93641 Effective Preaching and Teaching Week 1

Posted byJonathan Kobayashi

Scripture Reference: Nehemiah 8:7-8 

(7) Also Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodijah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites caused the people to understand the law, and the people [stood] in their place. 

(8) So they read distinctly from the book, in the Law of God; and they gave the sense, and helped them to understand the reading. 

(Amplified Bible): “…helped the people to understand the law; and the people remained in their place, So they read from the book of the Law of God distinctly, faithfully amplifying and giving the sense, so that the people understood the reading.”

Definitions and Terms

  1. Biblical: Ideas and concepts presented in the sermon are in harmony with the original intent and purpose of the original author of the Scripture and being used in the sermon. 
  1. A sermon is Biblical only if the Scripture being used is founded upon the meaning of the original author 
  2. A sermon fails to be Biblical if the Scripture being used departs from the original meaning of the first author of the Scriptures.
  1. Preaching: A proclamation of Divine Truth with the express purpose of causing a change in a person’s behavior. Always delivered with persuasion. 

  1. The art of moving men from a lower to a higher life
  2. The art of inspiring men toward a nobler manhood
  3. The art of inspiring men so as to incite them to action
  4. Speech that moves men to action
  5. Reveals God to man
  6. The communication of truth by man to men
  7. Webster’s Dictionary
    • To proclaim publicly
    • To deliver a sermon
    • To urge acceptance or abandonment of an idea or course of action
  8. The communication of God’s truth by God’s servant to meet the needs of the people (Wierbe)
  9. The bringing of truth through personality (Philip Brooks)
  1. Teaching: 
  1. To cause to know a subject. 
  2. To cause to know how. 
  3. To guide the studies of. 
  4. To instruct by precept, example, or experience. 
  5. To provide instruction.
  1. Audience Needs: This means that people can and do have on a regular basis, observable problems in life situations, which can be addressed in public sermons.
  1. All sermons must be the express purpose of addressing human needs or else there would be no reason to preach.
  1. Cross-Cultural Truths: Scripture contains truths, which are not bound by one culture.
  2. Exegesis: To draw out the hidden meaning of Scripture. To interpret. The art of expounding Scripture. Explanation or critical interpretation. Letting the Scripture speak for itself. In exegesis, it is always invalid to read a meaning into Scripture, which was never intended by the original author. The exposition sets forth the true meaning in an appropriate and effective order. 
  3. Hermeneutics: The science of interpretation. The study of the methods and principles of interpreting the Bible.
  1. Various Methods of Hermeneutics:
  1. The Literal Method: Interpretation gives to each word the same exact meaning if would have in normal, ordinary, customary usage, whether employed in writing, speaking or thinking. The customary, socially acknowledged designation of a word is the literal meaning of that word. The meaning is to be determined by both grammatical and historical determination. 
  2. The Allegorical Method: The literal sense is only a vehicle for a more spiritual and profound sense.. This historical meaning is either denied or ignored and the emphasis is placed entirely on a secondary sense so that the original words or events have little or no significance. This method results from the desire to unite Greek Philosophy and the Word of God. (Greek Philosophy was considered to be of divine Origin) 
  3. The Anti-Supernatural Method: To explain all miracles-events in terms of some natural occurrences. 
  4. The Dogmatic Method: Starts with a Dogma or Doctrine and makes all Scripture fit into a certain mold. The method is determined by man’s statement of truth as set forth in a Creed or a Denomination or Church’s Statement of Doctrine. 
  5. The Devotional Method: Meaning out of Scripture by some inner thought or impression of your own. 
  6. Personal Philosophy Method: Starts with one’s own view of life and finds Scripture which “support” that viewpoint. 
  7. The Commentary Method: This pulls together different ideas from selected Commentaries forming a composite interpretation.
  1. Homiletics: The study and delivery of sermons. The science that teaches the principles of adapting the discourses of the pulpit to the spiritual needs and benefits of the hearers.
  2. Homily: A lecture or moral conduct. A religious discourse delivered to a congregation – conversation – discourse. A serious admonition or exhortation upon a course of conduct.
  3. Text: A verse or passage of Scripture chosen especially for the subject of a sermon or for authoritative support (as for a doctrine).
  4. Theme: Argument, Main Point, Subject, Topic. The principle phrase idea or term of logical proposition on which a sermon or speech is based.
  5. Title: Premise, Thesis, Name, Term Theme. A descriptive or general heading, the name of a written, printed, or filmed production, a label.
  6. Proposition: The sermon’s intent or “big idea,” expressed in a clear, biblical, and relevant sentence. 
  1. This sentence is to the sermon what the spine is to the skeleton, and the foundation to the house. It holds things together and helps to determine what the final product will become.
  2. The proposition should be Biblical (Timeless Truth worth preaching about) Important and relevant to the needs of the people. It should be definite and clear, accurate and honest and interesting so the listener is encouraged to want to listen to the development of the theme in the sermon.
  3. It should always be stated in the present tense. (What God does for us today?)

Kinds of Preparation 

  1. Impromptu – A speech that is made or done on the spur of the moment. Something that is done with sudden notice. Very little time given to prepare.
  2. Extemporaneous  – Carefully prepared but delivered without notes or text. It could happen very suddenly and often unexpectedly. A speech that results from sudden thoughts flowing through the mind of the speaker.
  3. Formal – Rigid, methodical relating to the outward from of something. Following an established form, rule or custom

Types of Sermons 

  1. Topical – a sermon that has a topic in mind prior to consulting the text, and then search for one or more biblical texts that address the topic chosen beforeand. 
  2. Textual – a sermon that refers often to a particular Biblical text, but does not take the main point of the text as its own.. 
  3. Expositional – a sermon which takes the point of the text as the point of the sermon. 
  4. Biographical – a sermon in which the preacher traces the life of a biblical character and draws contemporary moral implications.. 
  5. Anecdotal – a sermon in which the preacher primarily tells engaging stories with a moral lesson. 
  6. Illustrative – using a prop to help communicate and bridge the gap from Scripture to today’s life.

Selecting a Theme 

  1. Select a Theme (due on 2nd week)

  1. Theme should express the whole aim of the sermon
  2. Theme should be biblical
  3. Theme should be dynamic. It should start hearers in a certain direction and stir mental activity
  4. Theme should be specific and not general or broad

    Choosing and Interpreting a Text 

    1. Select a real text. One that is a complete statement, precept or narrative used with the sense intended by the author.
    2. Select the great doctrinal and ethical texts of the Bible.
    3. Avoid texts known to be interpolations (things that have crept into later manuscripts)
    4. Avoid the sayings of uninspired men when choosing texts (Jobs friends)
    5. Do not choose texts simply because they are odd or unusual.
    6. Interpret the text in the light of the context.
    7. Interpret the text in harmony with the teaching of the whole Bible.
    8. The text must be interpreted in harmony with sound, systematic doctrine.
    9. A text should be taken literally unless it’s obviously figurative or unless a literal interpretation would lead to an absurdity or impossibility.
    10. If possible, consult the original languages as a help to interpretation
    11. If you are unable to or do not understand the original text, consult several different translations of the bible (NKJV, Young’s Literal, Interlinear, Amplified, etc.)
    12. Consult parallel passages
    13. Consult a good critical, exegetical commentary