Hello,
My minister has asked me to commence preaching regularly on alternate Sunday evenings (Commencing 11/1/15). While I do feel reasonably confident to go ahead and do this, and I'm very much looking forward to this as its been a big desire to do this for about 20 years, I have little to no experience. That said I have been under good preaching for many years and heard quite a few very good preachers in my time.
I've emailed my tutor from the College I did my diploma through in Northern Ireland, and asked him for some literature on preparing sermons and preaching, and as he is on holidays he is probably too busy to reply at the moment.
I've been asked to preach on Titus and the qualifications of an elder, so I've read and taken notes on Hodge's commentary on the WCF chapters 30 and 31. I'm reading through Calvin’s commentary on Titus. But there seems like such a huge wealth on information, and I'm also preparing for College also with some pre-reading so I don't want to spend over 25 hours preparing. I've already spend about 4 hours.
Some of the best sermons I've heard is really enhanced by excellent delivery, and interesting content aimed at making the message so plain that it is irrefutable.
As I'm able to basically commence a series on this subject, I was thinking one message as an introduction to the office of elders in a Presbyterian church, which will lead to an explanation of the finer details of the differences between, 'teaching elders', and 'ruling elders', and their Biblical warrant and a bit of a defence of the Presbyterian system, which could give me an opportunity to denounce the RC system and speak on perhaps some of the draw-backs of congregationalism.
I would also include the duties of elders obviously, then embark on the qualifications themselves and expound on that I suppose.
I've done a lot of Biblical study, and I must have a reasonable ability in this area as I got a distinction in my diploma and I was told that, 'very few' people get that.. But I've never actually prepared a sermon before!
Should I just treat it as if I'm preparing an essay on the subject? I want each message to include some practical advice, and some gospel warnings. As I said, I've heard a lot of preaching in my time, and always desired to do this, and now I'm being given my chance (since I have a qualification now), but I'd like a bit of advice and pointers please from some people who might care to offer some thoughts and encouragement.
Anyone have any small books on preaching and/or elder qualifications? I do have the predecessor to the puritan hard-drive, the set of DVD's so I have plenty of books, so if anyone wants to refer me to something, or to recommend something else to download it would be much appreciated.
Thanks
My minister has asked me to commence preaching regularly on alternate Sunday evenings (Commencing 11/1/15). While I do feel reasonably confident to go ahead and do this, and I'm very much looking forward to this as its been a big desire to do this for about 20 years, I have little to no experience. That said I have been under good preaching for many years and heard quite a few very good preachers in my time.
I've emailed my tutor from the College I did my diploma through in Northern Ireland, and asked him for some literature on preparing sermons and preaching, and as he is on holidays he is probably too busy to reply at the moment.
I've been asked to preach on Titus and the qualifications of an elder, so I've read and taken notes on Hodge's commentary on the WCF chapters 30 and 31. I'm reading through Calvin’s commentary on Titus. But there seems like such a huge wealth on information, and I'm also preparing for College also with some pre-reading so I don't want to spend over 25 hours preparing. I've already spend about 4 hours.
Some of the best sermons I've heard is really enhanced by excellent delivery, and interesting content aimed at making the message so plain that it is irrefutable.
As I'm able to basically commence a series on this subject, I was thinking one message as an introduction to the office of elders in a Presbyterian church, which will lead to an explanation of the finer details of the differences between, 'teaching elders', and 'ruling elders', and their Biblical warrant and a bit of a defence of the Presbyterian system, which could give me an opportunity to denounce the RC system and speak on perhaps some of the draw-backs of congregationalism.
I would also include the duties of elders obviously, then embark on the qualifications themselves and expound on that I suppose.
I've done a lot of Biblical study, and I must have a reasonable ability in this area as I got a distinction in my diploma and I was told that, 'very few' people get that.. But I've never actually prepared a sermon before!
Should I just treat it as if I'm preparing an essay on the subject? I want each message to include some practical advice, and some gospel warnings. As I said, I've heard a lot of preaching in my time, and always desired to do this, and now I'm being given my chance (since I have a qualification now), but I'd like a bit of advice and pointers please from some people who might care to offer some thoughts and encouragement.
Anyone have any small books on preaching and/or elder qualifications? I do have the predecessor to the puritan hard-drive, the set of DVD's so I have plenty of books, so if anyone wants to refer me to something, or to recommend something else to download it would be much appreciated.
Thanks