My Two Cents on Preaching

I have heard (and preached) a few sermons in my day. Below are my current thoughts on the art of proclamation.

A sermon needs to have a point. Retelling the scripture lesson is not a sermon. A series of random thoughts which include an incident from the preacher's life, something he or she has read in a commentary, a piece of news, and a quote from the Christian Century is not a sermon. A sermon without a clear point is vague and leaves the hearer wondering what the point of the sermon actually was.

There are several possible points that can be developed in each scripture passage. Pick one.

A sermon needs to have a story. Please don't obtain this story from a book of illustrations. Unearth something from your reading. Or, mine your own life. Pay attention to your day. Live with the text. What is God saying to you this week in coversation with this text?

A sermon is different from an essay or an article. It does not develop a point. A sermon illustrates the point the preacher is trying to make. I like to think of a sermon as having four scenes. The different scenes include the point of the sermon, the connection of your point with the text, a good story, and a bit of nuance that comes from something the preacher has read in a commentary, theology text, or novel. The creativity comes in as the preacher arranges the four scenes to fit the message of the day.