Evaluating The Sermon: Ten Elements To Consider After You Preach
By R. Clifford Jones
If
nothing else, preachers and their hearers generally agree that the sermon is
the centerpiece of the worship service. Without downplaying the other elements
of the worship service, they claim that the sermon is the "word from the
Lord" for which worshipers come seeking. Evaluating the sermon, then, is
a matter of crucial importance. Following are ten elements preachers should
consider as they reflect on a sermon they have preached, as well as some pointers
that should shore up that element and make for a better sermon the next time
around.
Did
the introduction create interest or trigger tension? Did it bring listeners
on board by revealing need and orienting the listener to what came afterwards?
Did the introduction provide a structural overview of the sermon? Introductions
are invitations for hearers to commit themselves for the long haul, hopefully
the next 30 minutes or so. In the world of broadcasting there is a time-honored
maxim that if you do not immediately grab the interest of the viewers or listeners,
you will undoubtedly lose them. The same holds true for preaching. Much thought,
therefore, ought to go into the introduction of the sermon, considered by many
preachers to be the most challenging part of the sermon to prepare.
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What
makes for good introductions? Certainly not something like, "Last week we were
in Ephesians 3, this week we'll be in Ephesians 4." Nothing about that
statement is exciting or appealing. Stories, anecdotes, quotes, and the like
have long been considered staples for introductions, and the more contemporaneous
they are, the more effective the introduction will be. One other thing about
introductions: they are most effective when they are not read. Especially is
this true when the preacher is relating a story in which he or she is a character.
And maintaining eye contact with your audience in the beginning of the sermon
is a must.
I
consider the title of the sermon to be part of the introduction, and how the
title is announced is crucial. Long after the sermon has been preached, people
will remember its title. A catchy, memorable title sets the sermon up, and causes
people to adjust themselves in their seats, waiting for what is to come. The
general rule is that a title should not be more than seven words and should
hint at what the sermon is about without giving all of it away. A title is a
contract between the preacher and his or her audience, meaning that a sermon
that fails to speak to issues denoted or connoted in the title is a breach of
contract. While preachers should strive to be creative and original with titles,
we should remember to shun that which is jocular, jolting, and jesty.
Did
the sermon reflect eye-opening biblical exegesis and well-rounded research?
Sermons lacking in sound biblical exegesis are the woe of many preachers. As
much as post-modernism has created a thirst for an individualized, customized
application of biblical truth, people still want to know that the fare the preacher
is offering is exegetically sound. Hearers still place a premium on solid, biblical
scholarship that is evidenced in deep, meaty sermons. People frown on frivolous,
lightweight stuff that may tingle the ears and fancy the soul, but neither nourishes
nor satisfies the deep longings of the human heart.