Welcome to The On Preaching Podcast, the podcast dedicated to helping you preach faithfully, clearly, and better.
In this episode of the podcast, H.B. discusses four sentences that will improve your preaching. That may seem to be a big promise. But carefully crafting these sentences will truly help you to get the text right and get the truth across.
Of course, the development of your sermon will involve more than these four sentences. But working hard on this sermon will bring purpose, unity, and movement to your sermon.
What are the four sentences that can improve your preaching?
The Text Summary. In this sentence, write a summary of the meaning and message of the text. It should be a past-tense sentence that states what the author was saying and doing in the text. What is the content and intent of the text? State it as concisely as possible.
The Main Idea. This sentence takes the Text Summary and moves it from past tense to present tense. What is the timeless truth of your message? State the point of your sermon in one clear, present-tense, active, and concise statement that speaks to your sermon’s audience.
Probing Question. In the Text Summary, you state the author’s message. In the Main Idea, you state the Text Summary as a timeless truth for your congregation. Now, in the Probing Question, turn the main idea into a question using who, what, when, where, why, or how.
Transitional Sentence. Finally, craft a sentence that will help you to make a smooth transition from the introduction to the main body of your sermons. The Transitional Tentense should use a specific keyword that seeks to answer the question raised in the Probing Question.
HBC2 RESOURCES:
- On Preaching by H.B. Charles Jr.
- On Pastoring by H.B. Charles Jr.
- On Worship by H.B. Charles Jr.
- It Happens After Prayer by H.B. Charles Jr.
- The Difference Jesus Makes by H.B. Charles Jr.
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