Do you have to teach or preach several times a week? This article explains how to prepare good Christian teaching materials or sermons. If at times you are forced to teach or preach without preparation, the easiest and quickest way is to copy an existing text. However, the material may not necessarily be relevant to you and your audience. To prepare effective teaching materials or sermons, take the following steps.
Step
Step 1. Prepare teaching materials or sermons that refer only to the Bible and the guidance of the Holy Spirit to realize God's plan according to the mission of the congregation
Before writing, pray to God for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.
Step 2. Decide on the topic you want to cover
Study the Bible and pray for the Holy Spirit's guidance so that you are inspired and motivated to write. You should choose a topic based on Bible verses. Never teach or preach without direction or purpose. Follow these steps so that you can prepare good teaching materials or sermons.
Step 3. Prepare a draft of the material by compiling an outline
Choose a topic that you understand well so you can explain and teach it to your audience. However, you don't need to prepare materials such as writing a literary work, giving a lecture, or writing an essay. Instead, write according to the guidelines described in the Create a Three-Part Outline method.
- The best way to deliver a teaching or sermon is to memorize the entire material. Instead of writing complete sentences and just reading the text, use a well-prepared outline so that it serves as an easy-to-follow guide. Write keywords in larger letters so they are easier to see and remember. Teachings or sermons should not be delivered like a speaker or politician giving a speech or oration while reading a text in front of an audience, unless you are a very good script reader.
- Whenever teaching or preaching, discuss a topic that is new or continuing.
Step 4. Speak spontaneously as if you were having a verbal communication, instead of just reading a script so that your sentences don't feel awkward
In this way, you will be more inspired and motivated so that there is good communication between the teacher/preacher and the students or congregation of the congregation.
Step 5. Don't rely on very detailed notes, but don't talk without making preparations or outlines
Study the outline of the material and the script that has been prepared so that you can see the text at a glance and don't have to keep reading notes or relying on writing keywords in larger letters so you don't forget. However, you can put notes on the table so they are ready to use if needed
Step 6. Speak systematically according to the instructions in this article so that the essence of the material you are explaining/preaching is conveyed well
Step 7. Outline the material by dividing the topic into three parts according to the instructions in the following method
Method 1 of 2: Creating a Three-Part Material Outline
Step 1. Present the topic of the teaching or sermon
Explain the topic to be discussed and why or why the topic is considered important or useful.
- You may provide humorous information to explain right and wrong understanding.
- Begin explaining the topic by presenting biblical information or events that support the main idea.
Step 2. Convey the message by providing a detailed explanation
Provide supporting facts and explain who played a role, when, where, how, and why. Also describe other relevant information or events.
- After informing the topic that you will develop further, you and the audience or congregation know what will be discussed. In addition, you are ready to draw conclusions from the material described.
- Support the explanation of the main idea by providing an example, for example by telling 1 or 2 stories in the Bible, a biblical parable, a passage from a song, a church activity or the like that is relevant to the topic.
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Be prepared if the audience/congregation asks questions/rebuttals, for example:
- "What does it mean by _?"
- "Why does this happen?"
- "What if _ (name of event) happened?"
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Think of the question as a rhetorical question (not asking for an answer from the audience, except in small groups) and then answer it, for example:
"What if _ (name of event) happened?" You or anyone else is able to _ because _ (give reasons), but after that…” (fill in the blanks) to respond to a rebuttal or answer a question. If you give the audience the opportunity to answer as in class, don't challenge their answer., unless you have to give reasons, e.g. "In my opinion, the answer is _" (say your opinion). Don't judge an audience's opinion or answer by praising or ignoring their comments. You may nod to show understanding or respond by saying one or more words, such as “Okay”, “Okay” or “Thank you.” Also, you can give feedback without judging (not saying right or wrong) and then direct the discussion by giving the appropriate answer.
Step 3. Draw a conclusion by urging the audience to take action on the topic just discussed
Invite them to accept Jesus as Savior. This is how to end a teaching or sermon that you have prepared and developed, for example by asking them to apply your ideas, pray, invite others to repentance, study the Bible, etc.
Delivering conclusions can be an opportunity to assign tasks to the audience by asking them to do things that have been conveyed in the teaching or sermon
Method 2 of 2: Using Other Sources
Step 1. Ask others for advice and ideas
Discussing ideas with other people can be very helpful. However, this step is difficult if you rarely socialize, discuss with other people, are lazy to study, and are not well prepared.
Step 2. Discuss with the teacher/preacher for new ideas
However, this can become habitual, addictive, and a waste of time if the two of you have different needs and goals.
Step 3. Use sermon texts from old books and new sermon collections, but adapt them to your needs
- Search the internet for the sermon text you need and use it to prepare completely different sermon material.
- The sermon texts you find may not be what you need if you're just selecting material that seems helpful. Instead of inspiring or informing your audience, you don't even want to discuss/hear it yourself.
- The content of the sermon text may not necessarily match your teaching style, needs, preferences, or the way you communicate with your audience.
- Download texts for teaching or preaching from various Christian websites.
- You can download free sermon texts that are old, but useful.
- Prepare a sermon outline using Power Point so that it can be presented by presenting pictures, supporting documents, worship schedules, a list of Bible verses, cross-references, and the song you want to sing.
Step 4. Consider whether you need to purchase a Bible program that includes helpful explanations, dictionaries, and cross-references
Take advantage of the website of 25 free Bible versions in different languages, such as Bible and Biblegateway. The two websites are very different and can be accessed for free. Find more information by accessing the link at the bottom of this article
Step 5. Pray and read the Bible daily
Thank God, take notes, study and meditate on Bible verses. Form the right mindset so you get inspired.
Tips
- Prepare more material than necessary to anticipate in case you speak ahead of schedule so as not to run out of presentation material.
- Pray for the "Spirit of wisdom and revelation" for yourself according to Ephesians 1:16.
- Prepare sermon material and think of ideas to convey by answering the following questions: What is the topic of your sermon? What Bible verses support it? What did Jesus teach in that verse? What is the main idea of your sermon? What rhetorical question would you like to ask your audience? Write helpful ideas from the topic of a 2-page sermon. If it's only half a page, replace it with another topic because the sermon will be less interesting.
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Remember that you can lose focus and act like you're teaching or preaching just to pass the time. This makes you forced to stand on the podium or the pulpit of the church while speaking in gibberish because you are not prepared properly.
You will try to cover up your confusion by showing enthusiasm to give the impression that your teaching or sermon is very important to you. So this should also be important for other people
Warning
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Do not teach or preach without proper preparation or just to discuss 1-2 Bible verses. The worst sermons are when you feel unprepared. You will not be able to preach well if you neglect preparation.
If you're not ready, you may sing, pray, shout, jump up and down, pound on a church podium or pulpit, and swing your Bible around remembering God's word that you just need to open your mouth and God will help you. However, you must prepare yourself as best you can before preaching and let the Holy Spirit help more than you expect
