When a Good Sermon Isn't Enough: Overcoming 3 Obstacles to Experiencing the Gospel
As preachers, we all strive for:
- a compelling introduction
- a clear message
- great stories that help our listeners connect abstract concepts to lived experience
- and a message that leaves the building with them
Why?
Because these elements help move the listener toward an encounter with the Living Word.
But sometimes, good sermon practices aren't enough.
As preachers, we may also need to remove obstacles that cast a shadow on people's experience of grace, truth, and love.
Want to Write a Good Sermon? Listen First, Write Later
How can you really know what your listeners need from a sermon? It may be as simple as asking. John McClure, the Charles G. Finney Professor of Preaching and Worship at Vanderbilt University Divinity School, suggests collaborative preaching for sermons that meet listeners in their questions and need. Check out four ways to tap into the power of collaborative preaching for your own sermons.
Was Your Easter Sermon Effective? 6 Elements to Help You Evaluate and Know
Now that the the candy's eaten, the dishes are washed, and the schedule has settled back into something resembling normalcy, take a few minutes to reflect on your Easter sermon. Was it effective? How would you know? Using BsP's 6-elements of an effective sermon, see where you excelled and where you can grow for your next sermon.