Sermon Preparation

Some have asked how I prepare for my sermons, well here is a short rundown of what I like to do. Although I like to do it in this order, many times it doesn't go like this or in this order at all. And I don't think I have to say this, but prayer is involved in every step and then beyond and before and in every step as well. Out of all the things done for the sermon, prayer is the most needed and where the most time should be spent.

1. Choosing a Text:
It is easier to choose a text when a series is going on, but if no series, then I usually resort to the Heidelberg Catechism, the Church calendar or something that I've either read in devotions recently or something I've learned in class recently.

It is absolutely essential to not to come to the text with preconceived notions about what I want to preach about. This can be helpful at times when there are times of tragedy (9/11 or Boston bombings for example), but for the most part when preachers do this, they tend to say what they want to say instead of what God wants them to say. This is the difference between exegesis and eisegesis. Exegesis is taking the truth from the text and preaching it to the congregation; while eisegesis is reading things into the text to make it say what the preacher wants it to say.

I occasionally will open a few commentaries to know the parameters of the passage or where the passage begins and where it ends; just so I know I am choosing a proper passage. But this can be done when translating passages also.

Therefore, it is important to pray a ton during this step and to make sure you come with an open and clean mind to the text. That is just a little run down.

2. Translate from Original Language
After the text is chosen, then I usually, but not all the time, translate it from the original language (OT--Hebrew; NT--Greek). If it is too long to translate, then I will look intensely at the Greek or Hebrew to digest it and figure it out, but 95% of the time I will translate it. I translate it because it gets my feet immediately wet in the passage. There are so many different nuances and amazing truths to be found in the original language; therefore it is a blessing to know it and to be able to translate it. At this stage, this usually this provides a sufficient outline of the text as well.

3. Find Things (this is done in the original language)
This is a discombobulated mess sometimes at this stage because it just seems like getting things down on paper. I figure out how many types of verbs in the passage and what tense they are in and other grammatical things. I write down any words that are repeated multiple times in the passage. I write down any other things that seem to stick out also. And I try my best to find an outline of the text also from the original language translated.

4. Outline
I now force myself to make an outline. If I absolutely can't then I go to step number 5.

5. Check Commentaries
I like to make an outline myself because I don't like borrowing a lot of stuff from commentators; it is okay to do so, I simply don't want to be heavily reliant upon them. But this is good to check out the historical situation to whom the writer was writing too. Like what was going on back then and how did people treat this subject back then, etc. And its also good to make sure the outline that I came up with coincides or agrees with other trusty and reliable commentators.

6. Finalize Outline
This is more of a sermon outline, rather than a grammatical outline.

7. Start Typing.
I begin typing and just keep on typing following my outline

8. Edit
I then read through it and revise it. I practice preaching it twice to make sure if flows nicely.

9. Print Final Copy
I print then the final copy and read through it a few times. Then I underline parts that I know will catch my eye when I look back down. I number the pages and also right "SLOW" down each side of the page.

10. Practice
I practice a few more times and make changes when necessary.

11. Preach
Then on Sunday morning/evening, I will preach it.

Like I said, these aren't clear cut in stone rules to follow. This is just a general outline of what I do to prepare. There are multiple little steps in between and other steps taken when necessary. And once again I want to emphasize that prayer is extremely important throughout this whole process also.

So that is what I basically do to prepare for a Sunday morning or evening when preaching. If I am on twice--morning and evening--then this is done double time!