SERMON PLANNING & PREPARATION
MICHAEL A. MILTON, PH.D. A Guide to Sermon Planning & Preparation. © 2020-2023. by Michael A. Milton.
MICHAEL A. MILTON, PH.D. A Guide to Sermon Planning & Preparation. © 2020-2023. by Michael A. Milton.
Sermon Planning and Preparation
Homiletics I: The Preparation of Expository Biblical Sermons
MichaelA.Milton,PhD
DistinguishedProfessorofMissionsandEvangelism
President,D.JamesKennedyInstituteofReformedLeadership
Proverbs 16:3: "Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans."
2 Timothy 2:15: "Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth."
Nehemiah 8:8: "They read from the Book of the Law of God, making it clear and giving the meaning so that the people understood what was being read."
PrayingalwayswithallprayerandsupplicationintheSpirit,being watchfultothisendwithallperseveranceandsupplicationforallthe saints—andforme,thatutterancemaybegiventome,thatImayopen mymouthboldlytomakeknownthemysteryofthegospel,forwhichI amanambassadorinchains;thatinitImayspeakboldly,asIoughtto speak.
EPHESIANS 6:18-20 NKJV)
SERMON PLANNING
SERMON PLANNING
IS LONG
TERM
Plan through 1 to 3-year cycles. Plan in Tracks of Normative, Festive-Civic, & Crisis
TRACK 1: NORMATIVE (LECTIONARY; SERMON SERIES)
This is on a long cycle (1 year up to 3 years)
TRACK 2: FESTIVE (CHURCH YEAR) AND CIVIC (E.G., THANKSGIVING)
This may be a single Lord's Day; or a shorter series on, e.g., 4 Sundays in Advent
TRACK 3: CRISIS
This may be a single Lord's Day for a catastrophe, war, or any large-scale and undoubtedly distracting event (the Super Bowl is NOT one of those; an earthquake is).
SERMON PREPARATION
Sermon Preparation is Short-term
TheweeklypastoralworkofrightlydividingtheWordofGodtofeed theflockofChristandequipthemfortheworkofministry.Sermon
Preparationistheimmediatework(theweekofthesermon)of homileticsandisbuiltuponthefoundationofstudyandprayerof sermonplanning(1-3yearcycleswithspecialfestive-civic,andcrisis layers)
Sermon Preparation is Immediate (e.g., Sunday to Sunday)
TheweeklypastoralworkofrightlydividingtheWordofGodtofeedthe flockofChristandequipthemfortheworkofministry.Sermon Preparationisbuiltuponthefoundationofstudyandprayerofsermon planning(1-3year-cycleswithspecialfestive-civic,andcrisislayers)
Questioning the Text to Locate the Holy Spirit's Intent
PrayandMeditate.
Conclude on Sunday morning with prayer.
HOW DOES GOD WANT ME TO REACH THIS TEXT PUBLICALLY?
BeThere.
The Lord will use His People to help you understand their needs, their misunderstandings, their courage, their faith, and their struggle. Visit, counsel, formal and informal.
WHAT IS THE PROPER INTEROGATORY TO PRESENT TO THIS EXPOSITORY STATEMENT?
WHAT IS THE PRESENTING ISSUE IN THIS TEXT? WHY IS THIS TEACHING (NARRATIVE, WISDOM, POETRY) HERE?
PREPARING TO PREACH
WHAT IS THIS TEXT ABOUT? "LORD, HELP ME TO BRING THE HEARERS INTO THE TEXT." FOLLOW AN A/B PATTERN "THE PRESENTING ISSUE IS BEING ADDRESSED BY JESUS AS HE INTENTIONALLY DELAYS THIS COMING."
LORD, WHAT UNIVERESAL BIBLICAL TRUTH MUST I EXPOSIT (DRAW FORTH) FOR THY FLOCK? USE THE A/B FORMAT AND THE POSTIT NOTE TEST.
DILIGENT
HOW DO I BEST ANSWER THE INTERROGATORY AND WHAT IS THE MOST SCRIPTURALLY COMPLIMENTARY KEYWORD?
WHAT ARE THE MAIN 3 TO 4 MOVEMENTS IN THE TEXT? WHAT IS:
THE EXEGETICAL STATEMENT OF THAT MOVEMEENT? AN ILLUSTRATION THAT SHINES LIGHT ON THAT MOVEMENT? AM I "MAKING THE TURN: FROM EXEGETTICAL TO EXPOSITORY?"
TH S IS MY CLOS NG ARGUMENT "LORD HELP ME TO SPEAK THE EXPOSITORY STATEMENT, TO REVIEW THE TRANS TION WITH KEY WORD, AND THE [3-4] MOVEMENTS FROM YOUR WORD NOW, LORD, MUST LET THEM SEE WHAT L FE LOOKS L KE BY RECE VING YOUR WORD FINALLY HELP ME TO LEAVE A CHARGE A CHALLENGE A QUESTION THAT W LL DEMAND A VERDICT TODAY."
START WITH PRAYER.
"BE
TO KNOW THE STATE OF YOUR FLOCKS, AND ATTEND TO YOUR HERDS" (PROVERBS 27:23).
PREACH IT TO YOURSELF. Lookatthem.Love them.Speaktothem. Visualize the sermon as you move through the eight elements of an expository sermon.
ME YOUR WAYS, O LORD; TEACH ME YOUR PATHS" (PS. 25:4). WAIT ON THE LORD TO GUIDE YOU.
SHOW
A SUGGESTED WEEK OF SERMON PREPARATION
PraywithoutceasingthatyoumayproclaimtheunsearchablerichesofChristwithBiblicalFaithfulnessandwithurgency.
First Iteration: Monday
Tuesday Monday Sunday
Thursday Wednesday
Pray ➡ Read silentlyandpublically ➡ WhataretheissuesintheTextforpublic reading ➡
QuestionPresentingIssueandwriteitout ➡ QuestiontheExegeticalIssue
andwriteitout ➡FirstpassatExpositoryStatement ➡ SelectanInterrogatory
StatementwithKeyWord ➡ Completetheexpository&exegeticalheadingsinthe Argument ➡ClosingArgument:Recap&checklogicalflow ➡ Readsilentlyand
publicly ➡ PrayfortorightlydividetheWord,rightlyproclaimtheWordtoself,and forothers
Second Iteration: Thursday
Pray ➡ Read ➡ Resolvepublicreadings(usepencilmarksifneedtocheckforthe
majorelocutionmarks:Pronunciation-Pace-Pitch-Pause ➡Closingargument ➡ Write outmanuscript
Friday
Saturday
S t a f f / F l o c k
Third Iteration
Walkthrougheachofthe8EssentialElements ➡ Questioneachmovement.Doesit
answerwhatcamebefore?Doesitanticipatewhatcomesnext?Isthe3rdmovementof theClosingArgumentGod’sappealfromHisWord?
E x e g e t e
MiscellaneousRemarksonSermonPreparation
InSermonPlanning:Shareyour1–3yearSermonPlan (bothtracks)withyourDirectorofmusicandstaff.
Considerafinaldocumentwithliturgicalmovement
content(CalltoWorship,AffirmationofFaith,Assuranceof Pardon,etcetera)withtheTextsandSermonworkingtitle)
Giveacopytoyoursessionandaskforprayer.
Miscellaneous Remarks on Sermon Preparation
In Sermon Preparation, you question the text according to each of the 8 essential elements of an expository sermon. Compose your responses. Only consult commentaries afterward.
Use Logos Bible software to create templates and study sets.
Write a manuscript but preach from notes in the first seven years of ministry.
Seek to move to the manuscript and no notes by year eight. This allows time to internalize the rhythms and movements of the Expository method.
Miscellaneous Remarks on Sermon Preparation
Use Saturday morning to review.
Gather a prayer group of officers to pray each Sunday morning for (1) God’s Message (2) God’s Spirit to come down on Preachers and People, and (3) God’s Gospel to transform, heal, save, renew, and restore.
As you are before the People, let your eyes move across the flock in prayerful anticipation. Preach as if never to preach again, and as a dying man to dying men (from Richard Baxter)
How to Use the 8 Essential Elements in Sermon Preparation
Reading of Scripture.
How shall I read the text?
Use the 6 principles of sacred elocution. Ask questions of the text using each of the sic principles.
The Presenting Issue
What is this passage addressing?
Summary Statement. How do I summarize this presenting issue in an opening sentence and in universal terms?
Introductory Illustration. What is the best negatively-charged illustration that can cast light on the presenting issue?
Restate the Summary Statement (optional). Is it effective to “bookend” the illustration by repeating the opening sentence?
I-thou-God. How can I personalize the Presenting Issue from me, to the person in the congregation? What is the best option for introducing God’s response to the Presenting Issue?
What is a natural transition to the Exegetical Statement?
1. a. i. 2. a. i. ii. iii. iv. v.
SermonPreparation HOMILETICSI ErskineTheologicalSeminary
MichaelA.Milton,PhD
