Read The Text Closely.
OK folks…
It looks like yall are ready for this thing.
We are going to take the next 2 weeks and go through the construction of a sermon.
Now…there will be audio and some video over the course of these two weeks to demonstrate the processes.
Now people always ask me…
How can I be creative in my preaching?
How can I get great titles?
How can I come up with good illustrations?
How can I…
You want to know one of your biggest problems in constructing sermons?
When you read a text…
YOU ALREADY KNOW WHAT IT SAYS…
Or should I say…
You already THINK you know what it says…
Yep…
That’s your problem…
And it is my problem…
See…check it out…
If you grew up in church like I have…you have heard thousands of sermons…
You have heard thousands of Bible Studies…
When you go to the text…You already know what Pastor Carl has said about the text…
You know what Bishop has said about that text…
You even know what you have said and preached about the text…
You think you don’t have to start over…
SO
You end up getting points that someone else saw in the text…
And here is a key…
Even if you preach the same point as someone else…IF YOU SAW THE POINT you are going ot preach it better…
You will preach it with more power…
You will preach it with more creativity…
Than If you didn’t see the point and you just borrowed it from someone else…
You go to the text alone…
Nothing else…
And read it.
And then write down EVERYTHING that comes to your mind as you read the text…
EVERYTHING…
Television shows will come to your mind…write it down…
Movies will come to your mind…write it down…
Other scriptures will come to your mind…write them down…
Hymns and songs will come to your mind…write them down…
Even R&B and Soul songs will come to your mind…write them down…
I mean everything…
Questions will come to mind…Write them down…
I mean everything…
Now in the next couple days I will send you an audio of me doing this with my text.
But for right now…you go head and do it…
Now I hear you…
Some are scared of “Isogesis”…you know where you read into the text.
You are scared that you are going to say something that ain’t true…
Don’t worry about that stuff…remember this is the first step…
Later you will refine and make sure that what you are saying is accurate before you preach it…
You will be surprised as you do this. Because you are going to have a wealth of data.
You will see possible sermon titles…
You will see possible illustrations…
You will see possible celebration material…
OK…
Now you are going to do this for at least 30 minutes…but if you want to spend more..that’s fine…
Now some Don’ts
Don’t try to construct your sermon. No just write down what you see…
Don’t allow what someone else said about the text to keep you from seeing what you see. Sometimes we are fearful to write something down because we think it ain’t pious to do…NOPE write it down!!!
Don’t censor yourself…
OK folks, Your 15 – 30 minute Assignment for today
1) Pray that God will guide you.
2) Read your passage
3) Write Down Everything That Comes To
your Mind…If you have problems doing this exercise see the note.
4) Email me just to let me know you are still with me..and if you have any questions…
NOTE: Some will have issues and problems doing this step…So I would encourage you to first read the text and write down everything.
Then read the text and try to think of any music, shows, and movies that you think are related to your text.
Then read the text and try to think of any sayings or cliche’s that it agrees with or disagrees with.
Then read the text and try to think of any questions you have. Is the text hard to believe? Then why? Is it easy to believe? Ask yourself why?
I want you to capture your most real look at the text…
OK folks that’s all we got for today…
I will see you in a bit…
And if you want to see my full Preaching course, head on over to http://www.superchargeyoursermons.net
Till Next Time,
Brother Sherman…
P.S. If you have any colleagues in ministry who you think this would help…go head and forward it to them…In fact tell them to sign up for the list…Cuase this is gonna be good…
P.S.S. Yep…I write non-fiction and fiction. Check out my story of redemption…A Gospel singer is touched by God and turned around when he is fired from a Gospel group. Yep…I am giving away that novella in ebook format now. Sing up to check it out. http://www.shermancox.com/freebook/