How To Outline A Sermon

How to outline a sermon involves understanding the basic structure of a sermon.

Three Parts To The Sermon

The sermon itself is made up of three parts. For example, a sermon must have an introduction. It also must have a body and it must have a conclusion.

The introduction to your sermon simply introduces the subject of your sermon or the topic of your sermon. The body of the sermon expands and explains the subject of your sermon or the topic of your sermon. The conclusion of the sermon reiterates and reinforces what you have just spoken about in your sermon.

Three Parts To The Sermon Outline

The sermon outline also has three parts. Your sermon outline must have a main preaching point. This is often referred to as the subject of your sermon or the topic of your sermon.

The Main Preaching Point

For example, you may want to preach on the topic or subject of temptation. To develop the main preaching point, you will need to look at temptation from some angle or perspective. You may want to look at how to resist deadly temptation. How to resist deadly temptation becomes your main preaching point of your sermon.

The Key Word or Hinge Word

Once you have your main preaching point, you will need to find a key word or hinge word (must be a plural noun) that will help you expand or explain the subject of your sermon.

For example, you may use the word, ways. There are three ways to resist deadly temptation. They involve understanding the source of temptation, the steps in temptation and the solution for temptation.

The Sub-points and Incident Points

The sub-points simply help you to expand and explain your main preaching point.

Using the example above, your sermon outline may look like this:

There are three ways to resist deadly temptation. They involve…

1. Understanding the source of temptation
2. Understanding the steps in temptation
3. Understanding the solution for temptation

Incident points simply help you to expand and explain your sub-points. You may want to expand and explain your second sub-point.

There are three steps in deadly temptation. They are…

1. Entertaining sin
2. Yielding to sin
3. Reaping the consequences of sin

To put this in a complete outline, it would look something like this.

There are three ways to resist deadly temptation. They involve…

1. Understanding the source of temptation
2. Understanding the steps in temptation

There are three steps in temptation. They are…

1. Entertaining Sin
2. Yielding to Sin
3. Reaping the consequences of sin


3. Understanding the solution for temptation

How To Outline A Sermon points out the importance of outlining your sermon before you write content to your sermon. Once you have written content to your sermon outline, you can write the introduction and conclusion to the sermon.

Three Sermon Structures

The Deductive Method

There are different ways to structure you sermon or sermon outline. The sermon above follows the deductive method. The deductive method simply begins with the main preaching point followed by the sub-points and the incident points.

The Inductive Method

You can also use the inductive method. The inductive method simply begins with the sub-points and incidental points and move toward the main preaching point. The inductive method is a tool you can use to preach narratives.

The Deductive and Inductive Method – A Bit of Both

When you use the inductive method, there are usually opportunities to use deduction to outline parts of your sub-points. This will help you to expand and explain certain material within your inductive sermon.

You can find an example of this by clicking the following link – Deductive and inductive sermon outline.

Book Resources

If you are collecting books for your library, then you should consider Christ-Centered Preaching by Bryan Chapell.

Byran Chapell's approach to preaching stresses expository preaching because he believes Bible exposition alone offers authority and redemptive power.

Byran Chapell teaches preparation, organization, and delivery basics and offers help for special preaching situations.

To purchase this product, click here for more information.

This is another great book for your library on homiletics. How To Preach Without Notes by Charles W. Koller will teach you the mechanics on sermon preparation.

Learning the mechanics of sermon preparation will help you prepare for the pulpit with a freedom to preach the word of God to the people of God.

Dr. Charles W. Koller argues for the primacy of expository preaching without notes and articulates its distinctive principles.

Among the eighteen topics he discusses are the biblical conception of preaching, the advantages of preaching without notes, homiletical devices, the importance of structure and the systematic filing of materials.

To purchase this product, click here for more information.

How to Prepare Bible Messages by James Braga is another great book on homiletics for your library.

This is a how-to-do-it book that lives up to its promise.

James Braga teaches clearly and logically the step-by-step process of preparing and delivering effective sermons.

Instructions are spelled out simply, so even a novice can follow them without a teachers's help.

To purchase this product, click here for more information.

These three book resources will definitely help you learn how to outline a sermon.

Related Resources and Tips

• Online Sermon For Busy Pastors
• Sermons From Ephesians
• Sermons From Romans