Robert Powell in CM151 Preparing and Delivering Christ-Centered Sermons I

4 years ago

Segment 89 concerns itself with overcoming hostility. When a preacher presents the reality that a person must change, the listener often disapproves. Rather than facing repentance, the listener often rejects the message. In those instances, the Bible is judged as archaic and prejudicial. Rather than having his or her life transformed, the person judges the Bible as merely a collection of fictional stories. The Bible is nothing more than apples and whales and crosses, oh my. In short, the person rejects the message because he or she rejects the authority of the document from which it is derived. The listener does not make his or her decisions from "Gone With the Wind." To them, the Bible is no different. Segment 89 begins the process of how to overcome such objections. One technique is to focus on the person's fallen condition and shine God's spotlight of truth on the situation. The biblical text first identifies the truth. The next step is to provide outside arguments to show why the biblical stance matters. Often, this is done through illustration and application. The illustration identifies why the truth matters to the listener. The application identifies how the truth fits in the listener's own life. One of the reading assignments for this segment really struck a cord with me. The author preached on the topic, "We should not be unevenly yoked with unbelievers." To help overcome objections about the Bible's marital authority, the preacher used a powerful illustration. The church was going though a building program and the congregation could see the construction site from the parking lot. The preacher proposed a question. What would happen if one of the building contractors used a particular set of blueprints while another of the contractors used blueprints for a entirely different building project? The construction site would be in chaos. Each would be seeking separate outcomes. The contractors could never be on the same page. The project would ultimately fail. The same holds true for a marriage based on different religious beliefs. Each spouse brings different plans to the table. Each has separate goals and desires. The marriage will often suffer chaos and potentially fail. It will be hard for them to ever get on the same page. For even the unbeliever, the logic of this argument is true; hence, even for them, the Bible is reliable in this particular matter. They can choose to apply the conclusion to their own lives: It is best to avoid intimate relationships with those who hold different religious beliefs. I look forward to upcoming segments where more techniques for overcoming objections are discussed. For believers, we simply rely on the authority of the Bible. The Bible says it, that settles it, so be it. But for the unbeliever, such authority is not present. The goal is to overcome their objections and help move them to a point in their life where the Bible does have ultimate authority.

Hello Everyone. After several months of of completing a segment each day, the end of the course is in sight. Segments 96 through 99 have been dealing with Sermon Introductions. Here's what we've learned about this subject matter so far. The purpose of the introduction is to arouse attention to the message while introducing the subject. This is also the opportune time to identify the Fallen Condition Focus. The FCF is the very reason for the sermon. In fact, it is the reason the Holy Spirit wrote the passage to begin with. It is the FCF that gives the people the reason to listen. Nothing is more memorable during the sermon than the introduction and the conclusion; hence, good communication skills focus the importance of gaining the listeners attention during these moments. A speaker is credible (and the message is credible) when the listeners' attention is gained in the first couple of seconds. The latest research suggests we only have about 15 seconds to establish this credibility. Because of its importance, the opening words require careful preparation. We must draw the people into the subject matter. We must tell them why they should care to hear the message. While doing this, we make eye contact. We don't read from notes. We speak our words by heart (pun intended). We insert a strong enough lead sentence that it can stand alone as the introduction. We literally pull the listener into wanting to hear the rest of the message. There are several techniques that can be used during these opening moments. These can range from simple assertions, startling statements, provocative questions, cataloging, anecdotes, or the use of humor. Some of the most effective introductions use historical accounts or human interest stories to highlight our Fallen Condition Focus. There is no temptation taken as is common to man. Each of us share the struggle mentioned in the biblical passage. The successful sermon introduction gains the listeners' attention and gives them a reason to care.

After five (5) months of steady work, I have finally completed the course Preparing and Delivering Christ-Centered Expository Sermons (CM151).  For anyone contemplating taking the class, let me say the material presented is comprehensive.  The student need not be in a hurry; instead, he or she should slow down and soak-in the information.  Learning takes place over a series of 108 lessons.  With the included reading and writing assignments, it took me 340 hours to complete.  During that time, I took 220 pages of written notes.  The course really is that thorough.  If one enjoys the process of learning, there is great value and bang for the buck in this course.  If you are a novice preacher, your congregation will thank you. So, what does the student learn here?  The short answer is the participant acquires a framework upon which to hang a sermon.  Basically, any message can be put through this process to help the speaker create and maintain structure.  It is not enough to have just a topic and charisma.  This course teaches the student how to take those topics and turn them into interesting presentations.  With this information, the speaker can step into the pulpit fully prepared knowing the rest is left up to the Holy Spirit. Today, I want to present information from just one of the 108 lessons. Hear me. This is not even the complete lesson. This is just a taste. Hopefully, at the conclusion, you will see just how thorough and important these lessons can be, especially for a new preacher. One of the phases the student learns about during this course is the value and importance of “Introductions.”  That is what I want to focus this short essay on today.  In today’s society, the speaker has about 15 seconds to establish interest and credibility.  Also, considering this is the second most remembered moment of the entire sermon, the importance of the very first sentence cannot be overstated.  That first sentence needs to be able to stand alone and be strong enough to draw people into the message.  It should involve the heart and pull the listener along for the ride.  That initial moment should create such interest that the audience wants to hear the rest of the message. With this in mind, the preacher would do well to spend much effort in developing the introduction.  This is the place where all eyes need to be on the preacher.  This is also the place where the preacher’s eyes need to be on the congregation.  This is not the time to be looking down or reading.  It is here that the subject is introduced.  It is here the people learn what the next few moments will be about. This is also the time where the preacher identifies the “Fallen Condition Focus.”  This is the very reason the Holy Spirit included the passage in the Bible.  In fact, this is the reason the people should listen.  Ancient people struggled with these problems and so should the contemporary listener!  God knows we all share similar weaknesses.  His Word also gives us the solution.  In a sense, the introduction demonstrates the "hole" humanity has dug itself into with sin. So, too, the introduction entices the audience to hear the way of escape. There are many techniques that can be employed during sermon introductions.  One type is the “simple assertion.”  Here, the preacher might say something like, “I want to talk to you today about how anger can harden the softest heart.”  Such a statement clearly says what the message is about.  The rest of the intro will then demonstrate why the audience should listen. Another technique is a “startling statement.”  An example of this type might sound something like, “Faith without works is alive and well and living in this church today!”  Attention is gained instantly in the surprising way the statement was made.  One note of interest is, if the preacher employs startling statements, he or she should not do so every week.  They will become cliché and no longer be surprising.  To mix things up, the preacher can also employ provocative questions in the opening sentence.  Here, the preacher might ask something like, “Will heaven be segregated by race?”  The very question draws the people in to hear what the rest of the sermon is about. Many listeners are interested in contemporary news.  News articles provide a wealth of "attention getting" material to use in that opening sentence of the sermon.  For example, recently a famous NBA player was killed in a horrific helicopter accident.  Unfortunately, he was also renowned for negative aspects of his life that occurred off the basketball court.  The preacher could catalog similar people in similar situations to tug at the listener’s soul.  The preacher might say something like, “Kobe Bryant, Tiger Woods, Pete Rose, Lance Armstrong, Mike Tyson, Jose Conseco, Jimmy Swaggart…me…you.  Each of us may be successful in the world, but we are sinful before God.  We will be judged!”  This is a perfect example of the Fallen Condition Focus.  People throughout history struggle in similar ways.  Only Jesus Christ has the solution! Another possibility is the use of an anecdote.  This is a form of humor that garners attention because each of the listeners have been in the same situation.  Here’s an example.  A child asks his father what causes wars.  The father provides an answer, but the mother disagrees.  She then provides an answer to which the father disagrees.  Soon, a heated argument breaks out between the mother and father while the child awaits his answer.  After some time, the child says, “Never mind.  Now I know.”  The preacher then makes the proposition, “Disagreements come easily.  So does the solution.  We must devote ourselves to God.” Such a sermon would be relevant in our divided country today! What I have recounted is just part of one lesson from this course.  There are five other lessons just for introductions.  The course is that thorough.  Upon completion, the preacher will have successful framework upon which to gain attention and present the message.  For anyone called to the pulpit, I highly recommend what this class has to offer.  Through the process of 108 lessons, the student will cover in detail: expository sermons (what they are and how to present them), introductions, propositions, main points, subpoints, illustrations, applications, and conclusions.  This is the kind of information that can change a person’s life.  It will help remove frustration from a novice preacher by giving pertinent information.  More importantly, it will help that preacher reach souls.  Dive in, take your time, and learn.  Hungry listeners await!