UNDERSTANDING CHRISTIAN PREACHING
HOMILITICS: preaching come from Greek word “HOMELIA” means “to converse” or “to
talk”, or “engaging in conversation”
There are three word commonly use in preaching
1. Sermons: the word sermon come from a Latin word “sermo” that means “ to speak”
the church father Augustine was the first person who used this form for Christian
preaching. It never used in bible.
2. The message: this word commonly used in many places for preaching the gospel and
the messages with the message from God and he/she communicating the message to
the people.
3. The word: the God’s word “logos” is use for word. Logos concept gives more one
meaning. That is reference to Jesus Christ, (Jn.1:1). It is a reference to revealed word
of God, sharing from the word of God is the word.
DEFINITION OF PREACHING
1. Philips Brodes: Christian preaching is the communication of faith by men to men”
2. W.E. Manning. Preaching is the manifestation of the incarnate word from the written
word by the speaker word.
3. Preaching is lifting up the cross that man may look at and live.
4. Preaching is the proclamation of the gospel. The good news of what God has done
and doing.
PREACHING IN NEW TESTAMENT
John the Baptist is considered as the first preacher in N.T
Be prepare the way for “Messiah” he preached the message of repentance.
Jesus Christ was the real preacher; His message was the kingdom of God.
It has 3 fold preaching ministry, teaching, preaching, and Healing.
The disciples started preaching after Jesus.
They preached boldly and without hindrances of Christ Jesus.
Greek difference in Christian preaching
The distinctive communication skills in preaching are developed by the Greeks.
They called preaching as “Rhetoric”
Greek Philo Korax, developed rules of Rhetoric in 466 BC.
Form of preaching can be seen in the writing of Homer. (a writer)
His heroes offers engaged in public address and debates.
Aristotle developed the Rhetoric in 4th BC.
Rhetoric included in the study of grammar and style.
It has a ways of logical presentation
1. Introduction
2. Presentation of facts
3. Conclusion
a. Facts such as the birth, life suffering, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ
b. Proclamation includes the presentation of one experience salvation through Jesus
Christ
c. Proclamation includes the proclamation of what can the lives of the people.
FOUR ELEMENTS OF CHRISTIAN PREACHING
1. Preacher: the Christian preacher speaking on behalf of God
2. The message: the preacher receives to the message from God and share to the gospel.
3. The audience: the context of the audience is important in preaching.
4. The Holy Spirit: the guidance of the Holy Spirit is also important in Christian
preaching through prayer.
HISTORY OF CHRISTIAN PREACHING
PREACHING IN OLD TESTAMENT
The earliest mentioned preacher in Old Testament is Noah.
He was known as preacher of righteousness (2pt.2:5)
His message was about judgement and salvation
Prophet and priests, played important role in keeping the people of God.
Prophets were the next preacher; continue to exercise the power of preaching.
Prophets preached for the law of God.
The Minor Prophets made exposition and application of the law of God.
PREACHING IN THE EARLY CHURCH
The early church fathers ( the disciples, apostles are good preacher)
Among them Tertullian and Ambrose were called pioneers of Christina preaching.
Tertullian used the word trinity in first at Africa.
The Eastern Church followers, Christian known as golden month due to his expert
preaching.
Augustine o Hippo, great preacher he wrote concerning preaching.
He explain the way of communication of the gospel
The church father clement of Rome, clement of Alexandria, origin Justin martyr was
also good preacher.
They were the intelligent preacher
They were also preacher of scriptural exposition.
DEVELOPMENT OF PREACHING IN THE CHURCH
Before reformation the two groups in the Roman Catholic Church called Franciscans
and dominions developed preaching.
They give priority for preaching along with their missionary works.
Francis of spirit initiated this movement.
The purpose was to opposed the heretics( false teachers)
And to strengthen those who are weak in faith.
During the reformation period those were the revival preachers
All reformers were good preachers.
Luther, Calvin, Zwingli etc. Preached and communicated their teaching.
They used simple languages and simple messages to communicate with the people.
After reformation preaching was developed due to the conference of puritans and
evangelicals
Some of the evangelical preachers were John Wesley, Charles Wesley, gorge, whitish
john Baiyam, and Jonathan Edwards.
They were revival preachers, though their preaching, there was a great awakening in
England and United States.
The 19th century witnessed the development of preaching through some pulpit giants
like Charles G finny, D.C. Moody, C.H Spurgion etc.
PURPOSSES AND ADVANTAGES OF PREACHING
4 MAJOR PURPOSES
1. PROCLAIMATION: of the good news of Jesus Christ. ( Jesus come and He is going
to come again)
2. Teaching: explaining the meaning of the finished work of Jesus Christ.
Interacting the believers about faith and Christian life.
3. Encouragement: lifting up the people in the midst of their difficult situations
4. Warning and rebuke: counselling the believers and working them.
ADVANTAGES OF PREACHING
Preaching can reach more people in less time.
Preaching can covered a topic without interruption
Preaching can control the mood of the people.
Preaching can share things more gently.
SOURCE MATERIALS FOR CHRISTIAN PREACHING
THE IDIA
Sermons always begin with a seed of thought.
Sermons of idea are reading bible, prayer, mixing and mingling faith people, listening
sermons etc.
The ideas has to be properly use, it has to be base on a biblical text.
The text
Biblical text related to the idea is needed.
Text can be a verse, verses, a passages, or a chapter
Other sources
Asserting facts in statements
Study materials life commentaries, study bible, dictionaries etc.
TYPE OF SERMONS
Sermons are classified according to the preacher treats the text.
Five type of sermons
1. Topical sermons
It is a sermons based on a topic
Topic can be taken from bible or from day to day life.
There should be a biblical text related to the topic.
The entire treatment of the sermons is based on the topic and not based on the
text.
The point and sub point in the sermon can be from the people and not from the
text.
PREPARATION
1. The topic can be explained in the beginning of the sermons
Answering the questions like
E.g. Love
What?
How?
Why?
Result?
2. Development of the sermon
It is based on the logical development of the topic determine by the preacher
Point and sub points can be connected to the biblical texts
Advantages
It is good for preaching on a doctrinal subject. (trinity, Bibliology, sateriology,
eschatology etc
It can be developed according to the interest of the preacher.
Disadvantages
The preacher has liberty or freedom to preach anything
No study of biblical text in this type of sermons
E.g. Humilities of Moses
Qualities of Moses as a man of humilities
Life of Moses as a man of humilities
Result of the humilities in the life of Moses.
TEXTUAL SERMON
It is a sermon based on a particular biblical text
The preacher can develop a theme/subject from the text.
The development of the sermon is completely based on the text and its thought
division.
PREPARATION
A biblical text is needed
A theme/ subject can be developed from the text.
The contexts
General context of the text (authorship)
Historical context (date & purpose)
Geographical context (where, when)
Background of the book( who are the receiver)
Immediate context of the text
What do the proceeding and following says?
Considering the verses in relation to the whole passage
Considering who is the original speaker and original hearer
The development of the sermon can be made by developing point and sub-point from the text
itself.
Point and sub-point connected with parallel passages and verse taken from outside the
particular text.
Advantages
The text can be handled in an in-depth manner
The lessons of the fact can be brought out
Disadvantages
No detailed study of the meaning of the words in the text.
Textual sermon Example
1Timothy 4:12
Subject: Why we should be a man of integrity?
Theme: set a godly example as a man of integrity
Completer
In speech
In life-style
In love
In faith
In purity
Main Idea: (we should set an example for the believer/ fellow friends because we are
children of God)
EXPOSITORY OR EXEGITICAL SERMON
The word expository derived from Latin word “exposition” means a detailed
explanation or setting for the facts.
It is different from other due to the treatment of the text.
The construction and development of the sermon are different from other type
of sermon
It is based on a thorough study of the text.
PREPARATION
A text is needed( it can be chapter, passages, verses / verse
3 points to look
1. Exposition of the context of the text.
1.1. Explaining the general context (authorship, date, purpose, historical
background, geographical background, context of the author and receiver.
1.2. Explaining the immediate context
Studying the proceeding and following verses.
Understanding the original speaker hearer.
1.3. Understanding the relation of the context and the text. (Understanding the
passage or the fact against the text.
1.4. See how the text fixes into the context.
2. Exposition of the text.
2.1. Studying the words and the meanings. It means
2.2. Studying the original language
2.3. Studying the root word and its meanings.
2.4. Studying the grammar used in the text.
3. Application
Making the study relevant to the present situation.
Advantages
The original meaning of the text can be brought out
It provides the better knowledge of the scripture
Disadvantages
It demands hard work and more time.
Sometime it will not be relevant
Types of sermon
BIOGRAPHICAL SERMON
Studying about a character/ a person from the bible, and preparing a sermon based on his/her
life.
We need text related to the biblical character.
Preparation
Understanding the historical and biographical passages related to the biblical character.
To know the historical background we can use non-biblical source.
To know the biographical areas we need to read bible passages related to the person
Note down the important events in the life of biblical character
Evaluate the nature of the person.
1. Positive qualities
2. Negatives qualities
We can ask certain question
What type of a person?
What did he do in his life time?
What was the impact he made out of his life.
What did he do to avoid his/her negative qualities?
The lesson from the life of biblical character
Application
Is it relevant to the hearers?
Advantage
It can bring a thorough study and its application about a person from bible.
It can create interests.
Disadvantages
It take more time to prepare the sermon
Sometimes it can be familiar to the people and it will become like telling story.
NARRATIVE SERMON
This is a new type of sermon
It is developed after the advanced of charismatic movements.
It is preaching a sermon, like stories telling.
Narrative sermons are crafted around biblical stories/passages
Explaining the passage like a story and bringing the application.
PREPARATION
1. Text should be taken e.g. (story, passages
2. Study the content of the passages clearly. Study the character in the passages.
3. Gather the information about the characters and events in the passage/in the story.
4. Share the story in an interesting way. Explaining the story in a dramatical way.
5. Apply the incidents/ events of the story to the people. This can be made anywhere in
the story.
6. Application can be made directly or indirectly.
Advantage
Very easy to prepare.
SERMONS CONSTRUCTION
1. Select a type of sermons
Select a type of sermons which will relate to present life situation/congregation.
2. Select a text according to the need of congregation.
3. Develop the sermon according to the type of sermon.
PARTS OF SERMON
1. INTRODUCTION
Introduction is helpful, introduce the message.
Without the introduction sermon is incomplete.
The introduction will give ideas to draw attention for the congregation.
Introduction is needed for congregation because they will take time to settle down
their attention.
Preparation of introduction
Introduction has always two purposes
1. To arose interest of the hearers in the subject and to do prepare them to understand the
message.
2. To prepare the audience they will go along with the preacher.
