Inductive methods are at the base of many preaching methods today. While induction is a good and helpful structural construct, we should not totally do away with the deductive methods that have stood the test of time.
Month: July 2007
On The Introduction of Speakers
The Biblical Preaching Blog continues its practical consideration of the preacher’s task by looking at speaker introductions.
It is an interesting question when one has a preacher that is unfamiliar to the congregation. I think that an introduction can be helpful and is perhaps necessary, but often, as Mead of Biblical Preaching notes, can be too long and list too many things.
Where Have All The Prophets Gone?
Rev. Heber Brown, III over at the religious political action Faith in Action blog recently interviewed Dr Marvin McMickle on his online radio show. I would encourage everyone to go on over and see what Dr.
Sermon as Theological Quadrilateral
The next traditional pattern discussed in Ronald Allen’s book is the Weslyan Theological Quadrilateral In this pattern, the preacher simply steps through the different aspects of the quadrilateral in the sermon.
Method
Web Pages I am Visiting
Over the last couple of months I have added a number of sites to my links section. I wish to highlight a few that I visit often and may be helpful to you.
- The other day I found the Audio Bible website. This is the entire King James version of the Bible narrated by Alexander Scourby. If you are having issues reading the Bible, why not listen to it at this site.
Bipolar Preaching in the Creation of Sermons
The next pattern is Bipolar preaching. This is a pattern that derives from the work of the 19th century preacher from England named F. W. Robinson. In this method you seek to find truth in the dialectic between two opposing ideas. You don’t try to harmonize them but you create an interplay between them.
Problem to Assurance to Celebration in Preaching
Our Preaching Patterns series continues with a look at Frank Thomas’ approach. His approach takes Henry Mitchell’s insight of celebration and weds it to another structure.
Preaching Based in Hagel’s Dialectical Movement
The next pattern used for creation of sermons provided in Allen’s book Patterns of Preaching is the Thesis-Antithesis-Synthesis pattern.
Moses the Model Preacher
Eugene Peterson, in his book Christ Plays in Ten Thousand Places, refers to Deuteronomy and Moses’ final sermon by saying:
Preaching a Bible Letter as a Story
The Biblical Preaching blog has a post up on Preaching an epistle as a story. I think this is a very effective way to help the people understand these components of the Bible story.
When one does adequate exegesis of the text for preaching, one should have a good idea of the story behind the text. Why not look at that story as a possibility to preach?
Preaching a Sermon Verse by Verse
Ron Allen in his book Patterns of Preaching next discusses the pattern of Preaching Verse by Verse. Here the preacher goes step by step through a text or series of text and explains each part. In some traditions this is one of the most prominent ways of preaching a text of scripture.
Sermons that Make Points
The next pattern in Ronald Allen’s book, Preaching Patterns is what has been called “3 Points and a Poem.” This is an old deductive form where you begin by stating the major claim of the sermon. You then identify some key points that you will discuss. Then you end by helping the people reflect on the points in their daily living. Many times you close with a poem.
Vivid Description the Key to Making a Sermon Sizzle
Peter Mead over at the Biblical Preaching blog presents another very helpful thought on how to Make Your Sermon Sizzle.
How do you do it? Simply use vivid and concrete descriptions.
Mead notes:
When you describe a Biblical scene, or an applicational situation, or an illustration, be as specific as possible. When you are specific, then listeners will be able to see, feel and experience. Do it well and your sermon will sizzle.
Mad Church Disease
I am a Preacher’s kid and have often been in church leadership myself. Let’s face it. Church work can be stressful for ministry leaders and their families. Someone is writing a book on this phenomenon and is calling it “Mad Church Disease.” I would encourage ministers to go on over there and take the survey to help the development of this book