I recently added a 7-stage process to the categories on the site.  This is simply to give another way to find posts on the site.  Instead of using Robinson’s 10-stage process, I decided to use the slightly shorter 7-stage process I use when teaching preaching.  I believe Ramesh Richard’s approach is similar.  The 7-stage process essentially integrates some of Robinson’s 10 stages, with the only major difference being to bring purpose earlier in the order, before working on the idea for the message.  The thinking here is that having studied the passage, the purpose for the message is a key influence on all aspects of sermon strategy, including the statement of the message idea (homiletical idea), outline (structural strategy), and the detail.  The 7-stages are as follows:

1. Passage selection.  Once a passage is chosen, the key concern here is whether the passage is a legitimate unit of thought or not.
2. Passage study.  This is the place where significant work must be done in all aspects of exegesis, including original language work, discourse analysis, etc.
3. Passage idea.  The goal of study is not endless information on sundry details, but clarity and confidence regarding the main idea of the passage.
4. Passage & message purpose.  What was the author trying to achieve?  What will you, the preacher hope to achieve in preaching the passage?  These may be similar, or different, but clear view of purpose will influence all the subsequent stages.
5. Message idea.  This is the homiletical form of the Big Idea, or the sermonic proposition.
6. Message outline.  How to deliver the idea in order to achieve the purpose – the message outline is the sermon strategy.  What shape will the sermon take?
7. Message detail.  How will the skeleton be fleshed out?  Illustrations, support materials; and very importantly, the introduction and conclusion.

Clicking on each stage will give an index of posts that relate to it.  After these stages, then comes the important issue of delivery.