Washington Conference Planning a Preaching Calendar Dr. Derek J. Morris

Moving from panic to purpose  My experience as a young preacher  Planning your preaching calendar takes time and energy  Planning your preaching calendar avoids a lot of wasted time and wasted energy  Your life will be less stressful and your preaching will be more purposeful

Step #1: Select a sermon planning group   You select the group (6-12 people)   Make the group representative of the diversity in your congregation/s   Give them a 30-day assignment   Talk to church members, family and friends: “what sermons would interest you in the coming year?” “What are your areas of felt need?”

Step #2: Meet for a debriefing session   I plan this session for a Sunday morning and provide breakfast   Give each member of the sermon planning group an opportunity to report to the whole group   Take notes   Observe patterns that emerge

Sermon series on Philippians: Rejoicing in the Lord Two reasons to rejoice-1:1-11 Two reasons to rejoice-1:1-11 Rejoicing in the midst of adversity-1:12-21 Rejoicing in the midst of adversity-1:12-21 Joy unspeakable and full of glory-2:1-11 Joy unspeakable and full of glory-2:1-11 Rejoicing together-2:12-18 Rejoicing together-2:12-18 Rejoicing in Jesus alone-3:1-4:1 Rejoicing in Jesus alone-3:1-4:1 Always rejoicing-4:2-23 Always rejoicing-4:2-23  

The Radical Teachings of Jesus What Jesus Taught about Himself What Jesus Taught about Himself What Jesus Taught about the Scriptures What Jesus Taught about the Scriptures What Jesus Taught about Salvation What Jesus Taught about Salvation What Jesus Taught about His Return What Jesus Taught about His Return What Jesus Taught about the Sabbath What Jesus Taught about the Sabbath What Jesus Taught about the Judgment What Jesus Taught about the Judgment What Jesus Taught about Death What Jesus Taught about Death What Jesus Taught about His Church What Jesus Taught about His Church

Step #3: Solicit feedback from your leadership team   Review the suggestions from the Sermon Planning Group   Listen to recommendations for additions and deletions   Prayerfully make adjustments   Example: Healthy Christians series

Healthy Christians (Adventist Preaching volume 11) Healthy lifestyles (textual: problem/solution) Healthy lifestyles (textual: problem/solution) Healthy families (topical: multiple voices) Healthy families (topical: multiple voices) Healthy finances (topical with outline in bulletin) Healthy finances (topical with outline in bulletin) Healthy relationships (textual: idea explained) Healthy relationships (textual: idea explained) Healthy bodies (topical: NEWSTART with ppt) Healthy bodies (topical: NEWSTART with ppt) Healthy minds (textual: not this, but this) Healthy minds (textual: not this, but this)  

Step #4: Take a time of spiritual retreat   Take this rough draft of your preaching calendar and spend some significant time in spiritual retreat   Prayerfully make additions and deletions   Create a revised draft of your preaching calendar. Include for each sermon:   Preaching passage   Exegetical idea   Preaching idea

Example: What Jesus Taught - Part 5 What Jesus Taught - Part 5 Sermon Title: What Jesus Taught about the Judgment Sermon Title: What Jesus Taught about the Judgment Preaching passage: John 5:19-24 Preaching passage: John 5:19-24 Exegetical idea:Jesus tells those who accept Him as the Son whom the Father has sent that they will not come into judgment but have passed from death into life. Exegetical idea:Jesus tells those who accept Him as the Son whom the Father has sent that they will not come into judgment but have passed from death into life. Preaching idea: For those who belong to Jesus, the judgment is good news! Preaching idea: For those who belong to Jesus, the judgment is good news!

Benefits of planning a preaching calendar   You avoid panic and wasted time   You are looking at the big picture   You can do advance preparation for sermons (Emmaus Road series)   Your worship team can prepare   Your media team can notify the community about future sermons

Recognize that changes will occur  Events in your church family or community might require an addition to your preaching calendar  You may be convicted to shorten or lengthen a series of sermons  Change is not a sign of failure but a sign of responsiveness to God and to your community

For a copy of this presentation: Questions? Questions?