In addition, depending on how the Spirit crafts the message in my heart and mind will shape the way in which I deliver the points. In other words, while I always have a main point that I aim to flesh out from the passage, I develop my subpoints differently. For instance, I might develop my subpoints in the form of questions like, “1. What is God’s mission for marriage? 2. How do couples faithfully execute the mission? 3. Why does it matter?” Other times, my subpoints might try and be catchy phrases like, “Wounding words should come from faithful friends; You are what you speak; Cloaking daggers in playful words can be hurtful to others; etc.”
When it comes to delivery, I’m always seeking the most effective way to communicate the truth in a meaningful and retentive way. I believe that we can (and should) use a variety of techniques to communicate God’s divinely inspired word. In fact, that is the way God had His Word written. There are various genres (narrative, apocalyptic, prose, etc.) and languages (Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek) that God used across the millennia to communicate His Word to the original context.
In conclusion, I believe preaching is an A.R.T. And for church leaders, pastors, and teachers, it is one of the most important art forms out there, for in what we craft on a daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly basis has the potential through the Spirit of God and through the truth of the Gospel, to bring life and community, and even world, transformation!
*I do believe there are times where it is appropriate to do topical sermons that serve as more of a systematic study on a topic.
