It seems obvious, but it needs to be said. When we speak we need to make sure we make sense. There are various reasons why we may not make sense to our listeners. Here are a few to be aware of: 1. Obscure Language – If you obfuscate using technical, rare or archaic vocabulary, then [...]
Archive for the ‘Stage 8 – Message Detail’ Category
Does It Make Sense?
Posted in Audience Analysis, Christianity, Delivery, Homiletics, Preaching, Religion, Stage 8 - Message Detail on September 2, 2010 | Leave a Comment »
Points of Pride
Posted in Christianity, Delivery, Homiletics, Preacher's Personal Life, Preaching, Religion, Stage 8 - Message Detail on August 30, 2010 | Leave a Comment »
I suspect that if we’re honest, we’d all admit that preaching leads to numerous battles with pride. Perhaps not every time, perhaps not in the same way as each other, but there is an inherent danger that points of pride will peek through when we preach. Much of this may be an internal battle unseen [...]
Sad Separations
Posted in Christianity, Homiletics, Preaching, Religion, Stage 3 - Passage Purpose, Stage 5 - Message Purpose, Stage 8 - Message Detail on August 27, 2010 | 2 Comments »
Here are three separations often occurring in pulpits that are sad, to say the least: The separation of leadership and preaching – I’ve mentioned this before, probably after reading Michael Quicke’s 360-Degree Leadership. In some churches, especially those that have to, or choose to, rely on visiting speakers, there is an unfortunate separation of preaching [...]
Where Does Christ Fit?
Posted in Christianity, Homiletics, How to . . . ?, Old Testament, Preaching, Religion, Stage 3 - Passage Purpose, Stage 4 - Passage Idea, Stage 5 - Message Purpose, Stage 6 - Message Idea, Stage 7 - Message Outline, Stage 8 - Message Detail, tagged Christocentric Preaching on August 26, 2010 | 1 Comment »
When you are preaching the Old Testament, there should always be a radar bleeping in your heart regarding where Christ fits into the message. Some will suggest that every message must be entirely and purely about Christ, whatever the text was originally intended to convey. I feel this approach can bring our view of the [...]
Full Sentence Points
Posted in Christianity, Homiletics, How to . . . ?, Preaching, Religion, Stage 7 - Message Outline, Stage 8 - Message Detail, tagged Sermon Outlines, Preaching Points on August 25, 2010 | 2 Comments »
Why do I recommend preachers have full sentence points? Or to put it another way – what is the problem with single-word points? After all, a series of three or four single words can be memorable, both during the message and potentially after it. So why not just give single word “points” as the message [...]
10 Ways to Make Your Listeners Uncomfortable
Posted in Christianity, Delivery, Homiletics, How to . . . ?, Preaching, Religion, Stage 8 - Message Detail on August 23, 2010 | 1 Comment »
Someone said preaching should comfort the disturbed and disturb the comfortable. Here are ten ways to make your listeners feel uncomfortable as you preach, but not in the right sense of the term: 1. Give off non-verbal signals of nervousness. Wring your hands, pace uncontrollably, fidget as you preach, breath shallow, avoid eye contact, flit [...]
Illustrations and Interest
Posted in Christianity, Homiletics, How to . . . ?, Preaching, Religion, Stage 8 - Message Detail, tagged sermon illustrations on August 19, 2010 | 4 Comments »
Illustrations are an interesting subject. Actually, my concern is that often illustrations are seen as the source of interest in a message. Therefore the best speakers, that is, the most interesting, are those who seem to be a repository of well-researched illustrations. But here’s my concern – do we rely on illustrations to be interesting? [...]
Why Did the Coughs Spread?
Posted in Audience Analysis, Christianity, Delivery, Homiletics, How to . . . ?, Preaching, Religion, Stage 7 - Message Outline, Stage 8 - Message Detail on August 13, 2010 | 2 Comments »
Yesterday I shared about the contrast between the attention of the crowd one night and the significant distraction the next night – same venue, same weather, same chairs, different speaker. Perhaps something here might be helpful to you. Why were they distracted? 1. It felt like a commentary with added anecdotes. It was like a [...]
Simply Good Preaching
Posted in Christianity, Delivery, Homiletics, How to . . . ?, Preaching, Religion, Stage 4 - Passage Idea, Stage 5 - Message Purpose, Stage 6 - Message Idea, Stage 7 - Message Outline, Stage 8 - Message Detail, tagged Keswick Convention on August 11, 2010 | 2 Comments »
Someone has said that you know it was a good sermon when you find yourself asking how the preacher knew all about you. That’s a nice sentiment that points to the importance of applicational relevance in preaching. Now allow me to give you my statement. This is not a complete statement, or a forever statement. [...]
The Identification Situation
Posted in Christianity, Homiletics, How to . . . ?, Old Testament, Preaching, Religion, Stage 5 - Message Purpose, Stage 8 - Message Detail, tagged Biblical Narrative, Preaching Biblical Narrative on August 5, 2010 | 1 Comment »
One of the secrets of the success of narrative writing and storytelling (whether that is historical narrative, fiction, fantasy, film or whatever) is the power of identification. When you read, hear or see a story, you naturally find yourself either identifying with or disassociating from characters in the story. If you are left cold, it [...]
Does It Matter If It’s Going Online?
Posted in Audience Analysis, Christianity, Homiletics, Preaching, Religion, Stage 8 - Message Detail on July 16, 2010 | 1 Comment »
Last Sunday I was preaching in a church and had to ask if the message would be going online. Every now and then you have to be aware of such things. But unless you’re sharing information that is sensitive, does it really matter? I suppose the myth of online exposure is alluring for all egos. [...]
Should Bible Text Be Projected?
Posted in Audience Analysis, Christianity, Delivery, Homiletics, How to . . . ?, Preaching, Religion, Stage 8 - Message Detail on July 13, 2010 | 6 Comments »
This is the kind of question that can easily become a strongly held conviction. But should it? Well, people do benefit from seeing the text, and seeing it in the same translation as the speaker, and without the hassles, distraction, or potential embarressment of having to look it up in their own Bible, which of [...]
Preview for Clarity
Posted in Audience Analysis, Christianity, Homiletics, How to . . . ?, Preaching, Religion, Stage 5 - Message Purpose, Stage 6 - Message Idea, Stage 7 - Message Outline, Stage 8 - Message Detail, tagged Expository Preaching, Sermon Preview on July 5, 2010 | Leave a Comment »
Some people like to take the complexity and intricacy of preaching and turn it into a one-size fits all template. This is unfortunate because preaching has so many variables to be enjoyed and utilized. Take, for instance, the preview. As part of the introduction to a message, the preacher may choose to give an outline [...]
When Time is Short
Posted in Christianity, Homiletics, How to . . . ?, Preaching, Religion, Stage 1 - Passage Selection, Stage 5 - Message Purpose, Stage 7 - Message Outline, Stage 8 - Message Detail on June 14, 2010 | Leave a Comment »
A good friend wrote the following: As I anticipate teaching preaching overseas, I realize that I need to take seriously the lack of time that these pastors have for sermon prep. I feel like my training has prepared me well both to practice and to teach a strategy for preaching that requires quite a bit [...]
Of Inner Screens and Communion Closets
Posted in Christianity, Delivery, Homiletics, Preacher's Personal Life, Preaching, Religion, Stage 8 - Message Detail, tagged Helmut Thielicke, Spurgeon on June 8, 2010 | Leave a Comment »
Some more of Thielicke on Spurgeon: When Spurgeon speaks, it is as if the figures of the patriarchs and prophets and apostles were in the auditorium – sitting upon a raised tribune! – looking down upon the listeners. You hear the rush of the Jordan and the murmuring of the brooks of Siloam; you see [...]
Some Thoughts on Preparing to Preach Psalm 22
Posted in Christianity, Homiletics, How to . . . ?, Old Testament, Preaching, Religion, Stage 2 - Passage Study, Stage 4 - Passage Idea, Stage 5 - Message Purpose, Stage 6 - Message Idea, Stage 7 - Message Outline, Stage 8 - Message Detail on June 5, 2010 | Leave a Comment »
This is not a complete post, but it may be helpful. I received the following question from a good friend: I have been asked to preach on psalm 22 and am at the moment soaking myself in it to try and make sure I understand the message, the structure and what God was saying then [...]
When Order Matters
Posted in Christianity, Homiletics, How to . . . ?, Preaching, Religion, Stage 5 - Message Purpose, Stage 7 - Message Outline, Stage 8 - Message Detail on June 3, 2010 | 1 Comment »
Sometimes the points in a message can be given in any order. Sometimes order matters. 1. When wrong order of content loses listeners I remember Don Sunukjian explaining how in preaching, because we increase the time taken to explain the elements of a sentence, we sometimes need to reverse the order. For example, I can [...]
What Are You Trying To Say?
Posted in Christianity, Delivery, Homiletics, Preaching, Religion, Stage 8 - Message Detail, tagged Austin, Illocution, Kevin Vanhoozer, Searle, Speech Act Theory on June 2, 2010 | Leave a Comment »
Yesterday I made a passing reference to Speech Act Theory. This communications theory recognizes that in speech, something greater than information transfer is occurring. Once you get into the literature (either secular communications studies by folks like Austin and then Searle, or in some hermeneutics writings by Kevin Vanhoozer, for instance), you will meet terms [...]
Bonus: They Can’t See Your Notes
Posted in Christianity, Delivery, Homiletics, Preaching, Religion, Stage 7 - Message Outline, Stage 8 - Message Detail on May 28, 2010 | 1 Comment »
I’ve posted a couple of posts about the fact that listeners can’t see your notes. This fact does create a burden or two on you, the preacher, but there are positives too. 1. They don’t know what you missed. This may be for the sake of time, or because your eyes skipped, or because of [...]
But Wait, They Can See My Notes
Posted in Christianity, Delivery, Homiletics, How to . . . ?, Preaching, Religion, Stage 5 - Message Purpose, Stage 6 - Message Idea, Stage 7 - Message Outline, Stage 8 - Message Detail, Uncategorized, tagged powerpoint preaching on May 27, 2010 | 2 Comments »
Yesterday I wrote about some of the challenges that come from our listeners not being able to see our notes. We preach orally, but tend to prepare in literary forms (manuscript, indented outlines, etc.) I mentioned the issue of transitions – very different animals in spoken than in written communication. I mentioned the need to [...]
Because They Can’t See Your Notes
Posted in Christianity, Delivery, Homiletics, How to . . . ?, Preaching, Religion, Stage 5 - Message Purpose, Stage 7 - Message Outline, Stage 8 - Message Detail, tagged Steve Matthewson on May 26, 2010 | Leave a Comment »
I suppose it is obvious, but sometimes obvious things need stating. When we preach we are communicating orally. People hear us, and usually can see us, but they can’t see our notes. What difference does this startling realization make to our preaching? Well, it should cause us to pay particular attention to the following: 1. [...]
The Height of Application
Posted in Christianity, Homiletics, How to . . . ?, Preaching, Religion, Stage 5 - Message Purpose, Stage 8 - Message Detail on May 21, 2010 | Leave a Comment »
I’ve written recently about application and where it is aimed – heart, head and hands (i.e. affection, belief and conduct). But what about the height of the application? That is to say, how high do we set the bar? Now immediately there are issues rising up: does this language imply duty and responsibility that will [...]
Are You Sure You Want To Do That?
Posted in Christianity, Homiletics, How to . . . ?, Preaching, Religion, Stage 8 - Message Detail on May 19, 2010 | 2 Comments »
It is so tempting, but are you sure you want to do that? Perhaps a commentary suggests another way to translate the text. Or perhaps you have studied a little Greek and think that they have made a mistake in their handing of a tense or whatever. So you’re tempted to criticise the translation the [...]
What Makes For Thin-Blooded Preaching?
Posted in Christianity, Homiletics, Preaching, Religion, Stage 5 - Message Purpose, Stage 8 - Message Detail, tagged 360-Degree Leadership, Michael Quicke on May 10, 2010 | 1 Comment »
After a whole series of careful caveats, Michael Quicke defines what he means by thin-blooded preaching in 360-Degree Leadership. I’ll share brief introductions to each thought, but really recommend buying the book and thinking through his argument first-hand. 1. Individualistic – It is easier to preach to individuals, than to address the complexities of corporate [...]
Ingredients for Creativity
Posted in Audience Analysis, Christianity, Delivery, Genre, Homiletics, How to . . . ?, Preaching, Religion, Stage 5 - Message Purpose, Stage 6 - Message Idea, Stage 7 - Message Outline, Stage 8 - Message Detail on May 3, 2010 | 2 Comments »
If you want to increase creativity in your preaching, what is needed? 1. Time. If you are squeezed for time then it will not be possible to add the extra work needed (and the thinking capacity needed) for adding creativity to your preaching. 2. Freedom and trust. It is important to know the congregation to [...]
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