Four Tasks of Sermon

Preparation

Kenyatta R. Gilbert, Ph.D.

Associate Professor of Homiletics
Howard University School of Divinity
Washington, D.C.

Copyright © Kenyatta R. Gilbert

 JESUS’ INAUGURAL VISION

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has

anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has
sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and
recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed
go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
Luke 4: 16-21
 Isaiah’s Vision revisited
(Isaiah 61)
1 The spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me; he has
sent me to bring good news to the oppressed, to bind up the brokenhearted, to
proclaim liberty to the captives; and release to the prisoners;

2 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to
comfort all who mourn;

3 to provide for those who mourn in Zion—give them a garland instead of ashes, the
oil of gladness instead of mourning, the mantle of praise instead of a faint spirit. They
will be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, to display his glory.

Isa. 61:2b -4
4 They shall build up the ancient ruins, they shall
raise up their former devastations; they shall
repair the ruined cities, the devastations of many
generation.

5 Strangers shall stand and feed your flocks, foreigners shall till
your land and dress your vines; but you shall be called priests of
the Lord, you shall be named ministers of our God.
 Vision Particulars
• Speaks of a Vision Not Fully Realized
• Declares that Community Wellness is a Divine Concern
• Self-portrait of the Gospel in Threefold Scope

• Speaks of Divine Intentionality

• The “Ministry of Presence”

• Interprets the Common Life of Community of

Worshipers
 What is Trivocal
Preaching?
A ministry of Christian proclamation—a theo-rhetorical
discourse about God’s good will toward community with
regard to divine intentionality, communal care, and the
active practice of hope—that finds resources internal to
Black life in the North American context.
 THE PRINCIPAL
QUESTION

How do we develop and shape culturally

relevant and theologically-informed
sermons?
 Preacher as Prophet
Speaks of Divine Intentionality – bringing
good news to the oppressed; proclaiming release to the
captives

• The Prophetic Voice – expresses unrelenting hope

about God’s activity to transform church and society in a
present-future sense based on the principles of
justice.
 CHARACTERISTIC
MARKS
BIBLICAL- SOCIOCULTURAL

• UNMASKS SYSTEMIC EVIL, OPPOSES IDOLATRY

• REFUSES TO RELINQUISH HOPE IN THE CONTEXT
OF HUMAN SUFFERING
• CONNECTS THE SPEECH-ACT WITH CONCRETE
PRAXIS
• CARRIES AN IMPULSE FOR BEAUTY
 Preacher as Priest
The “Ministry of Presence” – Comforting those who
mourn; regard for righteousness

• The Priestly Voice - encourages, through a variety of

Christian practices, the Christian
formation of listeners in order to enhance
themselves morally and ethically.
 CHARACTERISTIC
MARKS
• PLACES GREATER EMPHASIS ON MORALISTIC
CONCERNS

• FOCUSES ON PRESERVATION OF THE CULTIC

APPARATUS

• INTERPRETS REQUIREMENTS OF COVENANTAL

OBLIGATION

• VOICE OF RELIGIOUS AND COMMUNAL

SOCIALIZATION
 Preacher as Sage
Interprets the Common Life of Community of Worshipers

– repairing the ruins, reclaiming traditions; building up

and salvaging memory from past devastations.

• The Sagely Voice- confers the preacher and congregation’s wisdom;

daringly, it speaks within the context of radical social and ecclesial change for the

purpose of keeping vital the congregation’s mission and vision.

 CHARACTERISTIC MARKS

• CARRIES AN ELDERING FUNCTION

corresponds with community storytelling (jaili-poet)

• RESIDENT THEOLOGIAN WHO KNOWS THE HISTORY OF

THE CHURCH

• SEEKS TO DECODE COMPLEX SIGNS, SYMBOLS, AND TEXTS

• BESTOWS BIBLICAL WISDOM AND REALISTIC HOPE FOR

FUTURE GENERATIONS
 Rhetorical Situation
• Health: Diabetes, Hypertension, Cancer, HIV/AIDS,
Substance Abuse.
• Relationship: Father/Mother Absenteeism, Teenage
and Unwed Pregnancy, Incest, Child Molestation,
Intimate Partner Violence.
• Socioeconomic: Unemployment, Underemployment
Joblessness, Homelessness, High Foreclosures, Pay-
day Lending.
• Societal: Racial profiling, Educational Disparity, Job
Discrimination, Corporate Greed, Political Corruption.
 Setting up a
Trivocal Sermon

• A good sermon is a theological conversation

about what it means to speak of a promise-
bearing God who addresses the real needs
of real people.
 Four Truth Claims
1. Preachers benefit from constructive
homiletical criticism and theological
reflection.

2. The sermon feedback loop is absolutely

critical to a preacher’s professional
development.
3. Every preacher ought to have a reliable
homiletical plan—a working methodology
that enables him or her to contribute
something of theological significance in the
preaching moment.

4. Without preparation there is no fitting

and faithful speaking to one’s community,
and certainly not beyond its borders.
 FIVE BASIC
ASSUMPTIONS
 DISCIPLINED PRAYER LIFE
 SENSE OF CALL
 BASIC KNOWLEDGE OF SCRIPTURE AND
CHRISTIAN DOCTRINE
 CONFESSIONAL THEOLOGICAL COMMITMENTS
 HIGH APPRECIATION FOR CHRISTIAN WORSHIP
 Four Tasks of Sermon
Preparation

• A roadmap for assisting the preacher

to envision the preaching task more
holistically and self-critically.
• A conversation partner…not fixed
formula. Over time should become a
“cheat sheet”.
 Task 1
Exploration
• Information gathering and listening stage.

• What has driven me to the task?

Revelation in the Biblical Text

or
Response to a Rhetorical Situation?
 Task 2
Clarification
• Intensifies exploration by isolating rhetorical
situation and biblical claim on text.

• Self-critical exegesis first. Biblical exegesis thru

Sociocultural window follows.

• Claim statement: What Can I Say? What Can

I Expect? What Must I Say?
 Task 3
Internalization
• Preacher moves from exegetical reflection
and issue clarification to crafting and
indwelling.

• Draft –getting it out and talking it through.

• Redraft—shaping content.
• Third draft – polish to be rehearsed and digested.
Effective Sermon Design
POINT to make
IDEA to express
SCENE to share
CAUSE to promote
DOCTRINE to set forth and apply
ACTION to inspire
FEELING to arouse
DIRECTION to point out
DIVINE PROMISE to share
CAUTION to give
PERSON to claim
James Earl Massey, Designing the Sermon
 Task 4
• Proclamation

• Final and riskiest task. Preacher gives voice to what

has been interpreted, crafted, and indwelled.

• The preacher doesn’t preach exegesis but proclaims the

gospel (which is informed by the exegetical process).

• Help people envision a God who comes near.