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Devin Berry

Preaching

Dr. Norman

The 12 Essential Skills for Great Preaching

Chapter 1: Getting the text in view

This chapter is all about viewing the text that you are preaching in, in the proper

way. McDill says that preachers often use deductive reasoning, they think more about

general truths rather than applying them to particular situations. Instead, we should use

inductive thinking where we would take a particular event and apply that to general

terms. When using inductive reasoning when looking at a text to preach on, we are more

likely to use primary documents, like the scriptures. Inductive thinking begins with the

text and then branches out form there.

This chapter recommends using the structural diagram when preparing a text. The

structural diagram breaks down the passage phrase by phrase to find something deeper.

When doing the diagram, you are able to find deeper connections and meanings of

phrases. Similar ideas emerge from the text. By using this method, some of the stress of

preparing the text for a sermon or bible study is relieved.

Chapter 2: Seeing What Is There

Often people have selective attention. We will focus in on one detail, but ignore

the other details. Not only are we oft blind to details, but we tend to suffer from spiritual

blindness as well. The bible gives many examples of spiritual blindness. Preachers, more
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so than any one else need to be alert to the texts. Even the most experienced preachers

still need to grow and develop their spiritual enlightenment.

While the text never changes the insight from person to person varies.

Observation skills depend a lot, on how motivated you are. You will not be observant if

you do not want to be. To be observant you need and eye for detail. An observant person

notices the small things, the things that often go overlooked. To have observation skills

you must also have a natural curiosity. In order to observe the text you need to actually be

curious about what a particular text is saying and what it really means. The different steps

of preparing a sermon or a text build off each other. You need the structural diagram,

which was discussed in chapter one in order to make certain observations.

One of the key skills for preparing sermons is observation. It is important for a

preacher to be able to notice, recognize and note differences in wording and meanings.

Not only does a preacher need to be observant of the bible, but also a preacher needs to

be observant of their people.

Chapter 3: Asking the Right Questions

We interpret things everyday: the television, letters, peoples conversations, and

when we are interpreting them we try to figure out what it means and what significance it

has to us. When we interpret something, we are attempting to explain the meaning of

something. Interpreting the bible is called hermeneutics. When we interpret the bible, we

attempt to discover what the text says, what it means and its theological message.

Interpreting the bible is different than interpreting other things because the bible is old,

the bible is unchanging because it is a written document. Unlike interpreting a person, the
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bible has no body language or tone. Another difference is that the bible is about God,

which tends to me that each person interpreting the bible does so in his own terms.

In addition to your regular bible, other tools should be utilized. Bible dictionaries,

bible atlases, commentaries and lexicons help you interpret information about the

different places, people and terms used in the text that you are using. When interpreting

the bible we assume that the nature of God and the nature of man has not changed since

the bible was written. We aim to discern the original message meant by the bible writers.

Chapter 4: Naming the Textual Idea

Many words can have different meanings based on what context they are used in.

Some words sound similar but have very different meanings. It is up to a preacher to use

the best terms they can to convey the proper message to their listeners. Depending on

your word choice you can trigger something in a persons memory that can be either

beneficial to you or hurt your message. One word can bring up a variety of different

images for each person listening. A preacher needs to be a skilled wordcrafter.

There are certain words that a preacher ought to avoid. Words like instructions or

commands, appropriate or true and genuine or real. God should not be the only subject of

a sermon. Telling people what NOT to do is not a helpful technique. Words both express

out thought as well as clarify them. A preacher needs to have a command of their

language and use careful word choice.

Chapter 5: Touching Human Needs

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People tend to view preachers has pure people without any negative thought.

Preachers are people who study, pray and read constantly. Preachers never lose their

temper or swear, or do anything wrong. Some preachers purposefully give off this image

by only allowing congregation members to se them studying and by using fancy biblical

terms in conversation. The congregation however sees others, with their families, on

social visits and in everyday situations. A preacher is the direct contact to His people.

They should touch on real life concerns of the congregants.

For a preaching situation to occur there needs to be the preacher, the sermon, the

scripture, and the congregation. Without the preacher, there is no way for the message to

get across. With out the scripture, there is no word of God. Without the sermon, nothing

is said. Without the people, nothing else would be necessary. We need to be attuned to

the needs of our congregation and not let biblical studies and the church get in the way.

We need to be able to identify the need.

Chapter 6: Bridging from Text to Sermon

When we look at the texts while preparing to preach, the texts are from thousands

of years ago and were written thousands of miles away. Even though the languages are

different and the cultures are different, we must still be able to hear, understand and

report the messages. We are to aim to have the primary message of the scripture to be the

primary message of our sermon. A sermon needs a textual idea: a clearly worded

statement of the idea of the text writer. A sermon idea: the textual idea in universal

present-day terms with out historic elements is also needed. The interrogative, which is

the sermon idea translated into questions, and distinguishes a theme, is necessary. In
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addition, the final element required is the transition sentence, which answers the

interrogative questions and categorizes sermon divisions.

It is important to have a single idea for your sermon. The reason for biblical

interpretation is to figure out exactly what the writer was trying to say and to find a way

to make the theme of the writing applicable to today regardless of location. It is up to the

preacher to bridge the gap between the text and their sermon. The sermon should cover a

timeless truth that found in the scripture.

Chapter 7: Writing Sermon Divisions

A good sermon starts with a good outline. Regardless of the message of the

sermon, without a proper outline it probably wont work. There is no one specific way to

outline a sermon. Some sermon outlines follow a chorological order, some go in order of

importance, while others go from cause to effect or vice versa. Sermon divisions are

sections of the sermon where the main ideas of the sermon are presented. Divisions

contain division statements, which use complete sentences to express the idea in that

section of the sermon. When preparing the outline and the divisions it is important to pay

attention to the significance in the relationships between concepts. There are cause and

effect relationships as well as primary and dependant idea statements.

It is also helpful to transform figurative language into conceptual terms. IT is

difficult to deal with metaphors and similes, but concrete things and concepts like science

are easier to deal with. It is important to examine the writer’s grammatical and rhetorical

choice to find the purpose. One of the most important things in preparing a sermon is to

follow a logical progression of thought throughout your division statements.

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Chapter 8: Planning Sermon Design

Sermon design is the selection and arrangement of materials that will be presented

in the sermon. The sermon design has the message of the text, the audience that the

sermon is being presented to and the nature of the oral communication. Design a sermon

is like designing anything else, all of the parts must match and flow together. A well-

designed sermon connects to the audience and is appealing both functionally and

aesthetically. A well-designed sermon has biblical interpretation, a reference to that

nature and need of the audience and oral communication. A sermon has to be functional

and it has to serve a purpose. A sermon has to have form, it cannot just being statements

without form. What comes first? What comes last?

An effective sermon design will achieve the preacher’s aim. An effective sermon

will communicate a biblical truth and will cause a faith response in the congregation. A

preacher can use any number of materials to bridge the gap between the text and the

sermon, but the sermon design makes that path an easier one. A design does not have to

be visual pleasing as long as it can be heard and understood. It should capture the

audiences’ attentions and fill a void in their lives.

Chapter 9: Developing Sermon Ideas

The sermon development comes after an outline has been completed. Most of the

sermon preparation process is development. Development allows you amplify and extend

the truths you have placed in your outline. Through this step you are able to elaborate on

statements you made in the outline. You explain, illustrate, argue and apply. The amount
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of resources that you can use during this step is unlimited. Word studies, cross-

references, personal experiences, quotes, poems, challenges, and stories are all very

helpful. Applications used will determine how effective the sermon will be. One way to

develop the sermon is to use illustrations that will appeal to the listeners’ imagination. If

a clear visualization can be achieved, the point can better be seen. It is important to

appeal to the whole person and not just one aspect of who they are.

There should be four points of development for each division statement. Through

development, a clear introduction and conclusion should emerge. Explanation seeks to

have the listener understand the concept. Illustration allows the listener to develop a

picture in their head. Argument strives for the listener to accept an idea as truth.

Application guides the listeners into applying it to their own life.

Chapter 10: Exploring Natural Analogies

If you do not take the necessary time to study the text, it is easy to develop

writer’s block, when preparing the sermon. Following development, you will probably

have more material than you actually need. You can eliminate anything that does not

directly apply to your argument. Personal experiences, observation, and analogies help

your ideas emerge. Books of illustrations and personal experiences are not enough.

Human nature only allows us to comprehend things as they fit into our lives, into the vast

store of common knowledge.

Analogies are a relation between two things, making a likeness or attributes or

effects. Natural means pertaining to the physical universe. Therefore, natural analogies

are relationships, events or other factors that are observed and serve to parallel
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theological concepts. These are familiar to the human experience. Jesus and the biblical

writers used figurative language to communicate truths. It is up to preachers to take that

figurative language and transform it into terms that the common man can understand.

Using analogies and other methods the preacher is able to break it down.

Chapter 11: Drawing Picture, Telling Stories

Story telling turns a preacher into a great communicator. When a story is told

within the sermon the entire congregation begins to pay attention. After the story, the

preacher loses the congregations attention again and they walk away only remembering

the story. Our faith depends on these stories. The bible is a series of stories about God

occurring in the lives of His people. Sermons deal with generalization and particular

experiences. Generalizations are able to present a whole though in one statement. The

particular experience aim for the listener to reach I higher level with their imaginations.

Drawing pictures and telling stories, as illustrations, require a certain type of language.

This language is figurative, descriptive, concrete and specific. The goal is to create a

more vivid image so that the listeners can relate. Language that appeals to the senses is

used to draw an image. Can you describe the scene in which you story takes place?

Concrete language clarifies things and adds understanding. Stories are essential to

effective preaching. God is revealed to us in the scriptures through stories told by the

members of the bible and the writers. Depending on the type of language used the images

that the congregation pictures are altered, which can be both good and bad. Figurative

language allows room for interpretation while concrete terms inform you of what you

should picture.
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Chapter 12: Preaching For Faith

The one major question we have to ask ourselves is why do we preach? We

assume it is something that God wants us to do. We need to identify a clear purpose to

our preaching. Every sermon and preaching experience needs to relate to that purpose.

The fundamental objective of preaching is faith. Most preachers agree that faith is the

desired response of a sermon, but do not formulate their sermon around faith. Preaching

is part of God’s plan. Paul shows us in Romans that God intends preaching to be used for

people to hear, believe, and call on the Lord. Not only should a preacher plan their

sermons for faith, but also they examine their own philosophy of ministry and

understanding of Christian life.

When preaching for faith we are to affirm what we believe and present the aim of

a faith response through the sermon. Whatever additional aims a sermon has, the primary

objective, goal, aim, and purpose should be faith. The measure of a Christian is a measure

of his faith. The object of faith is God. A preacher presents the credibility of God by

portraying His character, His capabilities, and His intentions. Faith is the purpose of our

sermons and faith is the reason why we preach.