Practice Sermon

PRACTICE SERMON


OBJECTIVE

Given the preparations you made in Module 1 on how to prepare a sermon, you should now be able to rehearse preaching a sermon in your Mother-Tongue.

REVIEW OF MODULE 1

You’ll rcall that one way of looking at sermon preparation is to think of it as having 3 parts:

1. An introduction: which should make your congregation want to hear the sermon, and tell them what the subject is.

2. The main part: which is usually subdivided into 3 or 4 parts.

3. The conclusion: which summarizes what you have said, and also shows the hearers how to apply what they have heard in their everyday lives.

  • You have selected a passage, read it carefully and decided on the main subject.
  • You have read the passage again, and seen how the main subject is explained.

Remember that most passages would have 3 or 4 clear ideas that explain the main point.

You have thought of illustrations from your life, the life of others, and from the Bible to make these points clear.

Remember that you may use your local folk stories which should not take up too much of the sermon.

You are now ready to practice the actual act of delivering a sermon. This entails being able to move from one idea to another in a logical and coherent way.

FEEDBACK (SCRIPT)

The sermon today is about "Faith" and the reading is taken from James 2: 14-26.

Before we get on to the reading, let me suggest to you a Biblical definition of "faith" which the apostle Paul gave us in Hebrews 11:1.

"What is faith? Faith is the confident assurance that what we hope for is going to happen. It is the evidence of things we cannot yet see." (PAUSE)

Now the reading. James 2: 14-26 (Reads)

The apostle James tells us in that passage that "Faith without good deeds is dead".

Here are some examples of "dead and useless faith" which James gives us in the passage:

In verses 14 to 20 James gives us various examples of "dead and useless faith." Verse 15: ignoring to help a brother who needs food or clothing; Verse 18: arguing that some people have faith and others good deeds; Verse 19: thinking that it is enough to believe that there is one God.

Here are some examples of "faith with good deeds" which James wants us have:

In verses 21 to 26 James gives examples of people who had the right kind of "faith with good deeds": Verses 21-24 Abraham’s faith; Verses 25-26 Rahab the prostitute’s faith.

This passage clearly shows us that "Faith without Good Deeds is Dead." As followers of Christ, we are challenged to accomplish good deeds in our daily living, as an integral part of our faith. Remember to practice that kind of faith whenever you get an opportunity to do so.


INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Please read through page 1, OBJECTIVE and REVIEW OF MODULE 1: If there are issues you still don’t understand, go back and revise Module 1. Note down (in the margin) any comments/suggestions that could help me to improve this module.
  2. The PRACTICAL SESSION: Please refer back to the Sermon Outline you made in Module 1. Now practice saying the points you made. Start with the Introduction, then the points you wrote for The main part and finally the Conclusion. Remember to constantly refer to the passage (James 2: 14-26). You may wish to read the whole passage to the congregation at the beginning of the sermon. Let one idea lead to another in a logical and coherent way.
  3. When you have practiced at least twice, then you are ready to deliver the sermon.



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