PREACHING PREPARATION WORKSHEET*

(For expository preaching that’s gospel-centered & really connects)

GET THE AUTHOR’S “BIG IDEA” FROM THE TEXT

Begin your prep humbly with pray, read the biblical text repeatedly, and reflect on your exegetical study until you derive the biblical author’s one central “big idea.” Do good exegesis using each lens of the three Cs (Context, Content, & Christ).

1. Context (historical, literary, author / recipients):

2. Content (words, phrases, sentences, genre):

3. Christ (text’s theme fulfilled in Jesus / gospel; points to God’s grace to us through Christ’s work from the larger biblical narrative):

Then determine the author’s“big idea” by combining the subject and compliment from the biblical text.

Subject:
______

(Subjectanswers the question, What is the biblical author talking about?)

Compliment:
______

(Compliment answers the question, What exactly is the author saying about what he’s talking about? Or asked another way, What is the author saying about the subject?)

Big Idea:
______

______

(When the compliment is linked to the subject, this forms an “idea.” What’s the

main “big idea” from this text?)

PREPARE to COMMUNICATE FOR A CHANGE

To prepare to communicate, answer some good questionsbelow before you draft your talk…

Translation: How can Imore memorably restate the “big idea” from this text in a way that accurately reflectsthe Bible and meaningfully relates to my listeners?

Explanation: What do my listeners need to know or understand about this? What terms need to be explained or translated to my listeners?

Validation: Do my listeners needsomething validated / proven? Can you help listeners answer the question, is it true or can I believe it?

Implications & Applications: So what? What difference does it make? How does this text relate to my listeners? What response do you believe God wants them to make?

Motivation: What aspect of the gospel is connected with today’s big idea that provides heart motivation to want to obey? How can I encourage my listeners to respond obediently using God’s grace shown to us through the work of Jesus Christ?

Imagination: How can I help my listeners“see” what I mean, & remember it?

(Ideas for making my talk clear & memorable by using metaphors…stories… simple phrases…analogies…illustrations)

Destination: Where are you taking your listeners? Complete the following:

As a result of my talk, I believe God wants my listeners to…

OUTLINE to COMMUNICATE FOR A CHANGE

ME

WE

GOD

Biblical Text: ______

Exposition of the“big idea” from the biblical text1

YOU

How it affects your listeners (implications & applications). Listenerscalled to respond.

JESUS / GOSPEL

Theme fulfilled in Christ. Preaching the gospel of Jesus to the heart; Motivationto respond & obey because of God’s grace in Christ already shown us. 3

WE

Inspire with a vision of what it would look like if we follow this sermon

*Preaching Worksheet from the following Sources:

(For expository preaching that’s gospel-centered & really connects)

“Good Preaching,” Tim Keller’s new series at RTS – 2014.

(Four excellent lectures on gospel-centered preaching in today’s world)

Lecture 1-What is Good Preaching?

Lecture 2-Preaching to Secular People and Secularized Believers

Lecture 3-Preaching the Gospel Every Time

Lecture 4-Preaching to the Heart

Biblical Preaching, by Haddon Robinson.

(One of the best works on expository preaching that helps one be true to each biblical text, while deriving the “big idea” to preach.)

Christ-Centered Preaching: Redeeming the Expository Sermon, by Bryan Chapell

(Excellent book on expository preaching in a Christ-centered way)

(3 Lectures on Christ-Centered Preaching by Bryan Chapell)

Communicating For A Change, by Andy Stanley.

(Great insight and help from a master-communicator. Practical help so preaching actually connects to listeners and is applied.)

Version: 4.1.15

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