I. How to Write a Sermon
* First organize the content into a logical and practical outline, and then use it to write a sermon
A. Choosing and Narrowing a Topic
1. Understand who your audience is: Who am I preaching to?
* Should know your audience's age, social background, education level, faith, frequency of attending worship services, use these information to help you choose your topic and words
2. Know the purpose of your sermon: Why am I delivering this particular sermon?
* What do I want my audience to know? to feel? to do?
3. Know how much time you have: How much time do I have to give my sermon?
* Time will decide the length of your sermon
4. Define your topic: Which Bible passage will I talk about?
* Ask yourself this question to narrow your topic
5. Choose a title for your sermon: What title should I give to my sermon?
* Choose an appropriate title that reflect the content of your sermon
6. Collect supplementary information from various sources: How should I compose my sermon to achieve its purpose?
* Start from studying the Bible and reading commentaries, then collect supporting materials from different sources
7. Know where you will deliver your sermon: Where am I going to deliver my sermon?
* Indoor, outdoor, church, someone's house...etc. Location affects a speaker's mood and an audience's concentration.
B. Drafting an Outline
1. List major ideas: list major ideas that you want to cover
2. Arrange your ideas: Organize your ideas in a systematic and logical manner
3. Add subdivisions: add subdivisions under each major heading
4. Add supplementary information: briefly jot down supplements that you want to use for each heading
5. Check that your ideas are related to the topic: they should be related to the topic and the purpose of the sermon
a. Major headings should be closely related to the topic
b. Subdivisions should complement major headings
6. Introduction and conclusion: think about how to write an introduction and a conclusion
C. Finalizing an Outline
1. Rewrite the major headings: they should be clear, concise, lively, and have parallel structure, etc.
2. Complete subdivision: craft the subdivisions into complete sentences
a. Check content and length of subdivisions for balance
b. Subdivisions should be related to their respective headings
3. Add supplementary information carefully
a. Is the supplementary information relevant to the topic?
b. Is the supplementary information appropriate? (For the audience, in that particular place)
c. Is there enough supplementary information?
d. Is the supplementary information correct?
4. Review outline
a. Is there any source missing?
b. Can it achieve its purpose?
c. Does it have a balanced structure?
d. Can I deliver what I have prepared in the allotted time?
e. Do major headings have balanced supporting materials?
D. Writing a Sermon
1. Keep a sermon clear and concise
* Avoid using difficult theological terms or jargons, use simple words to explain profound truth
2. Use prose style
* Write the sermon with an attitude of discussing the truth with people
3. Pay attention to consistent use of nouns
* A sermon’s use of nouns should be consistent (God, Lord, Jesus)
4. Revise and revise again
* Put your sermon away for a period of time before reading it again. It is easier to find places that need improvement or correction when you read the paper with a fresh eye
5. Write a sermon in an easy to read format
*may use word processor to write your sermon because it is easier to edit and save a document.
Conclusion: Practice makes perfect