From Text To Sermon
A Week in the Life of an Effective Preacher
by Gamal T. Alexander
Every week, the preacher faces the Herculean task of preparing a sermon that will captivate the congregation's attention. The preacher’s humble offering must at least rival the allure of Sunday brunch or the latest Instagram reel. This challenge rivals even the most epic quests in literature. Homer’s Odyssey pales in comparison to what waits for the average preacher every week.
Next Sabbath, you will stand in the pulpit, armed with a microphone, sermon notes and a Bible, ready to engage with a congregation that is one part burdened and two parts bored. But fear not, Preacher! With the right tools and a dose of divine inspiration, you can conquer the hearts and minds of your audience, one illustration at a time.
Every week the preacher is faced with the inevitable (and for many, unenviable) task of proclaiming the good news.
As they undergo this task, the preacher must compete with distractions. At any given moment a multitude of varying influences are competing for the listener's attention. The preacher must also compete with disinformation as most congregants have been pumped full of television and youtube theology that doesn’t even remotely resemble the Word of God. The preacher will also find that many within the congregation are disinterested in what the Bible has to say. Not to mention people who have suffered demonic attacks designed to turn people away from the Word of God altogether. No matter how passionate the presentation or how sincere the sermon, the preacher is facing tremendous opposition. Remember, “we wrestle not against flesh and blood…” (Eph 6:12).
To communicate successfully, the effective preacher must use every tool at his or her disposal, and time is the most important tool any of us have. We must learn to use it wisely.
With that in mind, here is an overview of a week in the life of an effective preacher.
Day One: Request and Receive - Use Sunday for brainstorming and prayer.
As H.B. Charles Jr. wisely remarked, "Our preaching is not the reason the Word works. The Word is the reason our preaching works." In other words, before you even think about cracking open those dusty tomes of biblical commentary, it's time to have a little talk with Jesus. Dr. Charles continues, “Prayer is our Christian duty. It is an expression of submission to God and dependence upon Him.” Before we attempt any study or any writing, the effective preacher will sincerely seek the Lord in prayer. It is through prayer that we receive the divine download of power that enables us to share the good news of the gospel with God’s people. Above any source of human strength, we must value God’s supernatural power. Before we seek to craft a powerful presentation, we must first go to God in prayer.
Day Two: Research and Record - Use Monday for research and study.
Once the effective preacher has power from God to present the Word, (s)he must now determine what that Word actually means. It is of the utmost importance for the preacher to be faithful to the Biblical text. The purpose of preaching is not to impose one’s meaning on the text, but to discover as far as possible what the original author intended to say, and then determine how God will use what has already been said in scripture to speak to His present-day people through the sermon. The more time in the study given to uncovering the historical context, word study, and reading commentaries, the more the preacher is likely to responsibly uncover the meaning of the passage under consideration.
Day Three: Roll Out Your Roadmap - Use Tuesday for writing an outline.
Outlining the sermon is a crucial part of the preparation process. It helps the preacher connect the information in a way that makes sense and supports the big idea of the sermon. Those who skip this step run the risk of thinking that they are expressing themselves more clearly than they really are. Outlining helps the preacher to map out what s(he) has to say and figure out how (s)he is going to say it. Transitions (or the lack thereof) become clear. Gaps in logic become evident. Disorganized thought is exposed. An outline gives the preacher a bird’s eye of the entire message.
Day Four: Release the Rhetoric - Use Wednesday to write a manuscript.
Writing a manuscript of any kind can be tedious and time-consuming. However, writing can help the preacher in a variety of ways. Writing can clarify thought, help the preacher to remember the sermon, highlight areas that need to be adjusted, and govern the length and direction of the message. A manuscript is often the best indicator of how clear, organized, and interesting the presentation will be.
Day Five: Rest and Retool - Use Thursday to step away from the sermon.
Writer’s find it hard to critique their own work for a number of reasons. First, editing while creating kills the creative process. Most writers can only effectively do one or the other at a time. Second, writers are so emotionally tied to what they have written that objectivity becomes a challenge. Third, most writers have blinders on. It’s difficult to see mistakes, because we tend to see our work’s intention and potential while ignoring the reality. Writers have been known to correct mistakes in their heads while allowing them to remain on the paper. Taking some time away from the manuscript can help the preacher to clearly see—and fix what has been written.
Day Six: Review and Revise - Use Friday to familiarize yourself with the material you’ve prepared.
Friday is the ideal day to review the manuscript. Take the time to internalize the introduction, review the conclusion and memorize your illustrations. If you want your congregation to remember what you’ve said, why not attempt to remember at least some of what you are going to say? The effective preacher may want to go even further and practice delivering the sermon. Hearing the message out loud can help to determine how effective it will be. Chances are, if it doesn’t interest the preacher during a practice session, it won’t be of interest to anyone else.
Day Seven: Relay the Report - Use Sabbath to preach the Word!
This is the day we’ve been waiting for! We’ve prayed and researched and outlined and written our manuscripts. We’ve practiced and edited and even internalized a good portion of the message. Now it’s time to preach. The good news is that you’re ready! You have used your week to the best of your ability, and the people of God will be better for it.
May this guide prove helpful to faithful preachers everywhere as we seek to share the good news of Jesus’ love.
Gamal Alexander serves as Pastor of the Rockville Church in Rockville, Maryland.
