Writing sermons is a challenge for many reasons. For one, I never feel like my sermons are quite complete! But Sunday is coming, and the writing process must end at some point. Then begin again.
These questions are designed to help you quickly review your sermons before you deliver them. Use this checklist to evaluate your sermon’s content, tone, and application.
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- Is the good news of Jesus in my outline or manuscript?
- How will this sermon please and glorify God?
- Who is my audience? Am I preaching to people I know or not?
- Was my sermon guided by the Holy Spirit through prayer?
- How much time do I have? Is my sermon too long or too short?
- Has anything major occurred in the culture this week? Should my sermon address it in some way?
- Is there something in my sermon that may cause confusion? Should I modify my sermon to be clearer?
- Do my illustrations highlight the text? Will listeners naturally make the connection, or should I be more overt?
- What is the most memorable part of my sermon? If someone were to remember only one thing from my sermon, what would I want it to be?
- What questions may people have about the text after I preach? Should I address these questions in my sermon?
- How will most people feel after I preach? What do I want them to feel?
- Do I call people to action? What is this action? Am I upfront and clear about what they should do?
- Is this sermon going to be available for public consumption? How might a non-believer react after hearing or watching the sermon?
- What is my desired tone? Will I say anything that might detract from how I want to be perceived?
- What are my expectations of this sermon? What are my expectations of those engaging with the sermon? Is there any part of my sermon that might interfere with these expectations?
Check this out! Church Answers just released a brand-new Certification in Expository Preaching. Dr. Chuck Lawless, Dr. Matt McCraw, and I team up to bring you comprehensive and in-depth training to become a better expository preacher.
This certification will equip you to be a better expositor of God’s Word. Whether you are beginning to preach or have many years of experience, this training will give you a greater passion and understanding of the best preaching techniques, methods of preparation, and sermon delivery.
Posted on June 10, 2024
As President of Church Answers, Sam Rainer wears many hats. From podcast co-host to full-time Pastor at West Bradenton Baptist Church, Sam’s heart for ministry and revitalization are evident in all he does.
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3 Comments
Thank you for giving this valuable information
Hello Sam Rainer,
Thank you for sharing these invaluable tips for sermon preparation! As someone involved with Zion Prayer House Dallas and Hebron Fellowship Church, these guidelines resonate deeply with the challenges we face in Telugu Christian Churches in Irving. The checklist is a great tool for ensuring our sermons are clear, impactful, and Spirit-led. Also, the new Certification in Expository Preaching sounds like an excellent resource. I’m looking forward to exploring it to enhance my preaching skills. Thanks for the insightful post and for offering such practical advice!
One of my professors, the now sainted Dr. Norman Nagel gave the diagnostic: “Did Jesus have to die for this sermon to be preached?”