So Pastor, What's Your Point? by Dennis Prutow

[Covenant Joel]

We are coming back on HMA this summer, and so I will be preaching a number of times. Someone had recommended Dennis Prutow's So Pastor, What's Your Point a while back, and so I've been reading it just to get me thinking again as I plan new sermons for our time in the States.

Any thoughts on the book? In particular, I'm interested in thoughts on his approach to outlining. I.e., he recommends a sequential, full-sentence outline which usually encompasses 5-6 sermon moves, rather than a traditional outline with main points and sub points. His argument is that a sequential outline works much better orally as it provides natural episodes for the ear to pick out rather than ethereal points which work better in a printed medium. I'm curious if anyone uses his approach or doesn't but has thoughts about it.

 

[dtaylor3]

I'm torn. I have used sentence outlines and I have used printed manuscripts and I am not sure which I prefer.

 

[TheCalvinist]

We're using his book alongside a couple others in my homiletics class right now. It would seem that his method is great when done well, listen to some of his sermons on sermon audio, they are great.

If not executed well, the sermon can seem jumbled, and lack a bit of unity.

 

[Bill The Baptist]

I prefer sentence outlines for the simple reason that I like to look at the congregation as much as possible and it is much easier for me to find my place again with a sentence outline as opposed to a full manuscript.

 

[Backwoods Presbyterian]

I had Dr. Prutow for class so I am a bit biased, but I have found the outlining process he recommends to be very helpful in organizing my sermons.

 

[Covenant Joel]

Thanks for the comments. To clarify: I'm not so much asking just about sentence outlines, as some recommend that even without recommending the sequential outlining he recommends. The idea is that each sermon "move" leads to the next one, and so isn't just a traditional outline division with points/sub-points that may be 3 parts of one main idea.