Sermon Help

[Backwoods Presbyterian]

Wondering if the Puritan Board folk could/would like to look over my sermon for tomorrow and let me know where I can better it. Thanks.

You can find the text here on my blog.

 

[fredtgreco]

Ben,

A couple of very quick comments:

• Don't ask your people to read the text over again to themselves. Read through it for them out loud, so they can follow you. Even if you read the whole text at the beginning, it is a good technique to read a portion again that you are about to comment on
• Avoid using "the Greek" or "the Hebrew." You can lose people with that. You can make the same point about disciple from the English. Do that. Your point is a good practical one. You want people to get the point not to see how good your language skills are.
• (As an aside - the best saying about original language skills I ever heard was from Derek Thomas. The languages are like the pots and pans that a great chef uses. Absolutely essential. Absolutely needed to be in good condition. Never to be trotted out during the meal)
• In my opinion, you need more structure to hang your sermon on. Your comments are good and helpful, but in order to be "followed" by people, there needs to be more of skeleton. What are your two (three? four?) main points. Where is the transition between them? There is an old teaching technique that is directly applicable to preaching: (1) tell them what you are going to say; (2) say it; (3) tell them what you said. In other words, repetition is the mother of memory.

That does not mean you need wholesale changes. Just look through and find your main points, and then make sure that they are clear. I'll try and attach a couple examples of the handouts we use each Sunday morning, and then if you want you can go to our webpage and listen to the sermon that it goes with to see how I do that.

I hope this helps, and that it comes across as a way to be helpful and not overly critical. I am very glad that you are working very hard at preaching God's Word. I will pray for you tonight and tomorrow.

 

[fredtgreco]

A couple of more outlines.

 

[Backwoods Presbyterian]

Thanks a bunch Rev. Greco. I have changed a couple of things that you mentioned and cleaned up a bit. Practically the worst part about being at a non-confessional seminary is the homiletic/lack thereof training we receive. So I'll take all the criticism and help I can get.

 

[fredtgreco]

One suggestion to help with the lack of training. Listen to good preachers. A bunch. Listen to Derek Thomas. Martin Lloyd Jones (his stuff is online somewhere). R.C. Sproul. Sinclair Ferguson. John R. DeWitt. John Currid. Joey Pipa. You want solid, vanilla, exegetical preaching. Listen to sermons on more than one verse. That will show you how to break up a text. It will also show you how to use illustrations and applications.

Don't worry. You will get better each time.

 

[Backwoods Presbyterian]

Thanks. At this point I am just trying to make sure I am not preaching heresy and getting into a rhythm of writing sermons regularly.

 

[py3ak]

Listen to good preachers. Listen to Martin Lloyd Jones (his stuff is online somewhere).

See here.

(Quote edited)

 

[raekwon]

Good stuff, Fred. I'm currently starting work on the dreaded "first sermon ever" (with Greg's help), and your advice here is valuable.

 

[Presbyterian Deacon]

Ben--

Just curious What is on the pink sheet in the bulletin? Is it just the Scripture text, or is there an outline there as well?

May God bless the preaching of His Word, and blessings upon you for your service in His Name.

 

[Backwoods Presbyterian]

Just the Scripture verses. (By the way the Church uses the Holman Christian Standard Bible).

 

[fredtgreco]

Good stuff, Fred. I'm currently starting work on the dreaded "first sermon ever" (with Greg's help), and your advice here is valuable.

Glad to hear it!

Remember that your people need the Word. Don't doubt the simple (as in unadulterated) Word's power. Also, remember that your people are not in your study with you. By the time you preach the text, you will be full with it. Make sure you empty yourself out for them!

I have found that the hardest thing for the preacher is what to leave in the study (and leave out of the sermon), not what I should say.

 

[Presbyterian Deacon]

Good stuff, Fred. I'm currently starting work on the dreaded "first sermon ever" (with Greg's help), and your advice here is valuable.

Glad to hear it!

Remember that your people need the Word. Don't doubt the simple (as in unadulterated) Word's power. Also, remember that your people are not in your study with you. By the time you preach the text, you will be full with it. Make sure you empty yourself out for them!

I have found that the hardest thing for the preacher is what to leave in the study (and leave out of the sermon), not what I should say.

Excellent point. I like your quote from Thomas about the chef needing the pots and pans, but not having to bring them to the table. Very well observed!

 

[Presbyterian Deacon]

Avoid using "the Greek"

Maybe it's just me, but does anybody else think about "the Greek pizza guy down the street" when you hear a preacher say "the Greek says..."?

 

[Backwoods Presbyterian]

 

[Presbyterian Deacon]

Just the Scripture verses. (By the way the Church uses the Holman Christian Standard Bible).

Thanks.

I'm not familiar with the Holman Christian Standard Bible. How's it compare to ESV. Well that's probably .

 

[Backwoods Presbyterian]

My impression from it is that it is in between the NIV/Paraphrase and ESV.

 

[bookslover]

Ben: Always wear pants. People appreciate it.

 

[bookslover]

More seriously: I remember when I've preached, I always made a point to be as clear and direct as possible, both in making the main points and in supporting them.

But even when you have been as clear as you can be, you'd be amazed by the people who will come up to you afterward and ask you about points you never made or question things you never said.

There were times I ended up wondering where people's heads were during the sermon...

 

[py3ak]

The Lord be with you brother. It is always easy to focus on our own inadequacies: but God is sufficient. It is perhaps even easier to focus on our own spiritual failings, and feel unworthy (which we are). But God designs to bless His people through His word, and so you can confidently pray for His help.

 

[Backwoods Presbyterian]

Thanks py3ak.

 

[Backwoods Presbyterian]

There is an audio recording of my sermon on my blog for those who would like to hear it.