The #1 Thing You Gotta Know About Good Sermons (you can't get there if you don't know where you're headed)
"That was a good sermon."
"Wow! That sermon hit home!"
"I'm going to think about this one."
"That was your best sermon ever."
You've probably heard all of these comments.
But can you articulate what made the sermon good?
Did your sermon work because of luck, skill, grace, or a combination?
Do you know how to capitalize on your good sermons to make the next ones even better?
What about your other sermons, the ones that were just so-so? (Or worse? We've all preached 'em!)
Can you articulate why they didn't work?
Wouldn't you like to ensure that every sermon is "good"?
What exactly makes a sermon "good" or "effective"?
The #1 way to know if your sermon is any good is to know what a good sermon is.
What is your definition of a "good" sermon?
What does a good sermon contain?
What are its elements?
What are you looking for?
Hoping to hear?
Can you write a definition?
We can only get somewhere if we know where we're headed.
To preach well with intention, we must define an effective sermon.
If you have a definition of a "good" or "effective" sermon, write it on a piece of paper and tape it to your computer monitor to refer to when you write your sermon.
Aim for this definition every time. Use it as your editor to appraise your sermon before and after you preach.
But if you can't articulate what a "good" sermon is (I prefer "effective" to "good"), you can use my definition:
"An effective sermon
offers a clear message of Good News that
is authentic to the preacher,
is relevant to the listener,
holds their attention,
and invites transformation."
(Click here for your free download of this definition to hang near your desk, plus the quick-start guide to BsP’s foundational sermon prep practice.)
Consider these five aspects of the definition:
A clear message of Good News: The Good News of Jesus Christ that we are loved and forgiven is offered unmistakably.
Authentic to the preacher: Do you believe what you say in your sermons? How did you come to that belief? Why do you believe it?
Relevant to your listeners: How do you know which aspect of the Good News your listeners need to hear? What are their needs, concerns, fears and hopes?
Holds their attention: We want to keep our listeners' attention so they have a chance to hear and absorb the Good News.
Invites transformation: A sermon is a sermon (and not a speech) when we show the Holy Spirit welcoming us to be more Christ-like for the world.
In light of these questions, consider your last sermon. Answer the following:
What was the sermon's message?
Was it clear?
What was the Good News?
Did you believe it?
Did the message of Good News matter to your listeners?
Did the sermon hold their attention?
Did the sermon invite them to be or act more like Christ?
To integrate this definition into your preaching, practice identifying these five elements when you listen to someone else preach, particularly preachers you find effective.
What made their sermon work that you could learn from? What didn't work that you could learn from?
We can practice these five aspects of an effective sermon until every sermon we preach is an effective one.
Want to preach more effectively?
We’ll give you the tools and process to do so during Sermon Camp!
“This is the class I wish I had received in seminary.”
Our popular, 6-week deep dive into BsP’s foundational, 5-day sermon prep process starts in August.