Preacher, how do you put that sermon together?

Over at Founder’s Blog a brief discussion has started on the use of manuscripts in preaching. I almost always use a manuscript during the morning service, an outline during the evening service, and I just pray I have some sort of notes come Wednesday night.

There are pros and cons to each of these methods but most important is what comes before. I thought I’d throw online a copy of some recent notes, showing the basic order of sermon preparation.

I have a file called Sermon Builder I use for most of my sermons. I don’t always follow every step in the file but it provides a great starting point in sermon prep and helps ensure I don’t forget to do anything. The first PDF below contains my translation notes. This was not a complicated passage so the notes are fairly straightforward. The second PDF contains my sermon builder for this passage, Ephesians 5:3-6.

Eph 5.3-6 Translation Notes

Eph 5.3-6 Sermon Notes

My normal process is:

1. Translate
2. Compare translations
3. Notes on author, audience, context, etc. In a series through a book I usually skip most of these notes from week to week, though context notes usually gets something.
4. Outline the passage. I have no set system for doing this, I’ve experimented with a few different approaches to outlining.
5. Find related passages
6. Ask questions of the text
7. Write my own notes
8. Read and gather data from commentaries
9. Sermon outline. Often quite comprehensive. In the notes above, the outline is much shorter than my usual.
10. Sermon manuscript

What do you say to people who come up to compliment your sermon? On the one hand positive feedback is good and necessary, when the sermon merits it. On the other hand, we seek to proclaim the truth of God by the power of God, not by our own wit and wisdom. What do you say to the person who tells you that you’ve done a good job? “Thank you” seems to take credit. “Only by God’s grace” seems a little pompous. I usually go with “thank you” or “keep praying for good sermons” and leave it at that. Perhaps I should try “Thank [or Praise] God if this word has been used to bless you.”