Sermon outline: [Title]

Date and service

Passage

Translation

Series

Church calendar

Time allowed

Passage read by

Big idea

Fill this in once you've studied the text. Every part of the sermon serves it.

  • Subject, as a question:

  • Complement, its answer:

  • Big idea in one sentence:

  • The need it meets:

  • Purpose, what they will believe or do:

See an example: Psalm 23

Subject: What does it mean that the Lord is my shepherd?
Complement: He provides, he leads, and he stays with me, even through the darkest valley.
Big idea: The Lord who shepherds us does not leave us in the dark valley.
Need: Fear and loneliness in a hard season, when God seems far away
Purpose: Listeners in a hard season will name it to God in prayer this week, and ask one person to pray with them.

A point, filled in:
The point: The shepherd goes with us into the valley, not around it.
Verses: 4
Explain: The psalm turns from “he” to “you” at the darkest moment: “for you are with me.”
Illustrate: A night in a hospital corridor, and the friend who simply stayed.
Apply: Name the valley you're in this week, and say it to God as “you”, not “he”.
Transition: And the psalm doesn't end in the valley. It ends at a table.

The text

  • Context, before and after:

  • Genre:

  • First hearers:

  • Repeated words and turns:

  • In my own words:

  • Sources checked:

The sermon

Two to four points. At 130 to 150 words a minute, 25 minutes is about 3,500 words.

Introduction

  • Opening story, scene or question:

  • Why it matters here:

  • Into the text:

  • Big idea now, or held for the end:

Point 1

The point

Verses

Explain

Illustrate

Apply

Transition

Point 2

The point

Verses

Explain

Illustrate

Apply

Transition

Point 3

The point

Verses

Explain

Illustrate

Apply

Transition

Conclusion

  • Big idea, in fresh words:

  • The points in one sentence:

  • Response this week:

  • Last line, word for word:

  • What follows:

Application grid

What the big idea asks of each listener. Keep the rows that fit, and add your own.

Listener

What the big idea asks of them

Someone visiting, or new to faith

Students and young adults

Parents and caregivers

Someone grieving, ill or out of work

Long-time members and leaders

Before Sunday

  • Every point serves the big idea; anything that doesn't is cut or saved for another week

  • Each point has an explanation, an illustration and an application

  • Read aloud and timed

  • Names and places marked for pronunciation

  • Quotations, statistics and stories checked against their sources

  • Stories about people in the congregation told only with their permission

  • Pulpit notes made: a manuscript, an outline or one page