Christian Leadership Programme

INTRODUCTION AND BIBLICAL INTERPRETATION

FROM DESK TO PODIUM
Term 4: Week 8
Neil Henry

1. INTRODUCTION
 PDF Handout – “From Desk to Podium”
 PDF Handout – “Basic Books for a Christian Home Library”

2. GENERAL PREPARATION

- Bishop Alfred Quayle (American Methodist Pastor) “Preaching is the art of making a preacher and
delivering that. It is no trouble to preach, but a vast trouble to construct a preacher.”

- Bernard of Clairveaux (12th Century Roman Catholic Abbot):

o A preacher must store his mind and heart with good things.
o His preaching should be the overflow of his own walk with God.
o “Seek not to pour out until thou art thyself full.”

- must build up his library for books

- must not neglect his study

3. SPECIFIC PREPARATION
(See also Stuart Olyott – “Preaching Pure and Simple”)

Preparation for any message includes the following steps:-

3.1 Meditation. (Psalm 1)

3.2 Investigation.

3.3 Elaboration.

3.4 Collection of the material.

 3.5 Assembling the material.
 What is the purpose?
 What form must the sermon take?
 Introduction -
 [Suggested] Divide your paper into three columns, labelling them State – Illustrate - Apply
 Insert an introduction at this point
 Prepare the conclusion to the message.

3.6 Applying the finishing touches.

 Unhurried meditation
 Re-examine your conclusion in the light of your theme
 Review the structure of the sermon for balanced.
 Test the clarity of arguments
 Assess the warmth and relevance of the sermon.
 Try to include lots of rhetorical questions

3.7 Richard Bewes: “Speaking in Public Effectively”

1.
Give it a head – the one dominant thought of the passage.
2.
Give it some bones – the framework of the talk/the headings.
3.
Give it some flesh – the main body of the message.
4.
Give it wings – illustrative material and imaginative touches.
5.
Give it some teeth – end the sermon by summarizing your main points, personal application,
challenge or appeal.

4. GETTING GOLD FROM THE TEXT

- 2 Timothy 3:16-17

 Things to look out for – “Imposters”

o Using the text as a springboard for the rest of the message

o Oversensitivity to the response of the listeners

 Properly Adapting to the Hearers

 Why Sermons Inadvertently Drift from the Text

 Stay on Track!
o Begin with exegesis

o Do NOT rush this phase

o Take Biblical Truth and Apply it to the Audience

o Our Confidence is in the Power of God’s Word!

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Term 4 – Week 8

There is NO HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT based on this lecture for this week.

It would be a good time to review the entire series of lectures.

HOWEVER, you are required to submit a Study/Sermon Outline

based on the passage assigned at the start of the term.
This paper has to be submitted by the end of the last week of Term.
For further guidelines on this, please consult with your lecturer.