1) I take a few days a month outside of town in complete silence and solitude.
What God lays on his heart to preach, Driscoll next runs by his leadership, and then seriously study months before preaching that series.
2) I continually pray for the Holy Spirit to teach me his Word as I am studying the Scripture.
3) As I study, I wrestle with tough texts as Jacob wrestled Jesus.
4) Only after I have spent considerable time solely in the text of Scripture do I check my studies with trusted teachers to ensure I have not come to erroneous conclusions.
5) I seek by God’s empowering grace through his Spirit to live what I learn, teach it to my family through ongoing informal discussions, and spend a lot of time repenting of sin, seeking to obey God’s Word by the grace he provides.
Six Questions Driscoll Always Asks When Preparing a Sermon
1) The Biblical Question: What Does Scripture Say?
To answer this question, Driscoll uses word-for-word translations like the English Standard Version or the New King James and good Bible software like Logos (www.logos.com) or Bible Works (www.bibleworks.org).
2) The Theological Question: What Does Scripture Mean?
“A word, image, concept, doctrine, emotion, or person’s needs to be the hook that is woven through the sermon….Examples include a word such as grace, a concept such as being born again, a doctrine such as the wrath of God.”
4) The Apologetical Question: Why Do We Resist This truth?
This is the part of the sermon where you tear down their objections to living the sermon. I want to recommend a book not mentioned in this chapter. The book,Invitation to Biblical Preaching, is by Donald R. Sunukjian. This book on preaching helps the preacher to argue his applications which his listeners will resist during the sermon.
5) The Missional Question: Why Does This Matter?
This is where the preacher applies the message not only to the individuals’ lives but to the culture your people live in and are seeking to impact with the gospel. Without this application our churches will be orthodox but indifferent.
6) The Christological Question: How is Jesus the Hero-Savior?
Driscoll closes his chapter with what he calls “a few preachy points.”
1) Good preaching and teaching takes time, so short messages may not be the wisest. Driscoll preaches from an hour to an hour and one-half. I believe this only once on each campus on Sundays.
2) At some point in every message, speak plainly to the non-Christians.
3) Speak to the people in the room.
4) Keep the major holiday sermons plain.
5) Remind your people of the major themes of Scripture.
6) Speak out of your life of ministry.
7) Read the biographies of great preachers and teachers.
8) Do not speak anyone else’s messages.
9) Learn from politicians, stand-up comedians, and anyone else who stands on a stage to speak to a crowd for a living.
Review of Vintage Chruch: Chapter 4 “Why Is Preaching Important?” Part 2
Posted: August 1, 2009 in Book Reviews, Homiletics/PreachingTags: Commentary and Reference Survey, D. A. Carson, Donald R. Sunukjian, Invitation to Biblical Preaching, John Glynn, Mark Driscoll, Tremper Longman III, Vintage Church: Timeless Truths and Timely Methods
Practical Tips For Preachers and Teachers
1) I take a few days a month outside of town in complete silence and solitude.
What God lays on his heart to preach, Driscoll next runs by his leadership, and then seriously study months before preaching that series.
2) I continually pray for the Holy Spirit to teach me his Word as I am studying the Scripture.
3) As I study, I wrestle with tough texts as Jacob wrestled Jesus.
4) Only after I have spent considerable time solely in the text of Scripture do I check my studies with trusted teachers to ensure I have not come to erroneous conclusions.
5) I seek by God’s empowering grace through his Spirit to live what I learn, teach it to my family through ongoing informal discussions, and spend a lot of time repenting of sin, seeking to obey God’s Word by the grace he provides.
Six Questions Driscoll Always Asks When Preparing a Sermon
1) The Biblical Question: What Does Scripture Say?
To answer this question, Driscoll uses word-for-word translations like the English Standard Version or the New King James and good Bible software like Logos (www.logos.com) or Bible Works (www.bibleworks.org).
2) The Theological Question: What Does Scripture Mean?
“At this point we will study other Scriptures to illuminate our understanding to the texts we are planning to preach from…John Glynn’s Commentary and Reference Survey is a must-have for every preacher…. He rates all of the best commentaries…D. A. Carson’s guide to New Testament commentaries and Tremper Longman III’s guide to Old Testament commentaries are also helpful.”
3) The Memorable Question: What Is My Hook?
“A word, image, concept, doctrine, emotion, or person’s needs to be the hook that is woven through the sermon….Examples include a word such as grace, a concept such as being born again, a doctrine such as the wrath of God.”
4) The Apologetical Question: Why Do We Resist This truth?
This is the part of the sermon where you tear down their objections to living the sermon. I want to recommend a book not mentioned in this chapter. The book, Invitation to Biblical Preaching, is by Donald R. Sunukjian. This book on preaching helps the preacher to argue his applications which his listeners will resist during the sermon.
5) The Missional Question: Why Does This Matter?
This is where the preacher applies the message not only to the individuals’ lives but to the culture your people live in and are seeking to impact with the gospel. Without this application our churches will be orthodox but indifferent.
6) The Christological Question: How is Jesus the Hero-Savior?
Driscoll closes his chapter with what he calls “a few preachy points.”
1) Good preaching and teaching takes time, so short messages may not be the wisest. Driscoll preaches from an hour to an hour and one-half. I believe this only once on each campus on Sundays.
2) At some point in every message, speak plainly to the non-Christians.
3) Speak to the people in the room.
4) Keep the major holiday sermons plain.
5) Remind your people of the major themes of Scripture.
6) Speak out of your life of ministry.
7) Read the biographies of great preachers and teachers.
8) Do not speak anyone else’s messages.
9) Learn from politicians, stand-up comedians, and anyone else who stands on a stage to speak to a crowd for a living.
Like this: