Every pastor develops their sermons differently.
Some of us start with the text and let it simmer for a week. Others work backward from a felt need in their congregation. Some outline everything. Some barely outline at all.
While I'm not the primary speaker at New Life Fellowship, I AM in the preaching rotation. As a lay pastor too, I don't have as much time to put towards a sermon as other paid staff might. That being said, most sermon prep for me takes 10-15 hrs or so, give or take.
Personally, if I were to break my process into percentages, it'd be as follows:
- 40% of my time is sitting in the passage I've chosen
- 25% of the process is noting down all of my thoughts
- 25% is organizing everything, and looking for good illustrations
- 10% in reviewing and practicing delivery
My sermon prep is typically only half of the process.
When I get on stage to deliver the sermon, my responsibility changes. THEN, it's time to be carefully attentive to the Holy Spirit. I often find that the sermon that gets delivered is often different than my notes might suggest...
Enough about me, though!
Your Turn: Answer Some Questions?
I'm planning on publishing a "here's a bunch of details on how pastors like you prep their sermons" in the next few weeks.
Before I write a word, I want your input.
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