One question that often comes up is “When is my sermon ready to preach?” This is not an easy question to answer for a few reasons. One reason it is difficult is because some preachers never spend enough time in preparation. They allow the demands of ministry to overpower their need to preach effective sermons.

Timidity in the Pulpit

Other preachers, however, make the opposite mistake, and never think the sermon is ready for preaching. They go into the pulpit timidly and without the confidence that should come from adequate preparation.

So how do you know? The first thing you should know is that the sermon is never done. In fact, Dr. Brad Braxton, one of my homiletics professors in seminary, noted that a sermon is not the manuscript, but a sermon happens in the preaching moment. And I am sure that you have gone in the pulpit, with a prepared message, and have had the Spirit to change that message in the preaching moment.

Now after having said that, we must come to the realization that the Spirit will do some editing of your sermon manuscript even while you are preaching. It is important to be open to that leading and to follow that leading of God.

Another related point is that when you preach that sermon again, you will need to make alterations to the sermon manuscript (or outline) based on both how the sermon went this time and who you will be preaching the sermon to next time. So again, the sermon is never done…

Follow a Comprehensive Sermons Preparation Method

OK, the sermon is never done, but when have you gotten enough done to be ready to preach it this time? I would make a few recommendations. First, follow a full sermon construction method. There are a number of books out there on the subject. You can download my own free ebook 7 steps to an effective sermon which you can find by clicking here. In addition, you might be interested in the online preaching course Supercharge Your Sermons. But you can also follow any number of books and methods for constructing effective sermons.

Now I encourage you to follow all the steps of that method. You will be tempted to assume you know something, or skip over something you think is irrelevant. Don’t do that, go ahead and follow the whole method. You can certainly supplement the method with more steps, but don’t skip anything.

Edit and Practice

Next, edit your sermon manuscript or outline at least three times. Edit for theology one time. Edit for verbiage and word choice one time. And finally edit for grammar. These will help you to make sure that you say what you intend to say.

Practice your sermon out-loud. How does it sound? Does it feel ready? What is missing? Do this a few times, but don’t overdo it, as I noted before, you can always make changes to a sermon manuscript.

Bathe your preparation in prayer. Ask for God’s help all the way through the process of sermon preparation.

If you have done those things, then stand up and preach the message with power knowing that you have done what you needed to do to get your sermon ready for preaching. Go ahead and make alterations for next time, but know that God will use your sermon to make positive change in the lives of your people.

Related posts:

1. How to Use Another Person’s Sermon
2. Sermon Should Transform Us Before Others
3. Leaving the Gospel’s Oddity In the Sermon
4. The Importance of Staying Ready
5. Four Disjointed Points is not a Sermon