Skip to content

Soul Preaching

Menu
  • Home
  • Contact Us
  • Popular Updates
    • Preaching Methods
    • Homiletic Theory
    • Sermon Construction
    • Exegesis
    • Feature Articles
  • SUBSCRIBE
Menu

Charles G. Adams Preaching Method

Posted on January 30, 2008

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Charles G. Adams provides a discussion of his sermon preparation method in Cleophus LaRue’s book Power in the Pulpit. It is detailed and comprehensive.

Sermon Preparation

Pastor Adams first emphasizes that prayer is at the beginning of the sermon. In addition, the preacher must have a text from the Bible and a subject from the preacher.

The first step is to take the text and read it in every translation possible. This includes reading it in the original language. At this stage you want to be sure not to use commentaries or other people’s sermons. That can stifle creativity. You write out your thoughts about your interaction with the text.

The next step is to consult as many commentaries on your scripture as possible. Here you are not reading sermons or “homiletical commentaries,” but commentaries on the language, history, and culture of the Biblical materials. You write out your notes at this stage.

The next step is to read homiletical commentaries and sermons. Here you have already dealt with the text from your own resources and the other commentaries, now you can see how others have dealt with the text in their sermonic expressions. Dr. Adams notes that he pays particular attention to the illustrations that the preacher used in the sermons he reads.

The next stage is to give time so that the materials from the previous steps can “marinate” in your mind. You leave the process altogether and do something entirely different.

The Drafts of Sermon


Now you are ready for the first Draft of the sermon. Simply write out your sermon. You then look at the draft and go back to the text again. You ask yourself if you were true to the text. You go back to your other materials and make sure that you have not made any mistakes. You refine the material over subsequent drafts as needed.

Then you want to relax away from the sermon again. And then attempt the final draft of the sermon. Adams notes that you must recognize that you will never be finished with the sermon, but you simply get your “final draft” before entering the pulpit.

Ready for the Presentation

Now the preacher must pray for God to be with the preacher in the preaching moment. Adams states, “Your information comes from the library, but your power and inspiration must come from the closet.”

The next step is to go and approach the pulpit to preach the Word. Your job is to preach “God’s name, God’s love, and God’s son.” You seek to make sure that they all hear the “good news.”

After the Sermon Presentation


Now the preacher must come down from the mountaintop and think about what was done right and what was done wrong. Finally, the preacher should revise the sermon to prepare to preach it again.

Conclusion

There are some very good gems in this method. However, I think that the beginning preacher might need more help in fleshing out some of the steps. For example, to begin the whole process, how does one get a sermon idea and/or a text? A process might be helpful.

In addition, I like the progression from “text alone” to “commentaries from experts” to “homiletical commentaries and sermons.” I also like the emphasis of what to look in the sermons from others, namely illustrations. However, I think that more guidance might be needed in how to exegete a text.

Be that as it may, Dr. Adams provides a comprehensive outline that takes you from the point when you have a scripture and an idea all the way to the point when you come out of the pulpit after having preached the sermon. He did all of this in 5 short pages. However, to put more meat on those bones, the preacher should consult other resources. You might be interested in my own ebook entitled You can Preach: Steps to an Effective Sermon which provides my own sermon preparation method.

Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc, or its affiliates.

Related posts:

Default ThumbnailProstitution of the Black Preaching Tradition – Style but no Substance Preaching by Playing Words Like Notes Default ThumbnailExpository Black Preaching? Default ThumbnailBiblical or Contemporary?

Leave a Reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Recent Posts

  • Stop Sleeping In The Pulpit
  • Thou Shalt Have Good News
  • The Answer Is In The Records
  • Just Keep the Ball In Play
  • The Importance of Good News
  • Preaching Advent With Imagination
  • Why The Thorn

Free Email Training

Sign up for the New Preaching TIPS Email Newsletter. You will recieve 5-7 emails a week.

Click Here

Revised Common Lectionary

    Instagram

    shermancox

    Instagram post 18041906996079829 Instagram post 18041906996079829
    Instagram post 17910296783919000 Instagram post 17910296783919000
    Instagram post 18035493148903548 Instagram post 18035493148903548
    Instagram post 17887097775081541 Instagram post 17887097775081541
    #smule #smuleduet #easylikesundaymorning #smule #smuleduet #easylikesundaymorning
    I feel Good #smule #smuleglobal I feel Good #smule #smuleglobal
    Instagram post 18087447073438590 Instagram post 18087447073438590
    Instagram post 17851233018147535 Instagram post 17851233018147535
    Instagram post 17907649217946063 Instagram post 17907649217946063
    Intro to prayer Intro to prayer
    Instagram post 17982108473571505 Instagram post 17982108473571505
    Instagram post 18030258256647195 Instagram post 18030258256647195
    Instagram post 18128574130309862 Instagram post 18128574130309862
    Instagram post 18388873843007811 Instagram post 18388873843007811
    What’s on the wall when I’m singing? What’s on the wall when I’m singing?
    How bout some blues harp. With a blues guitarist. How bout some blues harp. With a blues guitarist.
    Goodness of God cover. Goodness of God cover.
    Instagram post 18229306630087412 Instagram post 18229306630087412
    Instagram post 17972316937910455 Instagram post 17972316937910455
    Logged into lose it and it said Logged into lose it and it said
    Load More Follow on Instagram

    Recent Posts

    • Stop Sleeping In The Pulpit
    • Thou Shalt Have Good News
    • The Answer Is In The Records
    • Just Keep the Ball In Play
    • The Importance of Good News

    Archives

    • September 2024
    • March 2024
    • December 2023
    • November 2023
    • October 2023
    • January 2020
    • December 2019
    • October 2019
    • September 2019
    • March 2019
    • August 2018
    • June 2018
    • January 2018
    • December 2017
    • November 2017
    • October 2017
    • September 2017
    • August 2017
    • April 2017
    • March 2017
    • February 2017
    • January 2017
    • December 2016
    • November 2016
    • October 2016
    • July 2016
    • June 2016
    • May 2016
    • April 2016
    • March 2016
    • February 2016
    • January 2016
    • November 2015
    • October 2015
    • September 2015
    • August 2015
    • July 2015
    • June 2015
    • May 2015
    • April 2015
    • March 2015
    • January 2015
    • November 2014
    • September 2014
    • August 2014
    • July 2014
    • June 2014
    • May 2014
    • April 2014
    • March 2014
    • February 2014
    • January 2014
    • November 2013
    • October 2013
    • September 2013
    • July 2013
    • June 2013
    • May 2013
    • April 2013
    • March 2013
    • December 2012
    • September 2012
    • August 2012
    • July 2012
    • June 2012
    • May 2012
    • April 2012
    • February 2012
    • January 2012
    • November 2011
    • October 2011
    • September 2011
    • August 2011
    • July 2011
    • June 2011
    • May 2011
    • April 2011
    • March 2011
    • February 2011
    • January 2011
    • December 2010
    • November 2010
    • October 2010
    • September 2010
    • August 2010
    • July 2010
    • June 2010
    • April 2010
    • March 2010
    • February 2010
    • January 2010
    • December 2009
    • November 2009
    • October 2009
    • September 2009
    • August 2009
    • July 2009
    • June 2009
    • May 2009
    • April 2009
    • March 2009
    • February 2009
    • January 2009
    • December 2008
    • November 2008
    • October 2008
    • September 2008
    • August 2008
    • July 2008
    • June 2008
    • May 2008
    • April 2008
    • March 2008
    • February 2008
    • January 2008
    • December 2007
    • November 2007
    • October 2007
    • September 2007
    • August 2007
    • July 2007
    • June 2007
    • May 2007
    • April 2007
    • March 2007
    • February 2007
    • January 2007
    • December 2006
    • November 2006
    • October 2006
    • September 2006

    Categories

    • 11Cartoons
    • 11Fiction
    • 11Instruction
    • Associate Ministry
    • Audio
    • Basic Preaching
    • Bible Study
    • Black Church
    • Black Preaching Style
    • blog
    • Book of the Month
    • Book Reviews
    • Devotional
    • Exegesis
    • Feature Articles
    • feedburner
    • Fixing the Sermon
    • Funeral
    • General
    • Gospel Music
    • Headline
    • History
    • Homiletic Theory
    • Issues
    • MiniBlog
    • Ministry
    • Negro Spirituals
    • Planning
    • Podcast
    • Practice
    • Prayer
    • Preaching
    • Preaching Methods
    • Preaching Style
    • Premium
    • Questions and Answers
    • racism
    • Scripture Selection
    • Sermon Analysis
    • Sermon Construction
    • Sermon Craft
    • Sermon Editing
    • Sermon Outline
    • Sermons
    • Software
    • Theology
    • Titles
    • Uncategorized
    • Video
    • Web Ministry
    • WebSeminar
    • Whooping
    • Without Notes
    ©2025 Soul Preaching | Design: Newspaperly WordPress Theme