If
nothing else, preachers and their hearers generally agree that the sermon is
the centerpiece of the worship service. Without downplaying the other elements
of the worship service, they claim that the sermon is the “word from the
Lord” for which worshipers come seeking. Evaluating the sermon, then, is
a matter of crucial importance. Following are ten elements preachers should
consider as they reflect on a sermon they have preached, as well as some pointers
that should shore up that element and make for a better sermon the next time
around.
Introduction
Did
the introduction create interest or trigger tension? Did it bring listeners
on board by revealing need and orienting the listener to what came afterwards?
Did the introduction provide a structural overview of the sermon? Introductions
are invitations for hearers to commit themselves for the long haul, hopefully
the next 30 minutes or so. In the world of broadcasting there is a time-honored
maxim that if you do not immediately grab the interest of the viewers or listeners,
you will undoubtedly lose them. The same holds true for preaching. Much thought,
therefore, ought to go into the introduction of the sermon, considered by many
preachers to be the most challenging part of the sermon to prepare.
What
makes for good introductions? Certainly not something like, “Last week we were
in Ephesians 3, this week we’ll be in Ephesians 4.” Nothing about that
statement is exciting or appealing. Stories, anecdotes, quotes, and the like
have long been considered staples for introductions, and the more contemporaneous
they are, the more effective the introduction will be. One other thing about
introductions: they are most effective when they are not read. Especially is
this true when the preacher is relating a story in which he or she is a character.
And maintaining eye contact with your audience in the beginning of the sermon
is a must.
I
consider the title of the sermon to be part of the introduction, and how the
title is announced is crucial. Long after the sermon has been preached, people
will remember its title. A catchy, memorable title sets the sermon up, and causes
people to adjust themselves in their seats, waiting for what is to come. The
general rule is that a title should not be more than seven words and should
hint at what the sermon is about without giving all of it away. A title is a
contract between the preacher and his or her audience, meaning that a sermon
that fails to speak to issues denoted or connoted in the title is a breach of
contract. While preachers should strive to be creative and original with titles,
we should remember to shun that which is jocular, jolting, and jesty.
Exegesis/Research
Did
the sermon reflect eye-opening biblical exegesis and well-rounded research?
Sermons lacking in sound biblical exegesis are the woe of many preachers. As
much as post-modernism has created a thirst for an individualized, customized
application of biblical truth, people still want to know that the fare the preacher
is offering is exegetically sound. Hearers still place a premium on solid, biblical
scholarship that is evidenced in deep, meaty sermons. People frown on frivolous,
lightweight stuff that may tingle the ears and fancy the soul, but neither nourishes
nor satisfies the deep longings of the human heart.
Before
preachers soar homiletically, they must dig exegetically. Before we decide what
God wants to say through us to our congregations, we must know what He wanted
the biblical writer to say to another people in another place and time. And
we preachers must accept that biblical exegesis is not determining what the
biblical writer wanted to say, but discovering what the biblical writer wanted
to say. As such, the biblical exegete will go the Scripture with no preconceived
thoughts or personal agendas, but with an open mind, anxious to discover what
God has disclosed. In exegesis, the preacher strives for accuracy.
Some
preachers bunch or lump their exegesis together at the beginning of the sermon,
especially their discoveries relating to historical data. They feel it is crucial
to give all their background material first, to “lay the foundation,”
as it were. Exegesis works best, though, when it is interwoven throughout the
sermon and is undetectable, though evident. Exegesis should function in a sermon
as yeast does in bread or seasoning in food. It should impact the product but
not be glaringly detectable. And the preacher must ever resist the temptation
to impress the hearer with his or her scholarship, remembering that it is virtually
impossible to lift up Jesus and show oneself to be smart simultaneously.
Theology
Was
the sermon theologically sound? Preaching is a deeply theological act in which
a human being speaks a word on behalf of God. It is because God has spoken that
the preacher dares to speak, and the word the preacher proclaims must ring with
theology.
No
matter the passage of Scripture, the preacher must not only craft an exegetical
proposition, but a theological one as well. He or she must plumb for the profound
theological themes in the passage, linking them to similar themes in the rest
of Bible. Indeed, it is in comparing a theological principle or theme in one
pericope to a similar theme in another passage that the biblical exegete will
be able to test the veracity of that particular theme. Along the way, the preacher
will ask questions such as: “What is God saying and demonstrating to His
people in this passage? Was the sermon christocentric?”
It
is alleged that Charles Spurgeon once remarked that it didn’t matter what his
passage for the day was, after reading it he would immediately make a beeline
to the cross. For Spurgeon, Christ and His cross were to be at once the core,
content and center of all preaching. Preaching that failed to lift up Jesus
Christ had no currency for Spurgeon, who like Paul reveled in the “foolishness
of the cross.”
A
sermon that is grounded in the love of Christ will exhibit a grace orientation
even if it deals with matters of the law. It will reek of restoration and resurrection,
since, in a true sense, all Christian preaching is resurrection preaching. Hope
will not be a lacking ingredient, but an ever present reality that seasons every
element of the sermon.
Content/Material
Was
the content of the sermon instructive? Was the material insightful? Most important,
did the sermon scratch where people are itching? All the exegesis in the world
will not amount to much if the sermon is not packaged in a palatable, captivating
form. As preachers seek to be accurate as a result of their exegesis, so we
must seek to be relevant in the way we construct and deliver our sermons.
One
of the first questions that pop up in people’s minds as preachers read their
Scriptural passage and announce their title is, “Why did the preacher choose
this passage for today?” Another is, “What does this have to do with
me?” A variation of the second question is, “Will listening to this
sermon make a difference in my life?” Perhaps more than anything else,
listeners want to know that the preacher understands what they are going through
and resonate with their needs. As much as they are interested in knowing what
God had to say to His people of ancient times, listeners want to know that God
understands their contemporary situation and is able to address, if not ameliorate,
it.
The
challenge of the preacher, then, is to deliver a sermon that is not only exegetically
sound but also contextually relevant. If we want to capture and hold the attention
of people, we must be interesting, remembering that people tend to be interested
in that which meets their needs. Thus, the preacher will not only exegete the
biblical text, but the community as well.
The
content of a sermon should be age-appropriate. The general rule is that a sermon
should be pitched to the educational level of the 10-year-olds in the congregation,
making for a delivery that has broad appeal. Additionally, sermons should reflect
an awareness of the occasion, meaning that a baccalaureate sermon will be markedly
different from a funeral homily. Whatever the occasion, the content of the sermon
should be sound and sober, eschewing the trivial and banal. After all, the sermon
is a word from God.
Supportive
Material
Did
the sermon reflect good use of illustrations? Supportive material make sermons
interesting and relevant. As such, the content of a sermon should have an ample
supply of stories, anecdotes, and other types of illustrations. These are like
windows to the sermon, providing the hearer with an opportunity to “see”
or experience in a captivating way what the preacher is talking about. It may
also be said that an illustration is like a needed break that a swimmer needs
to come up for a breath of fresh air. It is a break in the action, a time-out,
if you please, during which the hearer regroups and adjusts. Without illustrations,
a sermon is a dry discourse that is destined to bore.
Stories
should never be told just for the sake of telling a story, and they should be
serious and told in good taste. Stories help listeners experience, whereas explanations
help them understand. Testimony and figures/numbers help listeners accept.
The
most effective illustrations are real life experiences of the preacher. Little
captures and holds the attention of hearers more than a preacher who is willing
to share from his or her life. The practice suggests an identification with
the listening audience, and a transparency that makes for authenticity. Knowing
that self-disclosure does not come easily in today’s culture, audiences tend
to be drawn to preachers who are open and candid, especially as it relates to
the struggles of life.
In
addition to stories of the preacher’s personal life, those of other people,
whether living or dead, also make for good listening. Such stories engender
identification, placing the listener in the presentation. Of course, every preacher
knows that it is a breach of ministerial ethics to share from the pulpit information
that is confidential, and that even changing the names and locations of stories
to “protect the identity” of individuals is sometimes not good enough.
As such, preachers should exercise extreme caution is sharing stories of others,
doing so only when they have received permission from the parties involved.
Should
preachers ever concoct stories to make a point? Most of my colleagues think
it is unethical to do so, while a few see nothing wrong with the practice. Like
most things in life, I guess it depends. One thing is for sure, and that is
that telling a story as though it were true when it wasn’t is unethical.
In
a sense, ours is an age of story, an era of induction. Never before have people
identified as much with story. As a consequence, in this day and age some sermons
are a quilt of stories, one told after the next, with the preacher driving home
his or her point at the end. That practice is all well and good if the stories
are tied together so that the listener is not left scratching his or her head,
wondering what the stories were all about.
Organization/Structure
Was
the sermon well organized? Was the material laid out in a logical, coherent,
sequential form? Were hearers able to follow the preacher without getting lost?
Were the transitions in the sermon smooth and unobstrusive? As a teenager, I
once listened to a sermon that was nothing but a hodgepodge of loosely connected
ideas. The preacher seemed to be going in every direction all at once, and when
he was done, not a few of us had a burning headache. Sadly, many preachers,
like that one, can be indicted for confusing and confounding their hearers due
to their lack of organization.
Organization
is more than an introduction, a body, and a conclusion. What goes into each
and how the content of each develops and flows is the crux of the matter. There
must be unity, order and progression in a sermon, and transitions ought to be
smooth and imperceptible. Transitions are most powerful when they are least
noticeable. And because people tend to “listen up ahead,” anticipating
the next point or act in the sermon, the preacher should package the sermon
in such a way that tension and interest are sustained. All that is said ought
to reflect Athe big idea@ of the sermon, it being understood that a sermon should
only have one “big idea.”
Language/Style
Was
good, effective language employed in the delivery of the sermon? This is not
to suggest that preachers should strive to impress hearers with their facility
in language. Verbosity is not the goal in this regard, but clarity. What preachers
want their listeners to bring to church is their Bibles, not their dictionaries.
Language that is age-appropriate and crystal clear so that all readily understand
is what the preacher wants to utilize.
I
once heard a preacher intone, “As I soliloquy succinctly, the sanctity
of . . . .” Even though the alliteration and choice of words captivated
me, I couldn’t help but wonder if simpler words would not have been as, if not
more, compelling in conveying what the preacher was trying to say.
In
a true sense, the preacher is an artist, with words being the stuff with which
he paints pictures. And yes, preachers, as writers, should aspire to be as creative
and graphic as possible. Yet we must succeed at both without being overbearing,
ever remembering that Jesus, our Savior, was compelling in His simplicity.
The
beauty of English is that there is a rich array of words to convey the same
thoughts, and the preacher who, through laziness or lack of learning, settles
for the mundane and everyday to convey the sublime robs the listener. Figures
of speech are there for us to utilize as we try to capture subtle nuances, and
our listeners want to see, hear, feel, and smell what we are saying. Thus, we
should use language that facilitates this longing on their part. To say, “when
we got there it was fall and all the trees were red,” instead of something
like, “when we limped into camp it was fall and the forest had already
exploded in color,” is almost unforgivable.
Preparing
a manuscript of the sermon has proven to be an invaluable practice in helping
preachers use just the right word to express their thoughts. Writing out the
sermon, even if one is not a manuscript preacher, also helps us crystallize
and clarify our thinking. As they put their thoughts to paper, preachers ought
never forget, though, that they will be heard, not read. Consequently, they
should write with a listening, not a reading, audience in mind, except, of course,
they are preparing a sermon for publication.
Delivery
Was
listening to this sermon easy or difficult? Did the posture of the preacher
get in the way? What about the preacher’s gestures, pacing, and demeanor? Did
they detract in any way? A sermon is something that is preached. Its delivery
should be direct and dynamic, with little or no distractions. Many sermons which
were exceptional on paper have turned out otherwise because of botched deliveries.
One
practice that almost invariably detracts from a sermon’s effectiveness is for
the preacher to be married to his or her manuscript. It is a time-honored truism
that speakers who maintain eye contact with their audiences are infinitely more
effective than those who do not. To be sure, there are preachers who read their
sermons and still succeed at remaining connected with their audiences. They
are, however, more the exception that the rule.
Another
practice that tends to detract from a sermon’s effectiveness is the up-and-down
motion of the preacher’s head as he or she tries to read and look at the audience
intermittently. When done quickly, the practice is even more distracting, making
the preacher look like a fowl drinking water.
Even
before the preacher mounts the pulpit, he is sized up the audience. In other
words, preachers begin to preach long before they begins to preach. People check
out the preacher’s attire and mannerisms, even trying to key into the preacher’s
personality. And as the preacher takes to the pulpit, the interest of the audience
is heightened. Any idiosyncracies are noted and could easily become a major
distraction. It is important, therefore, for the preacher to pay attention to
anything that could draw attention away from the message to be preached, with
a view to eliminating them.
Attention
should be paid to what is done with the hands and feet. Wringing the hands,
burying them in the pocket, or using them to gesticulate wildly, excessively,
or inappropriately are all distracting. And the excessive movement and/or animation
of the preacher may be distracting. To be sure, in this day and age of the roaming
preacher, this is not a distraction in many circles. Today, preachers are prone
to traverse the entire length of the rostrum, and to take to the aisles so that
they may more readily connect with their audience. In a sense, whether the movement
of the preacher becomes a distraction or not depends on the personality of the
preacher. For some, movement, even excessive movement, goes with the preacher’s
personality; for others, it does not, coming across as contrived. It depends
on the location and the preacher involved, making the matter of sensitivity
to the context a critical one.
Grammatical
errors minimize a sermon’s effectiveness, as do inaccuracies in the preacher’s
material. Stories that sound too good to be true also distract. The level and
tone of the preacher’s voice contribute to a preacher’s effectiveness. And because
it is so true that preaching is truth through personality, the preacher’s personality,
which invariably and inevitably shines through the presentation, may be a barrier
or catalyst to the sermon’s receptivity.
Conclusion/Application
Did
the preacher end smoothly? How a sermons ends is as important as how it begins.
In fact, some people believe that the conclusion of the sermon is more important
than the beginning, if for no other reason than that it is the part of the sermon
the hearer is most likely to take away.
What
should the preacher put in the conclusion? What should the conclusion seek to
achieve? The preacher should repeat or restate the main points or “big
idea” of the sermon, telling the audience what he or she has just told
them. In the conclusion, preachers should summarize and illustrate the message,
and challenge or exhort their listeners. Through it all, Jesus Christ should
be lifted up and the grace of Christ made evident.
People
know when a sermon is ended, and so should the preacher. When the preacher has
reached his destination, he should land the plane smoothly and taxi it to the
terminal. Once I was on a plane that was about to hit the runway at Chicago’s
O’Hare International Airport when, without warning, the pilot took off. As I
recall, we must have been about no more than a couple of feet from the ground
when we went airborne again. It was a pretty scary experience. The pilot quickly
came on the air to inform us that another plane had been on the runway, and
had it not been for his quick action, we would have collided with that plane.
The
skill of that pilot saved many lives that day. He took off as he was about to
land, an act for which each passenger was grateful. Yet some preachers take
off as they prepare to land for no apparent good reason. In doing so they confuse,
and in some instances anger, their listeners. Of course, if they become airborne
to avert a collision, they may be forgiven.
“Bringing
the sermon home” should be done without rambling or awkwardness, and preachers
who are unsure of how to end a sermon should not hazard a start — which is
not to say that the sermon should be scripted to the last detail, thereby denying
the preacher any latitude for spontaneity or the promptings of the Holy Spirit.
If
an appeal is made at the conclusion of the sermon, it should be spiritual, appropriate,
and persuasive without being manipulative. Preachers need to be ethical in the
way they appeal, eschewing the temptation to do any and everything possible
to get someone to respond positively to what has been presented. We should try
to make sure that the appeal is congruent with the message, not disjointed or
extraneous.
Overall
Impact
What
was the overall impact of the sermon? Did it scratch where people are itching?
What was memorable about it? Did it appeal to something deep within the listener?
Will those who heard it remember it for a long time to come? How has it changed
the hearers?
Sometimes
sermons that come up short in many of the aforementioned areas still succeed
in having an overall positive impact on hearers. How well I recall a sermon
I preached in my early ministry that falls into this category. As far as I was
concerned, that sermon was the worst I had preached up to that point. It was
a rushed job preached with the tenuousness and lack of confidence with which
a young preacher who did not prepare well would be crippled. Yet, for reasons
that still elude me, most of the members of the congregation seemed to receive
a blessing from that sermon. In fact, more people accepted Jesus as their Lord
and Savior that day than have ever done as a result of subsequent sermons of
mine.
Several
elements not mentioned before contribute to the overall impact of a sermon,
including the mood of the worshipers, the music rendered, and events taking
place in the world and community. Sometimes a congregation is just ready for
a sermon, the worship service having primed hearers to receive the preacher.
A sermon emphasizing hope in the aftermath of a natural disaster or social upheaval
will likely go over well.
Ultimately,
a sermon that has not had an overall positive effect on listeners has failed.
After all, the goal of the preacher is not to impress hearers with his or her
facility in the original languages of Scripture, or his or her competency as
an expositor. Nor is the preacher out to prove that he or she is a skilled pulpiteer.
What preachers want is to communicate the word of God in such a way that lives
are changed and enriched.
Preaching
is the most challenging aspect of our work, and many pastors feel inadequate
in the pulpit. Yet with prayer and hard work, we can craft and deliver sermons
that transform the lives of our hearers and expand the kingdom of God on the
earth as we pay attention to these elements of effective preaching.
______________________
R. Clifford Jones is Associate Professor of Christian Ministry at Andrews
University in Berrien Springs, MI.