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STEPS FOR EVANGELISTIC MESSAGE PREPERATION

by Peter Masters

FROM SWORD & TROWEL 2001 No 1

It is surprisingly difficult to propose a series of stages for the preparation of evangelistic sermons. To put together a method for expository sermons (to believers) is much easier. The problem is that evangelistic sermons may take any number of forms, for different routes must be explored in the piercing of rebellious hearts.

We provide here, not so much a concrete scheme, but a list of the elements which should be represented in the preparation of evangelistic sermons. The order of these elements is not crucial.

Some preliminary comments are called for, because this suggested plan will appear to run against the tide of advice given these days on exposition and exegesis. One great rule today (almost the battle cry of many modern exegetes) is - No presuppositions! The preacher must not take to the text any presuppositions or expectations, because in so doing he will be imposing a message on the text. He will be guilty of reading his own ideas into it - so-called eisegesis rather than exegesis.

Of course it is important at some stage of our preparation to ensure that the text really does say what we propose to teach. We do not entirely disregard the concerns just mentioned, but without expectations and presuppositions we are unlikely to recognise any evangelistic arguments in a text. This is why we have proposed a check list for discerning the evangelistic potential of passages, called the Gracious Element Grid (see page 25). This is based on three New Testament texts1 commending the practice of applying expectations to the Scriptures. Our minds must be primed to expect and recognise the soul-saving doctrines and remonstrances of the Bible.

But are we not risking the integrity of ministry by encouraging preachers to ‘find’ evangelistic reasoning in all parts of the Bible, even where there is none? Yes we are, but there is no substitute for biblical common sense as the antidote to over-imaginative interpretation. Some seminary professors, in seeking a more scientific set of safeguards, have unintentionally created a strait-jacket which immobilises the exploratory mind of the preacher, and effectively destroys vast swathes of evangelistic reasoning in the Bible.

There is one other matter readers should be made aware of. The simple plan we shall present for sermon preparation assumes that the fundamentals of the Gospel are clear and self-authenticating to our hearers. Of course, these fundamentals become savingly clear to those whom the Lord will save, but in large measure they are clear to all. Scripture, we believe, is self-endorsing to the human mind, so that we do not need to convince hearers of the intellectual reasonableness of our message, nor shy away from certain themes because they may seem unacceptable to the atheistic mind.

As a young preacher this writer was very hesitant to preach the Garden of Eden to totally uninitiated outsiders, thinking that it would come across to them as far- fetched. But then he realised that this was not the case, as long as it was preached with a strong emphasis upon the great issues and principles of the Fall, and the human condition. Being fundamental truths, these matters carry the ring of truth even to uninitiated hearers brought up to believe that Genesis is a fairy-story.

When the preacher presents such themes, he may look at the faces of his congregation and see that the very people whom he might expect to scoff, are momentarily solemnised and listening. It is confirmed to him that such truths make a profound impression even upon cynics. They may affect scorn afterwards, but at the time they listen and recognise that it is true.

Under layers of atheistic programming and self-justification, the conscience, though dormant, is still alive, and can be stirred and pierced by Truth. With the Gospel we strike a chord in the heart; we touch a raw nerve. God’s Truth verifies itself.

Therefore, in our evangelistic sermon preparation we need not cower before a threatening wall of scorn and rejection. We need not feel obliged to prove everything we propose to say. Our preaching does not have to be a string of apologetic beads, or an attempt to speak the language of so-called post-modernity. We should never be weighed down with inhibitions and doubts, for the principles of the Gospel, when passionately presented, cannot be entirely shut out by any hearer.

Of course we must always observe the duties of clarity, understandability and interest, but we have no duty to prove the faith or bridge the mythical gap to this new species of human being - post-modern man.

What is the place of apologetic argument? It does not have a large place in our preaching. Apologetic books are exceedingly interesting and legitimately exciting to Christian people, but how useful are they to unconverted people? The answer is - moderately useful.

Some apologetic arguments introduced here and there in our sermons will certainly interest and challenge people, and interest is immensely important in preaching. We do not desperately need these arguments, but they will help. They may even authenticate us to some extent as credible people, helping unbelievers to realise that we are not complete obscurantists without any education. All this can be useful and helpful.

Most important of all, apologetic remarks may serve to leave the listener without excuse for ignoring the Lord. If they will not listen to our message, the fact that we have deployed some unanswerable arguments leaves them without excuse before God.

These are all valuable objectives, but to keep matters in perspective, we do not depend on them. The soul does not need apologetic arguments. There is a place for them, to open up interest, to gain a morsel of respect from hearers, to keep everyone ‘on board’, and to expose human unreasonableness, but these are secondary functions. All the power resides in the fundamentals of the Gospel blessed to the hearer by the Holy Spirit.

This realisation is so enlivening to preachers that we must be certain of it. In Acts 24 we have the record of Paul defending himself before Felix, a Roman procurator, and his wife Drusilla, a Jewess.

Here is Felix, born a slave, steeped in paganism, reared in a culture which permitted many practices identified in the Bible as sins, and what does Paul do to make an impression upon him? Does he adapt himself to the culture of Felix, using sophisticated arguments to establish that there is one God, and to establish the exclusive validity of biblical moral law? He does not.

The apostle Paul bypasses tortuous reasonings and comes immediately to the central issues, believing that they will be clothed with authority and challenging power, needing no complex proof or commendation. While there is certainly a place for justifying these concepts to people from other religious cultures, to show helpfulness, sympathy and consideration, it is not essential, for the Truth is always self-authenticating.

Between them, Felix and Drusilla had a considerable burden of immorality, cruelty and avarice, and protected themselves with all the defence mechanisms available. But no cultural curtain obscured the light from Felix, who trembled under deep conviction. Not that he ever came by faith to Christ, but at the level of the natural man he understood and acknowledged the Truth. Paul had proceeded entirely upon a presuppositional basis and so may we. All this liberates the preacher from excessive burdens in preparation.

In the first two chapters of Paul’s letter to the Romans we find the self-evident nature of Truth powerfully established. The apostle argues that there is one God, that He is invisible, spiritual, eternal, and powerful, and that these things can be seen in creation, and are so apparent to people that they are without excuse. The preacher’s task is to pierce the outer skin of denial to reach human sensitivity and acknowledgement. As we preach these truths they will strike a chord, and there will be at least an internal response from our hearers. Deep within themselves they will know that these things are true.

We may confront a sea of people in church, with many visiting strangers among them. Simply to affirm the facts of the holiness of God and the problem of guilt - even to people lacking any previous exposure to this message - should secure a solemn hearing and serious expressions. That raw moral nerve will be touched. We can be certain of this because at the end of the long sin-list of Romans 1 we read (of Jews and pagans alike) that people (intuitively) know the judgement of God, and that those who commit such sins are worthy of death.

In Romans 2 we read that people are therefore ‘inexcusable’. Even if the thinking processes of hearers are calloused over with false ideas and defence mechanisms, not to mention apathy and indifference, the preacher’s words may still break through to an underlying recognition of Truth.

But does not the apostle also say that ‘the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God’? Surely, then, we cannot accept this idea of inborn, instinctual recognition of the Truth? Certainly, there can be no saving recognition of the reality and desirability of God’s remedy for sin without a special work of the Spirit. There can be no saving grasp of the amazing, atoning love of Christ. But the fallen condition of mankind before a holy God, the personal guilt of individuals, the inevitability of judgement and the elements of the plan of salvation can be grasped by the natural mind.

It is not right to say that the natural man cannot understand anything, for then he would not be without excuse, and God would not be just and fair in the day of judgement. We are assured in Romans 2 that the human constitution is embossed with the moral law and equipped with the conscience, and even pagans will be judged on this basis. In the case of people who reject the Gospel, they will be judged not because they did not understand it, but because they rejected what they were able to understand. We should never say, strictly speaking, that the sinner cannot come to Christ, but that he will not come. It is a matter of will, not of understanding. And it is the will that is melted and turned in the saving work of the Spirit.

For these reasons we do not overemphasise apologetic reasoning, but believe that the law is within each person, the conscience is alive, and an intuition for God and eternity lies just beneath the surface. The secrets of the heart (Romans 2.16) may be reached, and touched, and opened.

1 Romans 15.4; 1 Corinthians 10.1-11; 2 Timothy 3.16.

TWENTY-ONE STAGES

Here are steps or stages which should, ideally, find a place in the preacher’s preparation plan, not necessarily in this precise order. It is taken as read that the process will be preceded by earnest prayer.

(Additional hints apply to miracles, parables and historical-event texts where the narrative more clearly shapes the sermon.)

1 Find your text.

The method is not elaborated here, but care should be taken to check that the theme does not duplicate other recent sermons, but rather complements them. Use the ‘Gracious Element Grid’ if necessary. You obviously will select your text because you see some definite possibility in it for evangelistic reasoning.

2 Study the passage and note carefully the context.

Make sure it is fully understood, problems are resolved, and, in the case of a New Testament text with an Old Testament connection, that the latter is thoroughly investigated. For this stage, reference to commentaries is usually necessary, but they must not (yet) be consulted for message guidance, only for technical help. (In any case, there will almost never be message help for evangelistic addresses in commentaries.)

3 Identify your theme and outline.

Formulate your general aim, theme, purpose or topic, and even assign a holding title if you can. If asked, ‘Why have you chosen this text?’ could you give a reason?

Note down the main arguments or scheme of reasoning you could follow (although more possibilities will later emerge to re-shape or extend your case). Once again, the ‘Gracious Element Grid’ may help you to recognise and appropriate the implicit evangelistic reasoning of the text.

To have an early scheme will greatly enliven your sense of objective. Your heart will burn to convince and win and stir your hearers, and points will be forged under the driving concern in your mind. To put it another way, your preparation will gain early ‘mission momentum’, and your mind will certainly gain greater clarity and ingenuity for preparation. It may be that as you proceed, you see another theme or approach which may excite your soul more, but still try to have an early view. Dr Jay Adams has a book entitled - Preaching with Purpose - and this purpose element must enter our preparation early.

4 See a particular class of hearer.

This is not quite the same as the previous point, although it overlaps. Ask yourself, in the light of the subject or theme, what your precise human objective will be. What ‘class’ of hearer will you particularly want to convince, move and stir? Is your chosen theme primarily for indifferent people, atheists, or for the young under worldly delusion - or who? Your sermon must be for all, but what particular category of hearer is the bull’s-eye, and what do you want to stand out in their memory? You may protest that this is unreasonable, because the sermon is not yet developed, but you can develop an initial view, and this will help you to make your preaching truly relevant.

5 Study the words in depth.

What are the key words in the text? The full sense may prove of great significance, and help you make several points in an unusually compelling way.

6 Note surprises in a passage.

Surprises are precious to preachers, engaging (or reactivating) attention almost as well as illustrations and anecdotes.

7 Note terms that need defining.

Definitions are also helpful in preaching, but not if they are long or technical. If there is a word or concept in the text that the ‘outsider’ will not understand, define it, and even believers will often be grateful, and especially younger hearers. You have hearers who half-know, but would feel a little humiliated if you taught them a definition privately. But just watch their heads come up when you do so in a sermon. This writer recently, on the spur of the moment, gave a simple definition of the difference between sin and guilt. It was noticeable that it struck some ‘outsiders’ and seekers, and clearly interested many believers. The point is that brief definitions are not only profitable, but engaging.

8 Consider modern equivalents.

If, for example, the text is about trust in Jewish ceremonies, you must rack your brains to identify the broader, modern equivalents. There are many things in which people place religious trust. Care is needed to ensure that ‘equivalents’ are not fanciful, but obvious and fair. You must not leave an evangelistic sermon locked into ancient Jewish practices and terminology. Very early, you must translate into modern applications.

9 Search out inherent illustrations.

The New Testament particularly is rich in implied illustrations. Paul pours forth illustrations, but they are not always obvious. Words may be partly quoted from an Old Testament illustration. It may be that two words, a noun with an adjective, constitute an illustration, but the picture is not graphically amplified, and this must be provided by the preacher. Be sure to identify and colour in implied illustrations, where helpful.

10 Make the opening and divisions of the message.

At this point give thought to the introduction and route into the message, because to do this helps you to think in terms of a whole structure, and also serves to maintain purpose. You may later change your mind. Then think more deeply about your proposed heads of matter. And think not merely as a teacher but as a preacher. Assume a difficult and inattentive group of hearers (even if this is not the case) and consider what the most engaging and ‘picture-forming’ arrangement of headings will be. Very roughly sketch the material under each heading.

11 Position essential salvation facts.

Considering the proposed order of headings, at what point should you import essential salvation facts? The text may focus on sin, but not furnish positive facts of salvation. Where and in what form shall these be deployed? You may have selected a text full of powerful arguments concerning the vanity of life without God. But how will this be connected with the positive balm of the Gospel? To avoid salvation expostulations becoming an inadequate and ‘samish’ add-on at the end of your message, early thought must be given to making them connect better with the whole address.

12 Introduce original illustrations.

We mentioned illustrations implicit or implied in the text, but now that a fuller outline has been framed, thought must be given to original illustrations. These are the illustrations that hearers remember best. Some will be simple word pictures, while others will be (within the bounds of brevity) situational and real-life, or even anecdotal. If your intermittent thinking for the sermon begins at least a few days ahead, then the conceiving of illustrations can be enjoyable.

13 Sift the persuasive element.

We have now an embryonic introduction, the chief headings and ideas, the presence of salvation-doctrine and even major illustrations. Now is the time to hold the message up to the light, as it were, and check its persuasive quality. Humanly speaking, am I going to change anyone’s mind, or plant deep concern, or move the conscience, or make Christ glorious, and then make salvation not only desirable but essential?

What is the persuasive force of my points, and what specific exhortations, promises and encouragements have I introduced to turn the sermon from teaching into preaching? What persuasive things will I say, and at what points?

14 Locate any striking or unifying element in the passage.

At this stage you must make sure you have not overlooked some feature of the passage which would make a natural and even novel way of joining the whole message together, or enforcing your evangelistic conclusions. Often a special conclusive impact may be obtained from within the text itself.

15 Craft and refine a conclusion.

The closing portion of the sermon is frequently under-prepared, leading to it having a lame, ‘tailing-off’ feeling, giving the hearer the impression that even the preacher does not really think salvation is important. A poorly thought-out conclusion may also tend to drag on and become boring, especially to frequent hearers. It may equally become almost identical every week. Give time to make the closing exhortation or encouragement a living, urgent word which grows out of the theme of the sermon, and which is a sincere and fresh expression of the Gospel. Ask yourself - will my hearers listen and be moved or challenged to the very end?

16 Write up the rough notes.

This is the time for purging, elaborating, improving, revising, and planting firmly in your own mind the logic and flow of the whole address. It is not necessary for draft notes to be in thorough, formal prose, but if they do not involve labour, they will not serve to consolidate the matter in the memory.

17 Give scope for reflection and afterthoughts.

Some of the finest points in a sermon come from afterthoughts, and so this trawl through is a valuable stage. You will find yourself saying - I should have done it this way! Or -Here is an obvious illustration or point - how could I not have seen it before?

At this stage, you must check out the commentaries again, and also see if you have a sermon on the passage by anyone else. The earlier reference to commentaries only served to help you understand the text. Now it is good and valid to see if there are any clues on the use and application of the text in evangelism. You may, of course, wring your hands in dismay when you see a much better use made of it, but it is more likely you will pick up an enriching hint or two. Don’t let outside references colour your earlier preparation, but do let them challenge and help you in these later stages.

18 Confirm or change the sermon title.

This may seem a strange or unimportant step, but it is most helpful to you to have the direction and objective of a sermon summed up in your own private title (even if you choose to recast it for announcements). Titles are strangely helpful and influential to the preacher, for they help to keep the theme and thrust in view. Do you want to change it or re-express it? Is your ‘mission’ for the sermon clearly in your mind? If so, it will live, and stay on course.

19 Make notes for the pulpit.

Now reduce your rough draft to pulpit notes. For most people it is best to do this as late as possible - say the previous day - to serve as a kind of revision exercise. The notes should clearly show the headings, and not be too detailed, for that encourages dependence. Clear headings will enable you to pick up the trail should you be thrown off course. However, notes should be full enough to keep you to the point, and to time. It may be useful to asterisk or highlight in some way the illustrations, which will probably be mentioned only by a word or two, so that they do not merge into the other items and get lost.

20 Mentally revise the illustrations.

It is a good thing to run over the illustrations a couple of times in your mind, and particularly the ‘connection’ that you will employ to relate or apply them to the message. It is at this point that you are most likely to fumble and lose the impact of illustrations. When you consider how helpful they are both for conveying understanding, and for securing attention, you will accept the need for honing and familiarisation.

21 Re-visualise the hearers in your sights.

Think of your target group again. Is this message really going to reach them? Don’t consider one person, for that will make you intense in the wrong way, but think generally of a category of need or hearer. Close your preparation relating your material to that group, so ending in a renewed spirit of purpose, application and desire. You may even now feel inclined to make some adjustments, omissions or additions.

It is in this spirit of connecting the sermon with real hearers that you go to prayer for the blessing of the Lord, the magnifying of Christ the Saviour, fluency, clarity and earnestness, and the salvation of precious souls.

Themes about God and the Bible

The lost state of the human race

The way of salvation