Sermon Preparation

Got his from David Hocking while I was in School of Ministry - maybe someone can use it.

SEVEN STEPS OF SERMON PREPARATION
By David Hocking
1. PRAY
Psalm 119:18,125,130; James 1:5-8
2. READ AND REREAD THE PASSAGE
Timothy 4:13; Revelation 1:3 (use various translations)
3. EXAMINE THE CONTEXT THOROUGHLY
A. Make a note of all conjunctions and adverbs
B. Consider the theme and organization of the book
C. Note the number of paragraphs
D. Determine if your passage is dependent upon that which precedes it or follows it
4. DISCOVER THE MEANING AND USAGE OF KEY WORDS
A. Find out how many times a given word is used (concordance)
B. Find out the meaning of the word (lexicon and dictionary)
C. Analyse the form of the word (verb, noun, participle, tense, voice mood, gender, number, etc.)
D. Compare other Scriptures that use the word (concordance and works like Treasury of Scripture
Knowledge)
5. DEVELOP THE OUTLINE FROM THE PASSAGE
(Never impose an outline upon a passage)
A. Note the number of paragraphs
B. Find the central point in each paragraph
C. List the main verbs
D. Place nouns & participles (verbal nouns) under each verb to which they relate or
upon which they are dependent (subjects and objects)
E. Put pronouns, adjectives, participles (verbal adjectives), and prepositional phrases under the
nouns they modify
F. Make your points dependent upon each main point immediately above them
G. Ask yourself what the connection is
Are they questions? Are they issues? Are they reasons? Are they insights? etc.
6. USE COMMENTARIES FOR ADDITIONAL HELP
A. REASONS to check the commentaries
1. To make sure you are not overlooking something
2. To see the possibilities of interpretation
3. To gain a greater understanding of the passage
4. To keep yourself from pride and arrogance over what "you" have discovered!
B. TYPES of commentaries
1. Sermonic -compilation of sermons that were actually preached
2. Devotional -emphasis on application (watch out for those that become allegorical when it is not indicated in the passage where symbolical language is involved)
3. Expository -emphasizes understanding of the passage and the context, relying upon a historical and grammatical approach to interpretation
4. Exegetical- emphasis on the meaning and usage of words
7. SELECT YOUR TITLE AND EVALUATE YOUR APPLICATIONS
A. Does it reflect what the passage actually teaches?
B. Does it touch on human need?
C. Does it communicate to this generation?

REMEMBER -You don't make the Bible powerful; it already is the power of God! What we need is the power of the Holy Spirit in our preparation as well as in our preaching!