentence and sit down when we preach, do we? So, what fills up the rest of the preaching time? Let’s begin by assuming that the single sentence accurately summarizes the passage. Then, as we prepare the message (the second half of the preparation process), we have two options:
Option 1. We carefully plan how to land that main idea in the hearts of our listeners. What form of introduction best draws people into the message, making them thirsty for the passage and eager to hear the main idea? When should we present the main idea in the message? Should we repeatedly drive it home using the movements of the message to repeat the presentation of the idea? Or should we create greater anticipation so that once it is stated, it will hit deeper? In other words, will the main idea be like a series of well-placed sniper shots, or will it hit home like a bunker-busting missile? How will we explain the text, prove the points, and apply the truth in ways that reinforce the main idea of the message? In every aspect of content creation, structural formation, and delivery nuance, we seek to make that main idea so clear, transformative, evident from the text, and applicational that we will genuinely have preached the text before we sit down.
Option 2. We fill the half hour with material that will drown out the main idea. This is where we instead choose to fill the time, not to support the main idea, but at the cost of the main idea. We provide a series of informational segments, background descriptions, vaguely connected cross-references, somewhat amusing anecdotes, semi-connected quotes, random highlights from our exegesis, favorite soapbox excursions, and illustrations that may or may not be well-suited to the moment. While most of these could be helpful, if we are not careful, they can put down a smokescreen to keep the main idea from being understood. Or we might hide the main idea beneath three or four points that loosely tie to the text but do not hold together effectively. The listeners will have an array of mini messages to select as their favorite, but they will unlikely grasp the main idea.
While we may not consciously opt for option 2, we do so inadvertently when planning a message without first crystallizing our main idea. After all, if you don’t have a sniper bullet or a bunker-busting missile ready to go, a random spray of machine gun rounds might hit home.
Moving f
Verse by Verse Bible Study
Verse by verse Bible study with Randy Duncan. This is an expositional bible study that...
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You can contact me, Alan Carr, at alancarr@gmail.com.
Our website is: https://preachingmatters.buzzsprout.com/
The podcast is a ministry of Dr. Alan Carr and The Sermon Notebook (http://www.sermonnotebook.org)
This week's show notes are unavailable because I didn't write any. So instead, I tried to speak from the heart about this issue. Thank you for listening to The Preaching Matters Podcast.
Domestic Abuse Unchurched
Welcome to the Domestic Abuse Unchurched podcast. Each week we'll be stepping into the...
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John MacArthur said, “If Jesus, the sinless and perfect son of God, limited Himself to speaking nothing during his incarnation except the truth He received from His father, how much more should those who have been called into His ministry speak only on the authority of divine Scripture?”
No matter how you feel about MacArthur, he is right about this. Our only authority as preachers is when we stand on the authority of the Word of God. In this episode, we explore this topic. Your conclusions may not match mine, and that is ok. This is a discussion about a subject concerning which I possess strong opinions.
I would love to hear your thoughts. Reach out to me and let me know what you think.
Show notes for this episode can be found here: https://fatbaptist.com/2023/03/09/biblical-pastoral-authority/
Support the showBe sure to subscribe to this podcast. Please leave us a review, and point your friends to this podcast.
You can contact me, Alan Carr, at alancarr@gmail.com.
Our website is: https://preachingmatters.buzzsprout.com/
The podcast is a ministry of Dr. Alan Carr and The Sermon Notebook (http://www.sermonnotebook.org)
10 tips for improving sermon delivery
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Practice your delivery. Make sure you know your sermon well and practice speaking it out loud.
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Speak slowly and clearly. Make sure your audience can understand every word you say.
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Make eye contact. Connect with your audience by looking at them as you talk.
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Vary your volume. Use pauses and changes in volume to add emphasis to key points.
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Use gestures and body language. This helps to bring the sermon alive and keep your audience's attention.
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Use stories and illustrations. This can help to make your sermon more memorable and engaging.
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Use technology and visuals. This can help to illustrate points and keep your audience interested.
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Ask questions. Engage your audience by asking questions or having them answer questions.
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Don’t be afraid to be yourself. You don’t have to be a polished speaker to deliver a powerful sermon.
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Use humor. A few light-hearted moments can help to break up the sermon and keep your audience engaged.
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You can contact me, Alan Carr, at alancarr@gmail.com.
Our website is: https://preachingmatters.buzzsprout.com/
The podcast is a ministry of Dr. Alan Carr and The Sermon Notebook (http://www.sermonnotebook.org)
II. NOTICE THE SERMONS DAVID DELIVERED
A. V. 3-4 David Preached About His Reliance Upon God - David spoke to himself about his trust in the Lord. He vowed to praise the Lord in his troubles and trust the Lord regardless of what others could do to him. By the way, don’t miss the contrast between the word “God” and the word “flesh.” He knew God was eternal, while the flesh was mortal.
In verse 1, David says, “man would swallow me up.” The word “man” refers to “a mortal man.” It speaks of one who is temporary, passing, dying. In contrast to mortal flesh, David talks about “God.” This is the word “Elohim.” It speaks of “the supreme God.” It refers to One Who is “eternal, undying, and in supreme control.” God’s name in verse 2 pictures God as the lofty, exalted, transcendent God. He is the God Who is in complete control!
B. V. 7 David Preached About The Righteousness Of God - David preached about the ultimate justice awaiting his enemies. He knew that one day, all the people who attacked, oppressed, and harmed him would answer to the Lord.
C. V. 8 David Preached About The Regard Of God - David preaches about the omniscience of God. God sees all our sorrows and keeps a record of our troubles. He records our steps. He bottles our tears. He keeps perfect records of our lives.“tellest” means to “inscribe, tally, record.”
D. V. 9 David Preached About The Reliability Of God - David preached to himself this great truth: God had his back. He wasn’t as alone as the flesh said he was. The Lord was there, and the Lord was faithful. He told himself the day would come when God would scatter his enemies because God was on David’s side.
E. V. 10-12 David Preached About His Rest In God - Despite all he faces, David preaches a message of hope to himself. He reminds himself of Who God is. God is true, faithful, and worthy of praise, regardless of his circumstances. David reminds himself about his vow to serve the Lord. He will rest in his commitment and praise God despite all his trials and enemies.
F. V. 13 David Preached About His Relationship With God - David preaches to himself the Lord’s saving grace. He is in a saving relationship with God, and God will not forsake him during his trouble. David knew he might be stumbling along, but eventually, the Lord would deliver him from sorrow, suffering, and risk.
Conc: There is a great truth here that many Christians forget. We need the Gospel to be saved, but we need the same Gospel after we are saved.
Here are a few truths we need to preach to ourselves every day. We need to preach to ourselves about the following:
Our positional standing in Christ - Rom 5:1
His love for us - Rom 5:8; Jer 31:3
Our sins
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The Gospel and Justice
As believers, how do we talk about justice well?
Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify
Support the showBe sure to subscribe to this podcast. Please leave us a review, and point your friends to this podcast.
You can contact me, Alan Carr, at alancarr@gmail.com.
Our website is: https://preachingmatters.buzzsprout.com/
The podcast is a ministry of Dr. Alan Carr and The Sermon Notebook (http://www.sermonnotebook.org)
Psalm 56:1-13 THE GREATEST SERMON YOU WILL EVER HEAR
This Psalm was written during a difficult time in David’s life. It is a companion to Psalm 34, written during this same period. David was on the run from King Saul. As David fled the king's wrath, he made a decision that brought great trouble. The story is found in 1 Samuel 21:10-15. During this challenging time in his life, David wrote this Psalm. David is alone and on the run. While he works through his problems, David preached the truth he knew to himself. The greatest sermons David ever heard were preached to himself by himself.
As David begins this Psalm with a superscription. He calls this a “Michtam.” This speaks of “a golden psalm.” It means “profound, weighty, and worthy of being inscribed in stone.” Then he says, “upon Jonathelemrechokim.” This refers to the tune to which this song is to be sung.“Jonathelemrechokim” means “to the silent dove in distant oaks.” The word identifies David as one who is a long way from home. It also identifies David as one who has learned to be “silent,” even amid his pain. David found a place of rest.
The greatest sermons you will ever hear are the sermons you preach to yourself as you remind yourself of the great truths you know from the Word of God. We spend too much time listening to ourselves when we should be preaching to ourselves. When we listen to ourselves, we are listening to the reasonings of our sinful nature as it tries to work through issues from a fallen human perspective. The natural man living within us is not saved. It is still trapped in sin and bases all its thinking on faulty, sinful reasoning. When we listen to ourselves, we will hear a litany of lies. Our hearts cannot be trusted to speak the truth. “The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked: who can know it?” Jeremiah 17:9. (“The seed of every sin known to man is in my heart.” Robert Murray McCheyne)
We must stop listening to ourselves. Self will always lead us down the wrong path.
Instead of listening to ourselves, we need to listen to God. We must do what David did and tell ourselves what it needs to hear. What self needs to hear is the truth.
What self needs to hear is the Word of God. Self needs to be silenced and made to listen to God-centered truth and not to self-centered lies.
I. NOTICE THE SORROWS DAVID DISCOVERED
A. V. 1 David Faced Problems - I have already detailed the dangers and hatred David faced from both Saul and the Philistines. David felt as though these problems would “swallow” him whole. The word “swallow” means “to inhale; to devour.” David believed his problems would consume him.
B. V. 1 David Faced Pressures - David tells us he was “oppressed.” The word ref
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Ashley T. Lee Podcast will cover many life issues such as overcoming stress, anxiety...
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The Gospel and Justice
As believers, how do we talk about justice well?
Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify
Support the showBe sure to subscribe to this podcast. Please leave us a review, and point your friends to this podcast.
You can contact me, Alan Carr, at alancarr@gmail.com.
Our website is: https://preachingmatters.buzzsprout.com/
The podcast is a ministry of Dr. Alan Carr and The Sermon Notebook (http://www.sermonnotebook.org)
You have been asked to help a couple celebrate their wedding. What do you do? The first thing you should do is know what marriage is, why it matters, and what the Bible says about marriage. You must decide whom you will marry. Two lost people? Two saved people? One saved person and one lost person? What about second marriages? These are among the questions you must answer.
In this episode, we discuss weddings. We will talk about the things mentioned above, along with certain other matters. Give it a listen, and let me know.
Thank you for listening.
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Officiating a funeral can be a stressful experience, especially for those new to the ministry. Even old dogs like myself can learn from the experiences of others. In this episode, I talk about funerals, how they operate, and what will be expected from you at the officiant.
I would love to hear your thoughts on what I've said, and I would love to hear some of your experiences and tips for other preachers. I may use them in future episodes, and if I do, I will mention your name and give you credit for your stories and tips..
Ashley T Lee Podcast
Ashley T. Lee Podcast will cover many life issues such as overcoming stress, anxiety...
Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify
The Gospel and Justice
As believers, how do we talk about justice well?
Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify
Support the showBe sure to subscribe to this podcast. Please leave us a review, and point your friends to this podcast.
You can contact me, Alan Carr, at alancarr@gmail.com.
Our website is: https://preachingmatters.buzzsprout.com/
The podcast is a ministry of Dr. Alan Carr and The Sermon Notebook (http://www.sermonnotebook.org)
As preachers, we often hear others preach. When we do, we can ignore them because we might think they have nothing to teach us. Or we may mock them because they do something strange. How much better would our preaching be if we stopped listening with a critical ear, and began listening with a desire to glean something for our personal life and preaching. We are going to talk about Gleaning From Others in this episode. I pray it will be a blessing in your life.
Support the showBe sure to subscribe to this podcast. Please leave us a review, and point your friends to this podcast.
You can contact me, Alan Carr, at alancarr@gmail.com.
Our website is: https://preachingmatters.buzzsprout.com/
The podcast is a ministry of Dr. Alan Carr and The Sermon Notebook (http://www.sermonnotebook.org)
Do you ever feel like a failure? Of course, you do. We all do at times. But I want to show you that your failures do not have the power to define you as a preacher unless you allow them to. I will also speak about what you can do when you feel like you have failed in your preaching. Preacher, you are not a failure. Listen to this episode, and let me know your thoughts.
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In this episode, we will consider why the cultural background of the Bible is paramount to understanding what the Bible teaches. Confusion or ignorance of the cultural background stands in the way of pure biblical interpretation. Unfortunately, many in our culture interpret the Bible through the lens of our culture and our cultural norms. When we do this, we are left blind to the text's true meaning. The Bible was not given to us. The Bible was given to real people who lived in a specific culture at a certain point of time in history. To understand what the Bible says, we must understand what it meant to the people who first received it. By understanding what a text said to the original recipients, we are then able to make an application to our own lives in our modern culture. When we neglect the ancient cultural background of any text, we open our preaching to false views of what the Bible says. In short, studying the original cultural background can prevent us from preaching false doctrine, and understanding the cultural background will prevent us from preaching the Bible from a modern perspective. We must interpret the Bible correctly, and one way to ensure this is to find out what the Word of God said to the original hearers.
Below is a list of some resources you can use to help you better understand the ancient cultural background of the Bible.
The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament - https://www.amazon.com/IVP-Bible-Background-Commentary-Testament/dp/0830824782/ref=sr_1_4?crid=2HW7ZA8BEASO7&keywords=bible+background&qid=1673457900&sprefix=bible+background%2Caps%2C114&sr=8-4
The IVP Bible Background Commentary: Old Testament - https://www.amazon.com/IVP-Bible-Background-Commentary-Testament/dp/0830814191/ref=pd_bxgy_img_sccl_1/130-1674420-1000769?pd_rd_w=vWMsM&content-id=amzn1.sym.7f0cf323-50c6-49e3-b3f9-63546bb79c92&pf_rd_p=7f0cf323-50c6-49e3-b3f9-63546bb79c92&pf_rd_r=KJG3JF62M6WS671CNHP7&pd_rd_wg=LLJp4&pd_rd_r=df81e824-41d2-4886-b4b3-bc6529d89783&pd_rd_i=0830814191&psc=1
The Baker Illustrated Bible Background Commentary - https://www.amazon.com/Baker-Illustrated-Bible-Background-Commentary/dp/0801018374/ref=sr_1_9?crid=2HW7ZA8BEASO7&keywords=bible+background&qid=1673457986&sprefix=bible+background%2Caps%2C114&sr=8-9
NKJV, Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible - https://www.amazon.com/dp/0310003555/ref=sspa_dk_detail_1?psc=1&pd_rd_i=0310003555&pd_rd_w=QNwY5&content-id=amzn1.sym.88097cb9-5064-44ef-891b-abfacbc1c44b&pf_rd_p=88097cb9-5064-44ef-891b-abfacbc1c44b&pf_rd_r=H544AK8QXZ9DC0PFMBTR&pd_rd_wg=yOe67&pd_rd_r=e6003144-7f08-413f-89ad-d37d19b595a8&s=books&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9kZXRhaWw&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUExMEZMMUxCQ0JJWEhTJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwNDMwMDgyM1RDTzFFNERHS0I5RCZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwNTk0NDc4Qk9NMElXVDlMRlpQJndpZGdldE5hbWU9c3BfZGV0YWlsJmFjdGlvbj1jbGlja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ==
The New Manners & Customs of Bible Times - https://www.amazon.com/New-Manners-Customs-Bible-Times/dp/080245965X/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2D5NW1DJK68KN&keywords=manners+and+customs&qid=1673458121&sp
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You can contact me, Alan Carr, at alancarr@gmail.com.
Our website is: https://preachingmatters.buzzsprout.com/
The podcast is a ministry of Dr. Alan Carr and The Sermon Notebook (http://www.sermonnotebook.org)
There are several different types of sermons. Most of them fall into one of three categories: topical, textual, or expository. There is a place for each of these sermon types. While each type has its place, the church will benefit most from a steady diet of expository preaching. In this episode, I speak about the need for expository preaching, and I share with you some reasons why I believe expository preaching should be the standard method used by every preacher. Let me know what you think.
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It's happened to all of us at one time or another. We've preached the Word, but we feel our efforts were fruitless. We leave the church feeling like we bored the congregation to tears. We resolve that next time, we will be more sensational and memorable. So we resort to theatrics and high-octane sermons to attract and hold our listeners' attention. I want to recommend a better way. I am convinced God is honored when we preach the Word of God as it is written on the pages of the Bible. God will keep his Word, Isaiah 55:11, feeding his people, saving the lost, calling home the wayward, and challenging us to provide more profound and more excellent service. This happens not because we are such talented preachers but because God honors the faithful preaching of his Word.
Preacher, be yourself. Preach the Word of God clearly and to the best of your ability. Trust the Lord to honor his Word, and he will.
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The podcast is a ministry of Dr. Alan Carr and The Sermon Notebook (http://www.sermonnotebook.org)
Today, we will conclude our interview with my grandson Clayton. I appreciate his insights into the church and the place of youth in the church. I hope you enjoy this interview as much as I did. Let me know what you think.
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Today, and next week, we will interview my 14-year-old grandson. His name is Clayton. He will discuss the place of teenagers in the local church. He will also address several matters related to preaching and teenagers.
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Time! We all have the same amount. How we use the time we have is of the utmost importance. I am giving you a list of 15 tips for managing your time better.
- Review your calendar each night. I take a few minutes each night to review my schedule for the next day. That way, I can begin planning how to use my time before I ever get to the office.
- Get up an hour earlier each day. Think about it – one extra hour each gives you essentially one more workday per week. Use that hour wisely, and you may find you have more free time throughout the week.
- Pray as you start the day. God gives all of us the same amount of time. We need His wisdom to use that time effectively and efficiently. Consider also praying briefly about each event scheduled for the day.
- Use a “to do” list. This tip surely seems elementary, but I’m surprised how little attention some folks give to stewarding their day well.
- Do less exciting tasks first. If I do the tedious work first, I always look forward to something I enjoy doing.
- Calendar deadlines before the actual deadline. If you know, something must be done by June 1, set the deadline two weeks earlier—and pay attention to the calendar notices about the work due.
- Move papers one time. If a paper needs filing, file it. If a signature is required, sign it. If it’s a bill, pay it. By its very nature, the delay will hinder your finishing your work.
- Schedule time to check email. I aim to check my email when I arrive at the office, after lunch, and just before I leave.
- Take regular breaks. The break need not be long, but even a few minutes can help you re-focus your efforts. Take a walk, go to the restroom, call a friend, throw a baseball, read the paper, go outside – do something that re-energizes you for the rest of the day.
- Close your office door when needed. Give yourself permission to close the door occasionally and concentrate on a task. You’ll be more comfortable with unexpected visits if you are not behind in your work.
- Limit the duration of drop-by visits by standing. Remaining standing – even going to the door and standing in the office doorway – is a simple way to say, “I’m happy to visit, but I have only a few moments.”
- Limit the duration of meetings with good calendaring. Plan meetings back-to-back, and be clear about your time limitations. A simple “Glad to see you. I have only thirty minutes before my next appointment” can quickly establish your boundaries.
- Use the telephone. Most of the time, a simple phone call rather than an ongoing email exchange would have saved time.
- Complete at least one task per day. Doing so releases some pressure, and we’re usually more prepared to face the next task. It’s also a good idea to thank God briefly when you finish a task.
- Clean your desk or work area every day before you leave. Finish a task, and get the work off your desk. Beginning the day with work already on my desk implies I’m behind before I start.
If you have any time management tips, let me know (alancarr@gmail.com). I am ever seeking wa
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You can contact me, Alan Carr, at alancarr@gmail.com.
Our website is: https://preachingmatters.buzzsprout.com/
The podcast is a ministry of Dr. Alan Carr and The Sermon Notebook (http://www.sermonnotebook.org)
First impressions matter. The first few seconds of your sermon are crucial for grabbing your audience's attention. If you don't grab them by the ears at the beginning of your sermon, you may not have them for the rest of the sermon.
In this episode, I share several tips for improving our sermon introductions.
Support the showBe sure to subscribe to this podcast. Please leave us a review, and point your friends to this podcast.
You can contact me, Alan Carr, at alancarr@gmail.com.
Our website is: https://preachingmatters.buzzsprout.com/
The podcast is a ministry of Dr. Alan Carr and The Sermon Notebook (http://www.sermonnotebook.org)
In this episode, we will discuss extemporaneous preaching, or preaching without notes. While the thought of preaching with no notes is frightening to many preachers, there are ways we can hone our skills in this area. The challenge I want to lay before you today is to pray about the matter and ask the Lord to help you in the process of learning to preach without notes. Among other issues, this episode contains 6 tips that will help you be a better extemporaneous preacher.
Know your content.
Follow your outlines.
Embrace the idea that you will forget some things.
Embrace the mistakes you will make.
Enjoy the freedom of the sermon flow.
Stay in tune with the congregation.
give the episode a listen, then reach out to me to let me know what you think about it. If you decide to give extemporaneous preaching a try, let me know. I would love to hear how it goes for you. Reach out to me at alancarr@gmail.com.
Support the showBe sure to subscribe to this podcast. Please leave us a review, and point your friends to this podcast.
You can contact me, Alan Carr, at alancarr@gmail.com.
Our website is: https://preachingmatters.buzzsprout.com/
The podcast is a ministry of Dr. Alan Carr and The Sermon Notebook (http://www.sermonnotebook.org)
Steps for being a better listener to conversations.
- Listen for the content, meaning, and feeling of the other person's words.
- Stop interrupting.
- After each conversation, ask yourself, “What did I learn about them?”; “What did I learn about me?”; “What new piece of information did I receive?”
- Listen to understand, help, see, and support, not comment, disagree, and find fault.
- Allow moments of silence when the person finishes a thought to allow for further comment from the other person. Don’t jump in.
- Listen to what the other person is not saying.
- Refrain from letting your past experiences or desire to “fix” the problem or concern get in the way of hearing the entire message.
Steps for being a better listener to sermons.
- Come to church rested mentally and physically. Go to bed and get some sleep.
- Expect God to speak to you. This requires a prepared heart. This requires a humble heart. This requires you to be willing to yield to the authority of God’s Word in your life.
- Admit God knows better than you do because he does.
- Make sure the preacher says what the passage says. Check the sermon against the Word of God. You should never close your Bible after the text is read. When you get home, review what you’ve heard against what you read in the Bible.
- Determine to do what the Bible says. Consider your life in light of what the Bible says and make all necessary changes immediately.
15 Practical Tips for Receiving the Word
1. Prepare your heart in prayer.
2. Pray for the proclamation of the Word.
3. Read the passage to be preached before the service starts.
4. Prepare your mind and body for receiving the Word.
5. Arrive at church early.
6. Listen to the sermon with an open Bible.
7. Take notes during the sermon.
8. Listen prayerfully.
9. Maintain a posture of humility and submission to the Word.
10. Apply truths from the message to yourself–and write them down.
11. Fight against distractions for yourself and others.
12. Discuss the sermon afterward.
13. Review the sermon.
14. Give God the glory for a great sermon.
15. Live it out.
Support the showBe sure to subscribe to this podcast. Please leave us a review, and point your friends to this podcast.
You can contact me, Alan Carr, at alancarr@gmail.com.
Our website is: https://preachingmatters.buzzsprout.com/
The podcast is a ministry of Dr. Alan Carr and The Sermon Notebook (http://www.sermonnotebook.org)
Far too often, we want to preach about what excites the people. But we often do so to the detriment of the gospel. Our call is the preach Christ and him crucified. We will talk about the preacher's duty to preach the gospel, and the temptation to bypass the cross to get to the glory.
Support the showBe sure to subscribe to this podcast. Please leave us a review, and point your friends to this podcast.
You can contact me, Alan Carr, at alancarr@gmail.com.
Our website is: https://preachingmatters.buzzsprout.com/
The podcast is a ministry of Dr. Alan Carr and The Sermon Notebook (http://www.sermonnotebook.org)
This episode was based on an article written by Dr. Steven Lawson. His tips for improving your preaching can be found here: https://blog.tms.edu/20-tips-on-improving-your-preaching.
Thank you for listening today. Please try your best to incorporate these tips into your preaching, and you will become a better preacher.
Support the showBe sure to subscribe to this podcast. Please leave us a review, and point your friends to this podcast.
You can contact me, Alan Carr, at alancarr@gmail.com.
Our website is: https://preachingmatters.buzzsprout.com/
The podcast is a ministry of Dr. Alan Carr and The Sermon Notebook (http://www.sermonnotebook.org)
This is where all our hard work finally pays off. We are afforded the privilege of standing in from of others and declaring the message the Lord has given us. Our purpose during this time is to preach with passion.
The preacher needs to take every step necessary to be himself when he preaches. We are not to imitate others, but we are to be ourselves. Therefore, if you preach loud, then do so. If you preach quietly, then do so. In whatever way the Lord has prepared you, be yourself
If you have practiced good homiletics in the study when the time comes to stand before a congregation, there will be liberty and confidence, because you will know that you are preaching” thus saith the Lord”. Therefore, stand up boldly and preach the Word of God in His power and watch Him effect change in those who hear you speak. Do what Isaiah said and preach the Word, “Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins.”, Isa. 58:1.
I hope this material has proven helpful to you and has answered some of the questions you may have had about sermon preparation. Of course, I know this material is nowhere near comprehensive. The only way to become proficient in sermon preparation is to practice it often. As the Lord allows, give your life to the pursuit of good biblical exposition of the Word of God.
Be sure everything you do in the study and in the pulpit takes place under the umbrella of prayer and dependence upon the Lord. We can learn methods and we can develop good study habits, but if we study and our preaching doesn’t have the breath of God upon it, we are wasting our time and the time of those who are forced to hear us speak. Therefore, let the preacher beware that he lives a life that God can bless and that in every stage of sermon preparation and delivery he seeks the face of God. My friends, the power of God makes the difference between a mere sermon and a message from Heaven to the hearts of men.
Support the showBe sure to subscribe to this podcast. Please leave us a review, and point your friends to this podcast.
You can contact me, Alan Carr, at alancarr@gmail.com.
Our website is: https://preachingmatters.buzzsprout.com/
The podcast is a ministry of Dr. Alan Carr and The Sermon Notebook (http://www.sermonnotebook.org)
After we have taken all the steps necessary to study and prepare the material, we must also take the time to let the material take us. This process is known as incubation. We allow our minds to work with the material that has been gathered, and as we do, we are able to think the material through clearly. This aids the preacher in remembering the material when it comes time to stand and deliver the message.
God equipped each of us with a powerful tool: our brains! If we will give our minds to the job of considering and contemplating the sermon material, when the time comes to deliver the message, we will have more liberty than we can handle!
I suggest that the preacher learn to live in the message. He must first internalize the Word of God before he can deliver the finished product to others. As you allow the Word to speak to you first, you will be better able to communicate the Word to others.
Support the showBe sure to subscribe to this podcast. Please leave us a review, and point your friends to this podcast.
You can contact me, Alan Carr, at alancarr@gmail.com.
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The podcast is a ministry of Dr. Alan Carr and The Sermon Notebook (http://www.sermonnotebook.org)
I hope this episode helps you decide which way of presenting your sermon is best for you. Should you preach from an outline? Should you preach from a full manuscript? Or, should you preach using no notes at all? Most likely you will try various methods over the course of your ministry. You will find what works best for the way God wired you, and when you do, stick with it. But always be open to allowing the Lord to work in your heart so you are ready at any time to do what God wants you to do in every preaching moment.
The biggest takeaway from this episode is this: Find works for you and go with it. The more natural you are in your delivery, the more comfortable you will feel when it comes time to preach.
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Sermon titles usually function in one of two ways. Some homileticians identify and use the title in much the same way as the theme or proposition of the sermon. It is the essence of what the sermon is about. With this approach, the title must be done very early in the homiletical process and must surely reflect the thrust of the sermon.
Others view the title as an advertising slogan rather than a sermon part with an inherent homiletical function. In this case, the title is not usually a matter of great concern. It may be useful for bulletins, announcements, and advertising. The following guidelines will be helpful when considering sermon titles:
- Titles should be creative, but not sensational.
- Titles should be contemporary, but not faddish.
- Titles should be brief, but not vague.
- Titles should arouse interest or curiosity, but should not overstate what the sermon will accomplish.
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Conclusions are the most consistently weak parts of sermons. Many sermons stop without warning, while others drone on and on, to the dismay of tired and confused listeners. The conclusion is a crucial part of the sermon, the importance of which is often underestimated. Preachers spend only minutes on the conclusion, compared with the many hours spent on the other parts. Conclusions are often prepared hastily as the preacher plans to “play it by ear” during the actual delivery. Many preachers say, “We must be in tune with the leading of the Spirit when we conclude our sermons.” Such an attitude dishonors the Spirit! It limits His functioning to the last few minutes of sermon delivery, rather than recognizing His help in all facets of preparation.
The sermon’s conclusion serves three general purposes:
The factual purpose. The conclusion should remind the audience of the most important ideals) in the sermon. Sometimes this is done by formally restating each main point, but at other times it may simply involve restating or paraphrasing the proposition.
The conceptual purpose. The conclusion should help the audience understand the major truth claims of the sermon have a bearing on their moral judgments and volitions.
The applicational purpose. Every sermon should strive to bring about a change in either the behavior or the attitude of each listener. The conclusion should assist in this by responding to the “so what?” question.
The conclusion should begin with a carefully worded sentence that will serve as a final transition. This sentence consists of the sermon proposition, prefaced by a transitional word or phrase such as “therefore” or “now that we have seen.” This sentence helps the sermon maintain a sense of unity and alerts the listener that a major shift in direction is taking place.
In addition to the final transition, the conclusion should ordinarily include the following kinds of material:
1. A brief review of the principal ideals in the sermon.
2. A challenge that motivates the listener to respond properly.
3. A specific course of action for the listener to take. This should be made personal rather than corporate.
4. A carefully worded closing sentence that is climactic in nature. Precision is important at this point.
Effective conclusions will ordinarily avoid:
1. Abruptness
2. Multiple conclusions (Words like in conclusion or and finally should be avoided, for they sometimes give false expectations.)
3. Apologies for the speaker, his performance, or the subject
4. Irrelevance (New ideas should not be introduced.)
5. Indecisiveness (Speech should be forthright and specific.)
6. Humor
Materials sometimes used in conclusions should be selected with care. Effective conclusions should be done with thorough preparation of the ideas to be used. This material should be delivered without the use of notes, even if notes are used elsewhere in the delivery of the sermon. Eye contact with the audience is crucial at this stage. The conclusion should be prepared and presented with a sense of positiveness and expectation. What is it that the speaker desires the Lord to do in the lives of people as a result of this particular message? He must prayerfully work toward that end with a sense of excitement. The conclusion should be kept brief, usually not exceeding 5 percent of the total preaching time. If the rest of the sermon was presented well, the preacher would not need to belabor the conclusion.
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Although the sermon introduction is obviously presented first in delivery, it should not be prepared until after the body of the sermon has been completed. Until the preacher has a sermon body, he has nothing to introduce. This does not mean the preacher should avoid all thoughts about the introduction until this point in the preparation. It simply means the formal preparation of the introduction is best done after the body of the sermon is finished.
From a practical point of view, the introduction is usually the most important part of the sermon. If we fail to capture the hearer at this point, the sermon as a whole, in all likelihood, will fail.
An introduction has five basic functions:
1. It must arouse interest.
2. It must inform the audience of the subject.
3. It shows the hearers their need to listen to the development of this particular subject
(personal relevance).
4. It should promote the respect of the audience toward the speaker (ethos).
5. It should give some indication as to how the sermon is going to be developed.
Although sermon introductions vary considerably, they do share some basic characteristics:
They should not exceed about 10 to 15 percent of the total speaking time. This means the introduction to a 25-minute sermon should not exceed 3 1/2 minutes. A lengthy introduction discourages listeners, for they interpret this to mean that the sermon itself will be unusually long.
The very first sentence (the approach sentence) should point in the direction of the
sermon subject but not necessarily in a “religious” sense. Introductions beginning with a story should still be prefaced with a suitable approach sentence, for this gives the hearer a frame of reference. This sentence should attract the hearer, arousing curiosity as to what will follow.
The introduction should progress from the general subject to the specific theme.
From the theme, it should move to a brief encounter with the biblical context. Following this, the transitional paragraph (consisting of the proposition, the propositional interrogative [if used], and the transitional sentence) should be stated.
Numerous materials and rhetorical methods can be used in sermon introductions. The ideas mentioned in the section on illustrations (Step 9 of the Keyword method) may also be applied here. In addition, the preacher could use methods such as a startling statement of fact or opinion, a rhetorical question, or a reference to a particular occasion.
The introduction should be unique to its particular sermon. Henry Grady Davis states:
“No two sermons are alike, and no two should begin the same way. If the introduction could possibly be used for any other sermon than this, it is not a good introduction to this sermon.” While this opinion may be slightly exaggerated, its intention is accurate.
A preacher should avoid some things in sermon introductions. These will lower rapport with the audience or cause confusion about the subject being addressed. Avoid:
Apologies for the preacher or the subject.
Beginning indecisively. (Careful work in preparing the introduction should help the preacher begin the sermon with bold certainty.)
Big words and long sentences. (Both the preacher and the audience need time to “get in gear.”)
Material not related to the sermon subject. (Otherwise, the listeners will receive mixed thematic signals.)
Sameness. (Sermons should not all begin the same way. The Scripture reading, if done as part of the sermon, can be placed differently at times. A variety of kinds of materials can also be used.)
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Sources of illustrative material include, but are not limited to, the following:
- The Bible (Three things are accomplished: the point in the sermon is illustrated, some Bible content is taught indirectly, and you get to repeat yourself without being repetitious.)
- The preacher’s imagination (Be sure you acknowledge you are imagining, and never try to pass off your imaginings as biblical truth.)
- The preacher’s observation of life experiences
- Serious reading (A reliable method for retrieval is essential.)
- Light reading (Articles from newspapers and magazines can be clipped or copied.)
- Biography
- Fiction
- Radio and television (Notable quotes or other materials may be useful.)
- The fine arts
- History
- Nature
- Pastoral work (The preacher should be careful not to betray confidences!)
- Hymnals and hymn concordances
- Personal experiences (These are often the best illustrations if they are not used too often, and as long as you are honest, and not always the hero of your stories.)
- As a rule, books of illustrations should be used with caution. Too many “canned” illustrations make a sermon sound “used” or “secondhand.” Perhaps the greatest value of these books is that they can sometimes stimulate the preacher’s mind to create his own illustrations.
One final word: illustrations should not be viewed as things that are “tacked on” to sermons. Discovering or creating good illustrational material is integral to the sermon writing process. As the preacher outlines and writes his messages, he should constantly ask himself whether each idea is conceptually clear. Will the hearers understand it? Is there a better way to say it? Can it be verbally visualized or explained better by using some analogy? This is the natural time to incorporate illustrations.
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When the Bible was originally written, there were no chapter and verse divisions. Chapter and verse breaks were added over time as the list below indicates.
- New Testament chapter divisions were added in the 12th Century by the Archbishop of Canterbury. His name was Stephen Langton.
- The Wycliffe English Bible of 1382 was the first Bible to be published with New Testament chapter divisions.
- The Old Testament chapters were divided into verses in 1448 by a Jewish Rabbi named Nathan.
- The New Testament chapters were divided into verses in 1555 by a man named Robert Estienne.
Thank God for the chapter and verse divisions. They are very helpful in helping us find put place in the Bible. They aid us in memorization. They facilitate easy location of Bible verses. They aid us in a number of ways. But there are times when they get in the way of our understanding of the biblical context. This is why we need to keep going when we reach a period. This is also why we need to read before the chapter we are reading or preaching from at the moment.
The Bible is the Word of God. It is inspired, infallible, and inerrant. While this is true, the chapter and verse division are not inspired by the Holy Spirit, and they must never be treated as part of the inspired canon of the Word.
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The word illustrate means “to cast light upon something.” When used regarding preaching, it refers to those elements in a sermon which by analogy, in a general sense, allow the hearer to grasp more precisely the meaning the preacher intends. Illustrations never stand alone. A story or figure of speech does not become an illustration until it is used to clarify the idea being communicated. The idea is the master in this process, while the illustration is merely a servant.
Although every preacher has heard about the value of illustrations and is aware of books consisting of illustrative material, relatively little has been written on the rationale and process of illustrating. Most material of this nature will be found in books on the general topic of preaching or homiletics.
The purposes and advantages of sermon illustrations are more numerous than is usually thought. Ian Macpherson mentions no less than 17, although his list is somewhat repetitive.” Following are some general functions of illustrations in sermons:
1. They can be used to clarify main points, subpoints, applications, and even
introductions and conclusions.
2. They help make abstract truth become concrete by making it visual.
3. They add variety to sermons, which can be drawn from every arena of life.
4. They vary the pace of a sermon by giving listeners needed psychological
breaks, thus aiding their attention span.
5. They impress the truth on the mind of the hearer.
6. They help persuasion because they are a form of inductive reasoning.
7. They make repetition possible without a sense of redundancy.
8. They attract attention.
9. They can bring a sense of relevancy to messages.
10. They help build bridges with a variety of audience members.
11. They help memory.
12. They can touch the hearer on both an intellectual and an emotional level.
When we hear the term illustration, we often think immediately of some kind of story that has a moral. This is only one of many kinds of illustrative material. Consider the following:
1. Single words or phrases (visual language)
2. Short figures of speech, such as similes or metaphors
3. Analogies and parables
4. Allegories
5. Fables, myths, and legends
6. Biographical incidents
7. Personal experiences
8. Testimonies
9. Anecdotes-short stories, often with humor, not necessarily true. (They should not be
passed off as true if they are not.)
10. Quotations-quips, prose, and poetry. (Poetry should be used sparingly with most congregations. Poems that are brief and plain communicate better than complicated ones.)
11. Statistics
12. Hymns
13. Current events
14. Visual aids and object lessons
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Although the skeletal outline is now in place, the major part of the writing of the sermon still remains. The “meat” must now be put on the “bones.” This will be done as subpoints are formulated and appropriate illustrations added. When the introduction and conclusion are written, the sermon will then be completed.
Just as the main points establish the sermon’s proposition, so the subpoints establish the main points. There are three main categories of subpoints: explanation, exemplification, and accentuation.
Explanation involves clarifying ideas, words, or concepts.
Exemplification means giving understandable examples of the truth being explained. Accentuation entails emphasizing that truth.
Explanation is an attempt to clarify; exemplification is an attempt to prove, and accentuation is an attempt to clinch the idea. It is a form of oral underlining.
Subpointing can be done in several ways. Sometimes a sermon will employ only one method, but on other occasions, a sermon may use more:
1. Subpointing can be done by “exposing” the text through:
- Exegetical study
- Modifiers in the mechanical layout
- Definitions and word studies
-
Contextual considerations
-
Subpointing can be done by “questioning” the text: Why? When? Who? Where? What? How? So what?
-
Subpointing can be done by considering the natural relationships between larger
concepts and their parts. Perry speaks of these as “thought categories. -
If the main point is biographical, the preacher might consider the following: Roots Career Personality Achievements Failures Name Relation to God
- If the main point is related to an event, the natural lesser categories might be: Time Place Causes Effects
-
If the main point is related to time, the subpoints might be: Past Present Future Other concepts such as relationships, miracles, parables, doctrines, and speeches all have lesser ideas that are natural parts of the whole. In fact, virtually all concepts can be broken down into sub-ideas.
-
Subpointing can be done with formal reasoning:
a. Deductive reasoning (syllogism) this kind of reasoning moves from a general
truth to specific truth.
b. Inductive reasoning - this kind of reasoning moves from specific examples to a general conclusion.
The following recommendations may prove helpful in this part of the sermon’s preparation:
- If possible, the primary subpoints under each main point should be stated in a parallel fashion.
- The immediate preaching text and context should be gleaned for helpful material before additional Scriptures are searched for further supporting materials.
- At least one subpoint of application under each main point should be included. These applications should be as specific as possible. (While this recommendation does not apply to some sermon methods, it does fit most Keyword sermons.)
- During delivery, the subpoints should not be numbered aloud. This can create difficulty for the listener in differentiating between subpoints and main points. If there is sufficient reason to present subpoints in the form of a numbered list, care should be taken to ensure that the audience understands what is happening.
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The main points of any sermon have the function of establishing the proposition of the sermon. They may help define, explain, impress, or prove the proposition. Since the Keyword pattern is primarily a persuasive one, the main points of a Keyword sermon will ordinarily function as proofs.
Each main point will be one of whatever the keyword is. For example, if the keyword is guidelines, each main point will be one guideline and will be stated as such. If the keyword is "commands," each main point will be one command and will be stated in that form.
This does not mean the keyword itself must be stated as a part of the main point. Suppose that our text gives a series of commands about prayer and that we choose the word commands as our keyword. The main points themselves might be worded:
I. Pray in faith.
II. Pray with humility.
III. Pray about all things.
While the word command is not found in this formal statement of the main points, each point is, nevertheless, one command and is stated as a command. In the same way, if a text asked a series of questions, we might use this word as our keyword and state each main point as a question:
I. Can people be trusted?
II. Can wealth be trusted?
III. Can God be trusted?
The following guidelines will be helpful as the preacher formulate the main points:
Each main point will be based on the parts of the text characterized by the keyword. It must have scriptural support, and this scriptural support should be noted immediately after the statement of the main point.
Main points should ordinarily be stated in the preacher’s own words rather than the words of Scripture. This is not a rigid rule to be followed slavishly, but it has the advantage of allowing the listener to hear the concept twice. The concept will be heard once in the words of Scripture and a second time in the words of the speaker. As a result, the listener’s understanding is enhanced.
The number of main points will vary from sermon to sermon. The number of main points depends upon the number of parallel ideas in the text.
Main points should be stated as complete sentences, not as single words or phrases, even on an outline. This is because the preacher will eventually state them orally as complete sentences. Stating these particular concepts precisely is important. It is easier to do this in the solitude of the study than under the pressure of the pulpit.
Main points should be stated in simple sentences. Conjunctions like and or but should be avoided, for they introduce a different idea. Each main point should contain only one concept.
Main points should be fresh and “tailor-made” for this specific sermon.
Unclear words, abstractions, and figurative language should be avoided unless purposely chosen for effect.
Main points should be stated as briefly as possible.
As much as possible, each main point of a given sermon should be stated in a parallel manner to the other main points. This will help the preacher recall them more easily and the listener recognizes them more readily. The main points should be about the same length, have about the same word order, and be the same grammatically.
Caution: At this point in the preparation process, a basic, skeletal sermon outline has emerged. All previous steps should be double-checked to ensure they have been done properly. This will help assure that the whole outline [to this point] fits together as a cohesive unit, accurately reflecting the meaning and purpose of the Scripture passage.
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The transitional sentence fully answers the question asked in Step 4. In delivery, it follows the proposition. (The interrogative may be inserted verbally between the proposition and the transitional sentence, but this is not always necessary.) This transitional sentence should consist of the following elements:
- The response to the propositional interrogative, including the keyword
- The repeating of the proposition
- Any additional phrase made necessary by the particular interrogative used:
“Because of. . : “ (Why?)
“By...” (How?)
“In” or “in which...” (When?)
“At” or “at which. . : “ (Where?)
“About which...” (What?)
Example 1
PROPOSITION: Every Christian should pray daily.
(INTERROGATIVE: Why should every Christian pray daily?)
(KEYWORD: Benefits.)
TRANSITIONAL SENTENCE: Because of the benefits to be gained, as seen in [the text], every Christian should pray daily.
Example 2
PROPOSITION: Every Christian should pray daily.
(INTERROGATIVE: What should every Christian pray about daily?)
(KEYWORD: Matters.)
TRANSITIONAL SENTENCE: As we see in [the text], there are several matters about which we should pray daily.
Example 3
PROPOSITION: Every Christian can experience effective daily prayer.
(INTERROGATIVE: How can every Christian experience effective daily prayer?) (KEYWORD: Guidelines.)
TRANSITIONAL SENTENCE: Every Christian can experience effective daily prayer by following the guidelines set forth in [the text].
The transitional sentence forms a logical bridge between the proposition and the body (main points) of the sermon. Together with the specific proposition (and the interrogative sentence, if the preacher chooses to verbalize it), it becomes the basis of a “transitional paragraph” between the introduction of the sermon and its body. Using the last example above, this transitional paragraph might be stated something like this:
“From our text, then, we can see that every Christian can experience effective daily prayer. But if you’re like me, you may well be asking, ‘How can I do that? How can I have a daily prayer experience that is effective?’ I would respond by saying that we can experience effective daily prayer by following the guidelines set forth in [the text]. Let’s look at these guidelines together. The first guideline is . . . [Then follows the statement of the first main point of the sermon.]”
This transitional paragraph is like the sermon’s homiletical road map¬--it tells where the sermon is going and how it is going to get there. It informs the hearers of the precise central idea about to be discussed (the proposition), and it tells them how this idea is going to be handled (the keyword and the transitional sentence). Furthermore, the propositional interrogative (if used) can heighten the awareness of the listener to the profitability of “staying tuned” to this sermon.
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The keyword is a homiletical device used to identify the main points of the sermon. As mentioned previously, the main points of a Keyword sermon are based on parallel ideas in the text discovered by developing a mechanical layout of the passage. Such a layout will indicate whether actual parallel ideas exist. These may be a series (two or more) of independent clauses, dependent clauses, or modifying phrases. Parallel ideas will always be in the same category. For example, one independent clause and two dependent clauses should not be seen as parallel ideas, for they are not, in fact, parallel in the thrust and meaning of the text.
If the ideas being considered as main points are truly parallel, they will be capable of being identified collectively by a keyword. This keyword will always be a plural noun, for it is used to identify two or more ideas or main points. There can be no exceptions to this.
The keyword may or may not actually be found in the text. The text may mention “three lies,” “five woes,” or “two promises,” but most of the time this will not be the case. Instead, the preacher will need to discover and label the parallel ideas himself. If, for example, the text has a series of “because” statements, the preacher may justifiably choose a keyword like reasons. A text may list several instructions without ever using that word. The Greek word hina (“in order that”) may be used two or more times to introduce a purpose clause. In such an instance, the keyword purposes, or something similar, could be used.
The keyword is a direct response to the propositional interrogative. If the question asked is “how?” the response would be “by [state the action] the [keyword] in [the text].” If the question asked is “why?” the expected response will be “because of the [keyword) in [the text].”
Examples
PROPOSITION: Every Christian can experience effective daily prayer.
INTERROGATIVE: How can every Christian experience effective daily prayer?
RESPONSE: By following the guidelines set forth in [the text], every Christian can experience effective daily prayer.
PROPOSITION: Every Christian should pray daily.
INTERROGATIVE: Why should every Christian pray daily?
RESPONSE: Because of the benefits seen in [the text], every Christian should pray daily.
Specific, rather than general, words should be chosen. While technically meeting the requirements of a keyword, the word "things" communicates virtually nothing. The keyword should match the parallel concepts in the preaching text as closely as possible. This will give each sermon a sense of freshness rather than making it sound familiar.
The exact meaning of the keyword should be clear in the preacher’s mind. If he is uncertain, he should consult a dictionary. The overall quality of the finished sermon outline will be greatly enhanced if precision is maintained at this point.
Each sermon will have only one keyword, and each main point of the sermon will be one of whatever the keyword is.
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The Keyword method uses three primary kinds of propositions. They are listed here with sample propositions under each.
-
Proposition of Ability
-
Every Christian can experience effective daily prayer.
- The person following Christ can be a learner.
-
Sincere spiritual seekers can discover the truth about Jesus Christ.
-
Proposition of Obligation
-
Every Christian should pray daily.
- The disciple of Jesus Christ must be a learner.
-
Sincere spiritual seekers must investigate the person of Christ.
-
Proposition of Value
-
It is better to pray daily than to shoulder the load alone.
- It is better to grow in the knowledge of Christ than to remain childish in our faith.
- It is better to investigate the person of Christ than to look elsewhere for spiritual reality.
Although these kinds of propositions seem to say the same thing, especially those of ability and obligation, they do not. One word (can instead of should) leads to an entirely different kind of sermon than the other. The purposes, as well as the basic structures, of the sermons, will be different. The only things they have in common are the subject and theme.
As with the subject and the theme, the text must be allowed to determine the kind of proposition to be used. If the text seems to be answering a "why" question, the proposition should likely be obligatory. If the text is telling us how something is to be done, the proposition should be one of ability. If the text is making a comparison, then a proposition of value may be required. The text should always be allowed to speak for itself. That is the heart of biblical preaching!
Step 4: Compose a Propositional Interrogative
Steps 4, 5, and 6 are unique to the Keyword method and are the steps that lead to the identification of the sermon’s main points, which will be discussed in detail in Step 7.
The first of these steps is to ask a question about the proposition. The proposition makes an assertion, which should lead naturally to a related question. This question is formulated by simply prefacing the proposition with a suitable interrogative like why or how. The proper interrogative will depend on the kind of proposition being used (obligation, ability, or value) and the nature of the material in the text (which question does it answer?).
-
With a proposition of ability, the usual interrogative is how.
(When, where, and what can also be used.)
PROPOSITION: Every Christian can experience effective daily prayer.
INTERROGATIVE: How can every Christian experience effective daily prayer? -
With a proposition of obligation, the usual interrogative is why.
(When, where, and what can also be used.)
PROPOSITION: Every Christian should pray daily.
INTERROGATIVE: Why should every Christian pray daily? -
With a proposition of value, the usual interrogative is why.
(When and where might also be used.)
PROPOSITION: It is better to pray daily than to shoulder the load alone.
INTERROGATIVE: Why is it better to pray daily than to shoulder the load alone?
The interrogative sentence may or may not be stated during delivery, but it is extremely important as a homiletical tool. It will help the preacher remain focused as he prepares to make the transition from the sermon introduction (to be written later) into the sermon body.
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The Sermon Proposition
The proposition of a Keyword sermon is a brief, simple sentence that declares to the hearer what should be known about the theme of the sermon. The proposition can be called “the sermon in a sentence.” It embodies the single truth that the preacher hopes to communicate and usually includes an implied response. Everything else in the sermon revolves around, or in some way relates to the proposition. As Lloyd Perry states, “It is this sentence which is the integrating center of the sermon.”
Different writers and preachers have called the sermon proposition various names. Some have referred to it as the thesis, the central idea, the big idea, or the central truth, among other names. Regardless of the label given to it, the proposition is crucial to a well-done sermon.
A sermon without a clear proposition is like a ship without a rudder or an automobile without a steering wheel. Keeping the sermon on target will be very difficult, if not impossible! The result will be an unclear purpose, an unclear direction, and an unclear argument. The audience may feel a sense of frustration, for effective communication has been hindered by a lack of preciseness. The preacher himself may also be frustrated, feeling unable to present clearly that which he desires to present.
Following are some characteristics of a good Keyword sermon proposition. Most of these characteristics are true of propositions for other kinds of sermons as well:
The proposition should be stated in one simple sentence, avoiding compound or complex sentences.
- The proposition should be eight words or less, if possible.
- The proposition should consist of a personal reference (you, we, each of us), plus a course of action (a suitable verb form), plus the theme of the sermon.
- The proposition should be a persuasive statement, when possible, rather than being merely factual. The Keyword method is by nature a persuasive structure, and the proposition should reflect this.
- The proposition should reflect, or be stated as, a timeless truth.
- The proposition should not include proper names, except for Deity.
- The proposition should reflect the overall purpose of the sermon. The following list of purposes is suggestive:
To inspire
To move toward deeper consecration
To evangelize
To motivate to action
To bring comfort
To instruct
To bring warning
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Your digital content is essential to your work in the ministry. You need a method to store, find, and retrieve all the content you create. In this episode, I discuss how and where to store your content.
File Storage
Dropbox.com
File Storage Alternatives
Google Drive
Box
Microsoft OneDrive
Document Storage
evernote.com
Evernote Alternatives Suggestions
Bear
Apple Notes
Microsoft Onenote
Google Keep
https://www.proofhub.com/articles/best-alternatives-to-evernote/
https://clickup.com/blog/evernote-alternatives/
https://gitmind.com/evernote-alternatives.html
File Organization Tutorial
https://www.asianefficiency.com/organization/organize-your-files-folders-documents/
Step 2: Determine the Theme
The subjects listed above are too broad to be covered in a single sermon. Such a sermon, though based on a subject, would lack clear unity and cohesiveness. It is necessary, therefore, to determine how this subject is going to be treated; that is, what specific part of the broad subject is going to be covered?
The theme, then, is the specific aspect of the subject to be covered in the present sermon. Like the subject, the theme will probably be identified during the study of the text. If not, it must be determined now.
Like the subject, the theme must be based on the Scripture passage. As stated earlier, it represents a narrowing down of the broader subject. As such, it will be stated as a phrase. It should not be stated as a complete sentence, for this will cause a problem when the next step is taken.
If, for example, the text under consideration has as its subject “the Holy Spirit,” the preacher will recognize that this concept is too large to cover in one sermon. Further, the text itself does not attempt to cover everything about the subject. The preacher must discover what it is about the Holy Spirit that this particular text emphasizes. Thus, both the subject and the theme will be rooted and grounded in the preaching passage.
Following is a list of possible themes based on the Holy Spirit. This list is not exhaustive:
The person of the Holy Spirit
- The work of the Holy Spirit
- The gifts of the Holy Spirit
- The filling of the Holy Spirit
- The baptism of the Holy Spirit
- The helping ministry of the Holy Spirit
- The teaching ministry of the Holy Spirit
- The praying ministry of the Holy Spirit
- The sealing of the Holy Spirit
- Grieving the Holy Spirit
- Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit
- The fruit of the Holy Spirit
It should be noted that each sermon will have only one subject and one theme. To have more than one subject or theme would result in disunity structurally and confusion on the part of the hearers.
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The podcast is a ministry of Dr. Alan Carr and The Sermon Notebook (http://www.sermonnotebook.org)
The Keyword methods of sermon outlining can be used with those sermons traditionally called expository, as well as with those called textual. It can also be used with so-called topical preaching with some modification.
Of all the homiletical methods presented in this handbook, the Keyword method will prove to be the most useful once it is mastered. When the preaching text is a minimum of a paragraph and deals with something other than a parable, miracle, or figure of speech, this method will be usable most of the time.
To determine whether the Keyword method is the correct method to use with a, given text, the preacher should carefully study the mechanical layout of the passage. Are there two or more parallel ideas in the text that relate in the same way to the same theme? If so, the text can probably be developed sermonically using the Keyword Method. If not, another homiletical method will be necessary.
The parallel ideas in a text are possible main points when the Keyword method is being used. A given paragraph (or more) of text may well have several sets of parallel ideas. On one level there may be two or three independent clauses; on a second level, there may be two or three dependent clauses related to one independent clause. There may even be a series of prepositional phrases, each related to the same clause. The preacher will need to choose which set of parallel ideas he wishes to use as the basis of his main points. Usually, the main points will be based on the independent clauses of one or more paragraphs. The remaining subordinate clauses or phrases can then be used for subpoints. This method of arriving at the main ideas of a sermon is the distinguishing feature of the Keyword approach.
The Keyword method, as presented here, is made up of 12 steps. These steps are structured to ensure that the finished sermon will be unified in its theme, clear in its purpose, followable in its argument, scriptural in its authority, and applicable in its thrust. These steps should ordinarily be followed in the order presented, although in the final analysis chronology is not as important as the logical flow of the finished sermon.
These steps presuppose that the following preparation, discussed in chapter 3, has been carefully completed. Ordinarily, a minimum of one-third of the total sermon preparation time needs to be given to this “prehomiletical” effort: (1) the selection of a suitable text, (2) contextual study, and (3) textual study.
Step 1: Isolate the Subject
This step will usually be done during the textual study mentioned above. The subject of the passage should become the subject of the sermon. The only exception to this is if two subjects are discussed in the same text one being set in contrast or comparison to the other. (Romans 6:23 would be such a text.) When this is the case, one subject should be chosen as the sermon subject. Another alternative is to determine the larger subject of which these two lesser topics are a part. The subject, as stated here, should be very broad. As such, it will usually be stated as one word.
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The podcast is a ministry of Dr. Alan Carr and The Sermon Notebook (http://www.sermonnotebook.org)
In this episode, I introduce the Keyword Method of sermon preparation. This is a twelve-step system of sermon preparation that should prove useful in your sermon preparation.
We are ready to put the material together and build an expository sermon. There are several steps in this process. First, there is the matter of developing a good outline. A rough outline may have been developed earlier, but in this stage of the sermon-building process, the outline can be revised and streamlined until it accurately reflects the clear teachings of the text.
The proper construction of the outline will aid the preacher in organizing his sermon materials that were gleaned during the exposition of the text. A suggested form for the outline is as follows:
I. Main points are indicated by Roman numerals
A. Main sub-points by a capital letter
1. Sub-sub points are noted by numerals
2. If there is a “1 “, there must at least be a “ 2”, at least. The number of
sub-sub points is dictated by the text.
a. sub-sub-sub points are indicated by lower case letters.
b. If there is an “a”, then there must be a “b”.
B. If there is an “A”, there must also be a “B”
C. The number of sub-points will be dictated by the text.
II. If there is an “I”, then there must be a “II”, at least.
A.
B.
1.
2 .
C.
1 .
a.
b.
2.
Again, the number of main points is always determined by the text.
A well-constructed sermon outline may resemble the following.
Psalm 73:1-28
WHERE YOU STAND DETERMINES WHAT YOU SEE!
Introduction
I. V. 1 HOW ASAPH HAS BEEN EDUCATED
A. God Blesses His People
B. God Blesses The Pure
II. V. 2-16 WHAT ASAPH HAS EXPERIENCED
(He had experienced confusion. He was confused by:
A. V. 3 By The Prosperity Of The Sinner
B. V. 4 By The Peace Of The Sinner
C. V. 5 By The Pleasure Of The Sinner
D. V. 6-11 By The Pride Of The Sinner
E. V. 12-16 By The Progress Of The Sinner
1. He looked at the life he had been living for the Lord, v. 13.
2. He looked at his own share of sorrow, v. 14.
3. He looked at a life lived for the Lord and it broke his heart, v. 16.
4. Yet, he was afraid to admit how he felt because he did not want to lead
others down the same path of despair he was walking on, v. 15
III. V. 17-28 WHAT ASAPH ENCOUNTERED
A. V. 17b-20 The Future Of The Sinner
B. V. 21-22 The Foolishness Of Self
C. V. 23-28 The Fullness Of The Savior
1. V. 23 The Presence Of God
2. V. 24 The Protection Of God
3. V. 25-26 The Person Of God
4. V. 27-28 The Perception Of God Conclusion
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The podcast is a ministry of Dr. Alan Carr and The Sermon Notebook (http://www.sermonnotebook.org)
As we interpret the text, we must use proper methods of biblical interpretation. Good hermeneutics are indispensable in excellent sermon preparation, 2 Timothy 2:15.” The phrase “rightly dividing” means “to cut straight”. It suggests the image of a surgeon using his scalpel. The slightest twitch could spell death for the patient. The preacher is dealing with matters of life and death. A good book on hermeneutics will provide much help to the preacher at this point. The following brief guide will give some insight into this matter of proper biblical interpretation.
The ethnic division principle. In 1 Corinthians 10:32, the entire human race is divided into three categories. All Scripture is addressed to one of these three categories. Always ask when reading a passage: Who was this written to?
The first mention principle. The meaning of a passage. The first time a subject is mentioned is very often the key to its meaning.
The full mention principle. Often, subjects in the Bible are given one comprehensive treatment somewhere in the Bible. For instance, faith is given full treatment in Hebrews 11. Love is mentioned quite comprehensively in 1 Corinthians 13.
The principle of proportionate mention. The amount of space given in Scripture to a particular theme needs to be noted.
The principle of repeated mention. Often, the Holy Spirit will first give only the bare outline of a subject.
The gap principle. On occasion God ignores certain periods of time, leaping over many centuries without comment. This is seen in Isaiah 61:1-2 and Luke 4:17-20.
The salvation/fellowship principle. Often one is helped to know whether a passage is a salvation passage or a fellowship passage. Scripture distinguishes between being in God’s family and God’s fellowship. If a passage of Scripture deals with salvation, we understand the verses in one way. However, if the verses have to do with the matter of fellowship, we understand them in another way. This principle is important in accurately interpreting such passages as John 15.
The threefold principle. God’s great truth of salvation is presented in a threefold way. One can be biblically correct in saying, “I have been saved; I am being saved; I will be saved.” Salvation is presented in these three ways in the Scriptures. Justification presents the past aspect of our salvation; sanctification presents the present process of our salvation; glorification sets forth the future dimension of our salvation.
The recurrence principle. God’s Word may state a subject again from a different viewpoint, with a different purpose. Genesis 1 and 2 are good examples of this principle. In Genesis 1 the Holy Spirit sets forth creation from a chronological point of view. The emphasis is upon God’s creative power. The name for God emphasizing His majesty and His might is used. In the Genesis 2 account, the same subject, creation, is presented, but from a different viewpoint. The emphasis in Genesis 2 is not on chronology. God’s grandest creative work, the creation of man, is given a prominent place. The name for God that emphasizes God’s covenant relation to man is used.
Our purpose is to answer the question, what does the Scripture passage mean? Unless we find out what the passage means, we are not ready to say, How does the passage apply to my life and to the lives of those who will listen to the sermon? Exposition is the main business of the expositor. We are digging out of the Word what is said, and what is meant by what is said.
We must be able to take the truths revealed in the passage and apply them both to ourselves, and to the people, we are preaching to. While the Bible was written many centuries ago, it teaches principles that are as fresh and up-to-date as today’s news.
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Next, the preacher must try to understand the historical and cultural background of the passage. He needs to know what events were taking place behind the scenes during the time the passage was given. Also, a clear understanding of the culture, their social and religious practices, and the political climate of the times are indispensable to a clear interpretation of the biblical passage. There are many resources available to the man of God for this kind of study.
As we study the background of the passage, we want to determine several matters about the passage. This means that we must ask the passage some questions.
• Who wrote the passage?
• Who was he writing to?
• What problems were they facing?
• Why did he write to them?
• What problems did he address?
• Where was he when he wrote?
• Where were his readers?
• What issues did he address?
• When did he write them? What time of year was it?
• What was happening politically?
• What was happening religiously?
• Who was ruling?
• Is there a sin to avoid?
• Is there a promise to claim?
• Is there a command to obey?
• Is there a lesson to learn?
• Is there a blessing to enjoy?
• Is there a new thought to see?
• Plus any other questions you can think of!
We must come to the text with any questions we might have. Our purpose is not to find fault with the Bible, but to ask the passage just the right questions so that it opens to us and yields to us its treasure. When we ask the right questions, the Bible will give us the right answers!
Do cross-reference work. The Bible has much to say about every subject. Take the time to see what the Scripture says about your theme. A useful tool for this kind of work is a book called The Treasury Of Scripture Knowledge by R.A. Torrey. It contains over 500,000 cross-references and parallel passages. Often the insight you need is just a cross-reference away!
Also, the preacher should look for the theological and Christological significance of the passage. The Bible is a book of theology. Our job as preachers is not just to do a good exegesis of the passage, but we are to find the practical teachings in the text that apply to the people who hear us preach. It is not nearly enough to do good background research, but we must bridge the gap between then and now. We must bring the Bible into the modern era for our hearers. The Bible is far more than a history book. It is a book filled with life-changing principles that must be exposed. If we, the men of God, stop our preaching with a mere exegesis and history lesson on the text, then we have failed to preach the Word of God. Our job is to see how the passage in question speaks to our lives and to the lives of those who hear us preach.
Last of all consult the commentaries. Why last? Because the same God who gave insight to the men who penned the commentaries can give the insight to you if you will pay the price in the study that they have paid! However, after you have done your legwork, look at what other men have to say about the passage you are studying. It may be that the author has some background information or theological insight that will help you in the proclamation of the Word of God.
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Our website is: https://preachingmatters.buzzsprout.com/
The podcast is a ministry of Dr. Alan Carr and The Sermon Notebook (http://www.sermonnotebook.org)
In studying the words of the Bible, the preacher must be aware of how those words are being used. Sometimes, the Bible uses “figures of speech”. These are different expressions that bring life and vitality to language. However, the Bible should always be taken literally unless the Bible itself makes it clear the passage in question is to be taken figuratively.
Among the figures of speech used in the Bible are the following.
- Simile - A simile is an imaginative comparison. It is usually signaled using words such as like, as or so. “Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field:”, Matt. 13:24.
- Metaphor - A metaphor is like a simile, but it is an implied likeness. In other words, the comparison is made, but words such as like, as and so are not used. “Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.”, Matt. 5:13-14.
- Paradox - A paradox is defined as a “statement which appears contradictory, or is opposed to common sense, and yet, it is still true.” Jesus used many paradoxical statements in His teachings. He made statements so shocking to His hearers the truth was driven home in a unique way. “For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.”, Matt. 16:25.
- Hyperbole - This is the use of an exaggeration to emphasize a truth. This is seen in the words of Jesus also, when He said, “And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.”, Matt. 19:24.
We must also be aware of grammar. How do the words of any given passage relate one to another? Learn how to study verb tenses and know the difference between a conjunction and a pronoun.
The preacher must also study the context of the passage. No Bible passage is isolated from any other. When studying any passage of Scripture, the preacher must see how it fits into its immediate context as well as how it fits into the whole of the biblical revelation. When the context is ignored, false doctrine is always the result.
We must never be guilty of lifting a paragraph, a verse, or even a single word out of its natural context.
Every verse in the Bible must be seen in its relationship to the whole Bible. One way to learn to study the Bible in its context is by becoming very familiar with the whole Bible. To help in this endeavor, a good Bible handbook, or survey, that explains the contents of the book and its place in the Bible is indispensable.
Along those same lines, the interpreter must know what kind of literature he is dealing with as well. There are five basic kinds of literature found in the Bible. They are:
- Prose - This is the kind of language used in everyday speech. It is the kind of language that is used to describe events and in general conversation.
- Poetry - One-third of the Old Testament is poetry! While Hebrew poetry does not rhyme, there is a parallelism of thought that will aid the preacher in interpreting the text.
- Historical Narrative - The Gospels and Acts fall into this category.
- Wisdom Literature - This kind of writing is reflective and philosophical in nature. Proverbs and Ecclesiastes fall into this category.
- Apocalyptic Literature - This kind of writing is filled with symbolic language and deals with prophetic events. The book of Revelation is apocalyptic literature.
In this episode, we continue our discussion of biblical word studies. I give a few examples, and I point you to some resources which will prove helpful as you seek to do your own word studies.
When the actual meanings of the words are understood the passage takes on new life and meaning to the preacher. It goes almost without saying that words are important.
God gave the Bible to men using words. Those words have meanings that must be understood by the biblical interpreter. As he examines the words in the passage, and how those words relate one to another, he will understand the Scripture as never before. He will also get much help in the area of preaching material. Often, the interpretation of a passage may hinge on our understanding of the words used and what they actually mean.
There are many useful resources that will help the expositor determine the meanings of the words used. In our day, with the advent of computer technology, doing word studies in the original languages of the Bible has become something that is available even to those who are not familiar with the original languages of the Bible
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Our website is: https://preachingmatters.buzzsprout.com/
The podcast is a ministry of Dr. Alan Carr and The Sermon Notebook (http://www.sermonnotebook.org)
In this episode, we begin our discussion of biblical interpretation. This episode will focus primarily on word studies and their importance in sermon development. This thought will be expanded upon in our next episode. Come back next week and learn more about word studies and their usage and importance in preaching.
When the actual meanings of the words are understood the passage takes on new life and meaning to the preacher. It goes almost without saying that words are important.
God gave the Bible to men using words. Those words have meanings that must be understood by the biblical interpreter. As he examines the words in the passage, and how those words relate one to another, he will understand the Scripture as never before. He will also get much help in the area of preaching material. Often, the interpretation of a passage may hinge on our understanding of the words used and what they actually mean.
There are many useful resources that will help the expositor determine the meanings of the words used. In our day, with the advent of computer technology, doing word studies in the original languages of the Bible has become something that is available even to those who are not familiar with the original languages of the Bible
Remember to subscribe to The Preaching Matters Podcast and leave a favorable review on your favorite podcast directory.
Our website is: https://preachingmatters.buzzsprout.com/
The podcast is a ministry of Dr. Alan Carr and The Sermon Notebook (http://www.sermonnotebook.org)
In this episode, I interview my son, Jesse Carr. Jesse is the Senior Pastor of Sharon Heights Baptist Church in Brookside, AL. Jesse gives us his thoughts about several topics related to preaching. If you love preaching, you will enjoy this episode.
I do want to apologize for the audio. The audio got weird at one point, and I couldn't fix it in post-production. Oh well. I hope you enjoy this interview.
Remember to subscribe to The Preaching Matters Podcast and leave a favorable review on your favorite podcast directory.
Our website is: https://preachingmatters.buzzsprout.com/
The podcast is a ministry of Dr. Alan Carr and The Sermon Notebook (http://www.sermonnotebook.org)
In this episode, I speak about the process of concentrating on a text. This means studying the text to locate the natural breaks in the text. The natural breaks will form the basis for our expository outline of the text. This process will also help reveal the subject and theme of the text. The subject and theme will become the subject and theme of our sermon.
The natural breaks in the text are found by developing a mechanical outline of the text. This process may sound complicated, but it isn't hard. Making a mechanical outline takes concentration and time. As you read and meditate on the text look for conjunctions like, as, so, or but, nor, for, and, because, therefore, wherefore, etc. These words will help identify the natural breaks within the text. These conjunctions signal a continuation of a thought, a change of direction, or that what is being said now relates to what was previously been said.
To help you in this process, I recommend you get a copy of the book Living By The Book by Howard G. Hendricks, and William D. Hendricks. The authors do a great job of explaining and illustrating this process. The book can be purchased here: https://www.amazon.com/Living-Book-Science-Reading-Bible/dp/0802408230/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3KH4WQHXDNES3&keywords=living+by+the+book&qid=1652453291&sprefix=living+by+the+book%2Caps%2C138&sr=8-1
I will also post a mechanical outline of Psalm 1 on our Facebook page, located here: https://www.facebook.com/ThePreachingMattersPodcast
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Our website is: https://preachingmatters.buzzsprout.com/
The podcast is a ministry of Dr. Alan Carr and The Sermon Notebook (http://www.sermonnotebook.org)
What is meditation? Why do preachers need to meditate on the biblical text?
When you hear the word meditation, you might think about people sitting in a lotus position, trying to reach a state of inner zen. What I am talking about is something vastly different. I am talking about giving your mind time to digest a passage of scripture. I am talking about reading, thinking about, and pondering a biblical text, milking it with the mind, to obtain every ounce of truth the text possesses.
This episode highlights the need for meditation to be a part of our sermon preparation process. Listen to what I have to say about this almost forgotten art form, and let me know what you think.
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The podcast is a ministry of Dr. Alan Carr and The Sermon Notebook (http://www.sermonnotebook.org)
Isolation means we must choose one passage out of all the passages of the Bible for use in the expository sermon. The choice of a preaching text is important.
As the preacher prays and reads the word of God, the Holy Spirit will lead the preacher to what he is to deliver. He will prepare his sermons from these passages of Scripture. Since the Bible is a book of texts, it is vitally important for the preacher to saturate himself in the Word of God. The preacher must live in the Bible so the Lord God can bring sermon ideas to his mind.
If the preacher is preaching through a book of the Bible, or if he is preaching a sermon series on some Bible character, or some Bible topic, his passage is already chosen. Regardless, the preacher must have a text to serve as the basis for his sermon.
Let this matter of having a good, biblical never be underestimated! Let the preacher ever beware that he seeks the mind of God in the choice of his preaching texts. Let him always make sure that he is preaching the text in its natural context, and that he never twists a text to suit his own preaching goals or doctrinal slant.
Here are four reasons you should choose a text for your sermon:
Your hearers do not need a word from you, they need a word from God.
- Not only should the word be from God, but it should also be shown to be from God.
- God has spoken through the Scriptures — all the truth that we need, and more meaning than you could ever exhaust is found in the Bible.
- You are not the authority in the sermon. God is the authority, speaking by his Spirit, through his Word as you faithfully proclaim it. Without a text, the authority for your sermon is shaky at best and probably lost completely.
WHY CHOOSE ONLY ONE TEXT?
Your next temptation might be to pull out your concordance or your topical Bible and lead your hearers on a trek through multiple texts. This is another way of choosing not to choose. There are several good reasons for settling on a single text:
- You only have time for one text. There are not enough hours in your week to study multiple texts deeply. If you choose to preach on many texts, you will only skim the surface of any of them.
- If you preach multiple texts, you miss the opportunity to give your hearers a good example of how to study a passage of Scripture deeply.
- The more texts you use, the more subjective your message tends to be. You will tend toward proof-texting your ideas rather than explaining the ideas in the text. You can find yourself preaching your own mind, rather than the mind of God.
- Using multiple texts lets you off the hook too easily. Wrestling with the meaning of a passage is hard work. It takes effort, thought, prayer, and listening to God. Multiple texts can give you an easy out. Instead of staying long enough to reap the benefits of the hard work, you can just skip on to the next text.
HOW LONG IS A GOOD SERMON TEXT?
There are almost unlimited possibilities for sermon texts. Here are three guidelines for a good preaching text:
- Short enough to be manageable in the time you have for preparation and delivery.
- Long enough to provide a thorough foundation for your sermon.
- A complete unit of thought. If you are using a story or a parable, use the entire episode. If it is an argument in an epistle, let the text be a major point within the argument. If it is a poem, preach the entire poem if possible, or at least use a major, self-contained stanza. The text should have its own central idea, which becomes the central idea of the sermon.
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The podcast is a ministry of Dr. Alan Carr and The Sermon Notebook (http://www.sermonnotebook.org)
In this episode, we tackle The Problem With Plagiarism. Plagiarism is a problem, but it is a problem that can be avoided. Let's talk about what plagiarism is, and how we can eliminate it from our preaching.
Definition from www.dictionary,com
noun
an act or instance of using or closely imitating the language and thoughts of another author without authorization and the representation of that author's work as one's own, as by not crediting the original author:
It is said that he plagiarized Thoreau's plagiarism of a line written by Montaigne.
a piece of writing or other work reflecting such unauthorized use or imitation:
“These two manuscripts are clearly plagiarisms,” the editor said, tossing them angrily on the floor.
Etymology:
plagiarism (n.)
"the purloining or wrongful appropriation of another's ideas, writing, artistic designs, etc., and giving them forth as one's own," 1620s, from -ism + plagiary (n.) "plagiarist, literary thief" (c. 1600), from Latin plagiarius "kidnapper, seducer, plunderer, one who kidnaps the child or slave of another.”
Plagiarism is a sin. It is a sin because when we plagiarize, we are guilty of taking the intellectual property of another person and claiming it as our own.
Plagiarism is avoidable. Giving proper attribution to those we quote allows us to maintain integrity in our preaching.
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How long should your sermon be? This is a hard question to answer. In this episode, I will give you my opinion and practice. I will also share with you some principles to apply when thinking about how long your sermons should be.
Your sermon should be long enough to explain and apply the point of the sermon and not a minute shorter or longer. Listen to the episode, and let me know what you think, I would be interested to hear how long you preach.
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The podcast is a ministry of Dr. Alan Carr and The Sermon Notebook (http://www.sermonnotebook.org)
In this episode, I talk about Finding Your Peaching Voice. This refers to learning to be yourself in your preaching. God did not call us to be a clone of another preacher. He called us to be who we are, not who someone else is. Finding your own voice is essential if you want to be authentic when you communicate God's Word.
Preachers, especially when they begin preaching, copy the style, inflection, mannerisms, and delivery of other preachers. But God did not call us to be them; he called us to be us. God wants you to be the best you can be. He doesn't want your imitation of someone else. If he did, he would have made two of them. He called you to be you. He called you with all your weaknesses, your gifts, your quirks, and your problems. He called you out of your environment and background so he could use you to reach the lost in your context.
This episode discusses how you can find yourself in your preaching. This episode is about you being your best self when you preach.
Give it a listen, and let me know what you think.
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Today, we will talk about biblical context, and why understanding the context of every sermon we preach is of vital importance to our ability to understand, interpret, and preach the Word of God. Understanding the biblical context of every passage we preach will prevent us from using the Bible in ways God never intended for it to be used.
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Our website is: https://preachingmatters.buzzsprout.com/
Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ThePreachingMattersPodcast
The podcast is a ministry of Dr. Alan Carr and The Sermon Notebook (http://www.sermonnotebook.org)
II. The Advantages Of The Expository Sermon - Part 3
(The previous material regarding the Expository Sermon in the show notes from episodes 6 and 7.)
- Expository preaching promotes scripturally authoritative preaching. It allows the preacher to preach with a “Thus saith the Lord!”
- Expository preaching magnifies the Word of God.
- Expository preaching develops the pastor as a man of God’s word.
- Expository preaching ensures the highest level of Bible knowledge for the flock.
- Expository preaching leads to thinking and living biblically.
- Expository preaching encourages both depth and comprehensiveness.
- Expository preaching forces the preacher to handle hard to interpret texts.
- Expository preaching allows for handling broad theological themes.
- Expository preaching keeps the preacher away from ruts and hobbyhorses.
- Expository preaching prevents the insertion of human ideas. Thus, it protects the word of God from the preacher.
- Expository preaching guards against misinterpretation of the biblical text.
- Expository preaching imitates the preaching of Christ and the Apostles.
- Expository preaching brings out the best in the expositor.
- Expository preaching gives great confidence to the preacher.
- Expository preaching makes the preacher work.
III. The Disadvantages Of The Expository Sermon
- Expository sermons that are poorly prepared and preached tend to be dry and boring.
- Preaching can disintegrate into nothing more than Bible lessons.
- There is a tendency among expository preachers to become monotonous.
- The expository preacher can go too deep by trying to mention every detail within the text. If this happens, he will lose his audience.
- Expository sermons tend to be very time-consuming and can be difficult to prepare.
IV. The Balance
- Expository sermons have more to commend them than any other type of sermon.
- Preachers should always strive to be biblical in their preaching. The Expository method allows this to be achieved better than in any other method.
- While the Expository method has much to commend it, it must never be allowed to eclipse the will of God as to the sermon preached during a particular service. The preacher must always be open for the Lord to move in his heart to preach whatever the Lord deems best for that service.
- No method, even the Expository method, should be allowed to become a little “god” in our ministries. We must never be guilty of elevating any method of preaching to the status of an idol.
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Our website is: https://preachingmatters.buzzsprout.com/
The podcast is a ministry of Dr. Alan Carr and The Sermon Notebook (http://www.sermonnotebook.org)
While the Topical Sermon and the Textual Sermon are treatments of a subject, the Expository Sermon is a treatment of a text.
This kind of preaching can be seen throughout the Bible.
- Ezra - “So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading,” Nehemiah 8:8.
- Paul - “26 Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men. 27 For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God,” Acts 20:26-27.
- Jesus –
- In Nazareth, Luke 4:16-22
- On the Emmaus Road, “And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself,” Luke 24:27. “And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?” (Luke 24:32)
- To the disciples, “44 And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me. 45 Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures, 46 And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: 47 And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem,” Luke 24:44-47.
- Stephen was an expositor – Acts 7:2-53.
- Phillip expounded Isaiah 53:7-8 to the Ethiopian eunuch, Acts 8:27-35. “Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus,” Acts 8:35.
Expository sermons can be defined by what they are not. Dr. John MacArthur provides a good list.
- It is not a commentary running from word to word and verse to verse without unity, outline, and pervasive drive.
- It is not rambling comments and offhand remarks about a passage.
- It is not a mass of disconnected suggestions and inferences based on a mere surface meaning of a passage.
- It is not pure exegesis.
- It is not a mere structural outline of a passage with a few comments attached.
- It is not a topical homily, which picks out certain parts of the passage, but fails to mention other, equally important parts.
- It is not a collection of grammatical findings and readings from commentaries.
- It is not a Sunday-school lesson type of discussion.
- It is not a Bible reading that links together a bunch of scattered passages together.
- It is not the ordinary devotional or prayer-meeting talk.
II. The Advantages Of The Expository Sermon
- Expository preaching allows God to speak, by expressing the words spoken by God himself.
- Expository preaching retains the mind of the Spirit. Thus, it brings the preacher into direct contact with the mind of the Holy Spirit Who authored the Scriptures.
- Expository preaching frees the preacher to proclaim the whole counsel of the Word of God. This produces a ministry of wholeness and integrity.
- Expository preaching promotes biblical literacy. This kind of preaching yields a rich knowledge of the truths of the Word of God.
- Expository preaching carries ultimate divine authority, it allows the very voice of God to be heard.
- Expository preaching has the power to transform the preacher, thus transforming the congregation.
- Expository preaching allows the preacher to have an unlimited source of sermon material.
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Today, we begin our discussion of the expositor sermon.
I. A Description of the Expository Sermon
• Some Definitions
- “An Expository Sermon is one that expounds a passage of Scripture, organizes it around a central theme and main points, and then decisively applies its message to the listeners.” Dr. Jerry Vines.
- “The presentation of biblical truth, derived from and transmitted through a historical, grammatical, Spirit-guided study of a passage in its context, which the holy Spirit applies first to the life of the preacher and then through him to his congregation.” – Dr. Haddon W. Robinson
- “Expository preaching is the art of explaining the text of the Word of God, using all the experiences of life and learning to illuminate the exposition.” - Dr. Donald Gray Barnhouse.
- “Being sure that our text is the Bible, we proceed to find out its actual meaning and then elaborate its message. The text has postulates, implicates, deductions and application.” - G. Campbell Morgan
- “Expository preaching is the Spirit-empowered explanation and proclamation of the text of God’s Word with due regard to the historical, contextual, grammatical, and doctrinal significance of the given passage, with the specific object of invoking a Christ transforming response.” —Stephen F. Olford
The word exposition is related to the word expose—the expository preacher’s goal is simply to expose the meaning of the Bible, verse by verse.
As a method, expository preaching differs from topical preaching and textual preaching. To prepare a topical sermon, the preacher starts with a topic and then finds a passage in the Bible that addresses that topic. For example, for the chosen topic of “Laziness,” the preacher might refer to Proverbs 15:19 and 18:9 and touch on Romans 12:11 and 2 Thessalonians 3:10. None of the passages is studied in depth; instead, each is used to support the theme of laziness.
In a textual sermon, the preacher uses a text as a springboard for discussing a particular point. For example, someone could use Isaiah 66:7-13 to preach on motherhood, although motherhood is only peripheral in that text, being merely an illustration of the true theme, which is the restoration of Israel during the Millennial Kingdom.
In both topical and textual sermons, the Bible passage is used as support material for the topic. In expository sermons, the Bible passage is the topic, and support materials are used to explain and clarify it.
To prepare an expository sermon, the preacher starts with a passage of Scripture and then studies the grammar, the context, and the historical setting of that passage to understand the author’s intent. In other words, the expositor is also an exegete—one who analyzes the text carefully and objectively. Once the preacher understands the meaning of the passage, he then crafts a sermon to explain and apply it. The result is expository preaching.
G. Campbell Morgan, pastor of London’s Westminster Chapel and known as “the prince of expositors,” taught that a sermon is limited by the text it is covering. Every word from the pulpit should amplify, elaborate on, or illustrate the text at hand, with a view towards clarity. He wrote, “The sermon is the text repeated more fully.” A sermon’s primary function is to present the text.
While exposition is not the only valid mode of preaching, it is the best for teaching the plain sense of the Bible.
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Today, we consider the textual sermon.
Show notes:
The Textual Sermon
I. A Description
- The Textual Sermon derives all its main divisions from the text. Like the Topical Sermon, it is built around the subject, but the main divisions of the Textual Sermon are limited to what the text says about the subject.
- Typically, the Textual Sermon will come from a relatively short passage of Scripture.
- While the main divisions of the sermon are dictated by the text, the sub-divisions, and other supporting materials must be obtained from other places in the Bible.
- The Textual Sermon takes its subject, its outlines, and some of its content from the text.
- As in the Topical Sermon, the subject of the Textual Sermon the subject of the sermon is usually known before the text is selected.
- When a passage of Scripture is handled in a Textual Sermon it may be handled in such a fashion that there is little if any difference between that Textual Sermon and an Expository Sermon.
II. The Advantages
- The Textual Sermon pays more attention to what an actual text of Scripture teaches about a particular subject than does the Topical Sermon.
- In a Textual Sermon, the actual sense of Scripture is given.
- While the passage may dictate the main points, the preacher is able to be very inventive with the sub-points of the sermon.
- Textual sermons are generally easy to prepare.
- Textual Sermons give the preacher tremendous flexibility in sermon preparation and delivery.
- Textual Sermons allow rich passages of Scripture to be mined to their fullest. Some verses are so filled with light and power that they can yield tremendous amounts of teaching and preaching material. John 3:16, for instance, says, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
III. The Disadvantages
- While the main points are dictated by the text, the sub-points and other supporting materials are left to the whim of the preacher.
- The choice of subjects preached is limited by the preacher’s knowledge, experience, and personal preferences.
III. The Balance
- Textual Sermons are useful when a preacher must deal with a subject that is handled well in a small portion of Scripture.
- Textual Sermons allow the sense of the Bible to come through.
- Textual Sermons tend to be biblical in their content and in their approach to the Scripture.
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This episode tackles the topical sermon.
Show Notes:
The Topical Sermon
I. A Description
The name defines it. It is a sermon built around a topic.
In a topical sermon, the divisions of the sermon must be invented by the preacher, based upon his knowledge of the subject throughout the whole Bible. This does not mean the sermon will not be biblical, but it does limit the divisions of the sermon to what the preacher knows about the subject. The divisions of the topical sermon will derive from the subject.
The preacher must gather what the Bible teaches about the subject and then he must organize that data into a logical presentation.
II. The Advantages
The topical sermon allows for the full treatment of a subject as it is dealt with by the entirety of Scripture. (I.E. Doctrine, biographical sketches, particular subjects such as fear, love, peace, etc.)
The topical sermon allows the preacher unlimited use of his skills of inventiveness and oratory.
Topical sermons are generally easier to prepare than any other variety of sermons.
III. The Disadvantages
The topical sermon is too easily colored by the preacher’s personal views and prejudices.
Topical sermons are usually too general in their scope.
The topical sermon presents too narrow a field of truth.
The preacher’s interests, knowledge, and experience hold the scope of the subjects, which are treated, captive.
Often, the divisions of the sermon become mere links in a chain. The number and order of the divisions are dictated in a purely arbitrary fashion. The number of points in most topical sermons could be reduced or enlarged without any violence being done to the sermon.
Often, the preacher will approach the Bible with a subject already in mind.
Walter C. Kaiser says the following about topical sermons, “The preacher should preach a topical sermon only once every five years, and then immediately repent and ask God’s forgiveness!”
IV. The Balance
All of these weaknesses aside, the topical sermon does have its place.
When the subject of the sermon is not adequately treated by any single passage of Scripture.
When the preacher must preach on a subject in a general way. Such as, delivering a sermon on some doctrine with which the audience is unfamiliar.
When preaching the plan of salvation to a group of unsaved people.
When dealing with social or ethical problems that did not exist in Bible times. Although, it should be stated, that while the Bible is silent about many modern issues, there are principles in the Scripture that speak to every area of life.
The preacher should beware of following into the trap of making any type of sermon his God.
V. Types Of Topical Sermons
There are those that point out the various aspects of a subject. (I.E. prayer, praise, salvation, etc.)
There are those that exist to state proof to support the subject. This would be a sermon built around argumentation. (I.E. Proofs of the Resurrection)
There are those that illustrate the subject by using Bible incidents or biographical sketches. (I.E. Faith in Difficult Times.)
There are those that order the sermon divisions to cover the subject from explanation to application.
1. The subject is stated
2. The subject is argued
3. The subject is illustrated
4. The subject is applied
There are topical sermons that are built upon an analogy. (Analogy – pointing out the resemblance between two things.) This type of topical sermon might use a physical object to point out some truth about the subject. (I.E. The rainbow.)
In this episode we discuss the three main sermon typeS.
Show Notes:
The three main types of sermons can be defined by their relationship to the text from which they are derived.
Topical – The topical sermon is a sermon built around a particular subject or idea. This type of sermon takes its subject from the text. While the text may yield one or more of the main points, the majority of the main points in a topical sermon come from other places in the Bible.
Textual – The textual sermon is usually based on one verse or phrase of Scripture. This kind of sermon takes its subject and its main points from the text. All the sub-points and other supporting materials come from other places in the Bible.
Expository – The expository sermon usually comes from a longer passage of Scripture than a textual sermon. This type of sermon may be built from a paragraph or from a whole book of the Bible. The expository sermon derives its subject, its main points, and all its subpoints from the passage under consideration. Other parts of the Bible may be used for supporting material, but the entire outline of the expository sermon can be found in the passage under consideration.
These are mere brief descriptions of the three major sermon types. In later episodes we will expand on each type of sermon, sharing definitions, advantages, disadvantages, and some balance concerning each sermon type.
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In this episode, I share some important definitions which we will use throughout this series.
Show Notes
Homiletics: Homiletics is the art and science of saying the same thing that the text of Scripture says.
Andrew Blackwood, “Homiletics is the science of which preaching is the art and the sermon is the finished product.”
Homiletics is “The science and art of sermon preparation.”
Exegesis: From the Greek word which means “a narration or an explanation.” The noun form of the Greek word does not occur in the Greek New Testament.
The verb form means, “to lead out of”, does occur. It can be found in Luke 24:35; John 1:18; Acts 10:8; 15:12, 14; 21:19.
The use of this word in John 1:18 is of special interest. This verse literally tells us that Jesus Christ “exegeted” the Father to man. That is, Jesus Christ is the narration or explanation of God the Father to man, John 14:9.
Eisegesis: this word means exactly the opposite of “exegesis”. While “exegesis” means “to lead out of”, “Eisegesis” means “to lead into.” Eisegesis is a practice that every preacher should do his best to avoid at all costs! Our mandate from the Lord is to “Preach the Word”, 2 Timothy 4:2.
To do this properly, we must allow the Word of God to simply say what it says. We must never be guilty of reading our own prejudices, opinions, or interpretations into the text.
It is vital that we, as preachers, allow the Word of God to speak! After all, the Bible, not your education, thoughts, or opinions, is “quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword,” Heb. 4:12. Our opinions and prejudices will die when we do. However, the Word of God is forever settled in Heaven, Psa. 119:89; and, as Jesus Himself said, “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.” Matt. 24:35.
Hermeneutics: Hermeneutics may be defined as “The science of expounding or interpreting what a passage of Scripture says.” It is “The science of biblical interpretation.”
It comes from the Greek word which means “to translate.” It refers to the Greek god Hermes, who was the messenger for the other gods to men. He brought the message of the gods to mankind. Very literally, the preacher who practices good hermeneutics and homiletics functions in the same fashion. He has the power to translate the message of God to mankind!
Sermon: The sermon is “the finished product of the processes of exegesis, hermeneutics, and homiletics.”
The word “sermon” comes from a French word, which means “a speech or a conversation.” As this course will teach us, anything that does not rest upon sound homiletical, hermeneutical, and exegetical principles does not deserve to bear the name “sermon.”
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In this first episode of The Preaching Matters Podcast, I tell you a little about myself, and I share with you the sort of content you can expect when you listen.
Here is a brief outline of my talking points for this episode.
The Preaching Matters Podcast
Episode 1
Talking Points
Introduction
- Name
- Church
- Experience
- Qualifications
- Burden
Content:
What to expect
- Sermon Types
- A focus on expository preaching
- Sermon preparation from start to finish
- Introductions
- Conclusions
- Outlining
- Study methods
- Illustrations
- Subjects
- Themes
- Proposition or Sermon in a Sentence
- Transitions
- Keywords
- No notes, outlines, manuscripts
- Preaching styles
- The preacher’s personality in preaching
- Spiritual preparation for preaching
- Dependence on the Holy Spirit in preaching
- Invitations
- Realistic expectations in preaching
- Preaching tips
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