As a follow-up to yesterday's post of the Top 10 (actually 13) Preaching Mistakes, I thought I'd revisit a checklist I developed in the early days of Cobblestone Community Church listing twenty questions to evaluate a sermon--before reaching it. It remains a mental checklist (though more intuitive for me than mechanical) that I try to apply to my own speaking. Here are the twenty questions:
Do I grab the listener’s attention as soon as I start speaking?
Does the talk start where people are (with their culture, needs, problems, issues, questions)?
Does it come on too strong, too fast?
Am I teaching the listener something he didn’t already know?
Am I communicating what God says, not my opinions?
Have I included an introduction of myself and words of welcome to the listener?
Have I included a re-statement somewhere in the talk of either Cobblestone's mission ("loving people into life-changing encounters with God") or distinctives (community-oriented, student-friendly, seeker-aware, outward-focused)?
Have I offered an elementary (but not condescending) explanation of the text that will help even a Bible newbie find it without feeling stupid (as well as avoidance of "church lingo" as much as possible)?
Have I revealed anything of myself in the talk without revealing anything inappropriate? (so much the better if it’s vulnerable, self-effacing, and/or winsome)
Do I interact with my listeners in the talk (e.g., mentioning people’s names, asking for responses, etc.)?
Have I included humor?
Am I being realistic instead of shallow? Will my listener believe I understand what he’s really going through?
Have I touched (not manipulated) my listener’s emotions?
Is my talk focused enough (instead of rambling)?
Have I played a part in meeting a felt need?
Is the “solution” I propose realistic? Life-related? Biblical?
Does the structure of my talk logically lead to the conclusion/application?
Have I left out anything important, crucial?
Have I given clear application for both a seeker and a Christian that answers the question, "OK, what am I supposed to do with this information now/today/this week?”
Have I made reference to how my listener can find further help (e.g., prayer counselors)?
A few things changed over the years. And if I were to revise it today, I would change a few things (e.g., adding some sort of reference to creating a visual, tactile, or other sensory impact, as I did in the sermon pictured above by wearing a straitjacket for much of the message). But overall, the questions still serve pretty well.
So what questions would you add or subtract? Or revise?
As a follow-up to yesterday's post of the Top 10 (actually 13) Preaching Mistakes, I thought I'd revisit a checklist I developed in the early days of Cobblestone Community Church listing twenty questions to evaluate a sermon--before reaching it. It remains a mental checklist (though more intuitive for me than mechanical) that I try to apply to my own speaking. Here are the twenty questions:
No comments:
Post a Comment