Too Many Sermon Ideas? 3 Ways to Find Your Message Fast
Photo by Wilhelm Gunkel on Unsplash
Sometimes it’s hard to find a sermon message when the given text is—well, let’s face it—dull.
Sometimes the texts don’t give us much to work from.
On the other hand, some texts are an embarrassment of riches!
The Good Samaritan
The Prodigal Son
The Feeding of the 5000
And then those riches grow from embarrassing to flagrant opulence when a good gospel story is paired with compelling First Testament and Epistles in the lectionary!
But that’s not necessarily easier.
When there are so many potential themes, ideas, characters, and overlap with our world, it can be impossible to know where to start!
Here are three strategies to try when you feel stuck because you have TOO many ideas—with a specific process for each.
1. Distill the story down to “parting words”
Imagine you’re dying.
There’s someone special in your congregation who comes to see you, and you know you won’t see them again.
This is your last chance to tell them something you believe is of paramount importance.
You’re tired, but you gather your reserves to declare clearly the Good News—from this Sunday’s text—you hope they remember forever.
What is that one sentence?
Process to find your “parting words”
Read all the texts.
Notice the feeling of being overwhelmed. This feeling will pass.
Jot down three words that strike you from the text:
one theological idea
one emotion
one character
Which of those three do you find most interesting?
Conduct exegesis on that word for no more than one hour.
Let it rest for at least an hour.
Take a walk. As you set out, picture in detail one person in your congregation who is special to you. Ask God to reveal the one thing they need to hear. Have a smart phone to dictate or pen and paper to write if inspiration strikes on your walk.
When you return, if the message didn’t arise during your walk, then clear your mind and sit in silence for ten minutes.
Let the message rise up. Repeat the process, beginning with “letting it rest” for an hour no more than twice if needed.
If no message arises, start with the texts again.
2. Play the “Paper Bag Game”
Find the message (sort-of) at random!
Process for the “Paper Bag Game”
Print a copy of the texts.
Highlight the phrases or sentences you find the most interesting, one color for each text. (For example, use blue to highlight the phrases or sentences you find most interesting in the gospel; yellow for the First Testament; orange for the epistle; green for the psalm.)
Get your scissors and cut out those selections.
Lay them in front of you. As you read them again, picture in your mind those who will hear this sermon.
Select no more than two highlighted strips from each text that you find the most drawn toward or repelled by.
Fold the strips, put them in a bag, and without looking, draw one from the bag (or enlist someone else to draw one).
Get a pad of paper and a pen.
Start a timer for fifteen minutes and write a response to this question: “I believe that phrase/sentence is true because…”
When that sentence is completed and if you get stuck, then look at the last sentence you wrote and respond to this prompt: “I believe that thought is true because…”
Repeat for the fifteen minutes.
Unless you’re in a free-writing flow, when the timer goes off, let this rest for at least an hour.
Take a walk. Have a smart phone to dictate or pen and paper to write if inspiration strikes.
When you return, if the message wasn’t revealed during your walk, re-read your earlier thoughts.
Set the timer for fifteen minutes.
Pull out one true thought you find interesting.
Rewrite this sentence. “I believe X is true and is Good News because…”
That is the thesis statement of your sermon.
3. Tell a Kid
Sometimes we can’t figure out the focus when we have too many choices.
And sometimes we can’t figure it out because we put too much pressure on ourselves for the sermon to be “good.”
But in that event, we’re probably hoping it’s adults who think it’s good.
When we preach to kids and adults aren’t present, I’d bet we don’t put the same pressure on ourselves for the sermon to be “good!”
We don’t give the same weight to a kid’s opinion of our sermon—or of us—that we do adults.
And that’s to our advantage at the moment!
Process to “tell a kid”
Pretend you have to give a children’s sermon.
Read the texts.
What story (or portion of a story if it’s a long one) do you find fascinating?
Think of a specific kid. This kid can be your family member or someone at church.
Rewrite the story (or portion of it) in your own words for a kid. Use simple sentences and no “churchy” words.
Rewrite the story again, but make it fictional, making the characters real people your kid would know or encounter.
Conclude the story with, “What’s important to remember about this story is…”
There’s your sermon message!
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