praying hands over an open Bible

Overcoming the Tyranny of the Sermon

Preaching the Word is the pastor’s primary task. It is not his only task, but it is the one that occupies most of his time, most of his thinking and preparation, and causes most of his stress. I should know. I’ve been doing it for 52 years, and for 30 of those years, I preached three sermons a week. I’ve now reduced it to two a week. I know the stress of producing three sermons a week for 46 weeks a year. The “tyranny of the sermon” has been my constant stress. 

Hence, I had to learn to overcome this stress early in my preaching ministry. The stress of sermon preparation and delivery is something every faithful pastor faces and must learn to overcome if he is to endure in ministry and maintain his joy and fervency in preaching God’s Word. Let me share these 12 helpful suggestions for overcoming the “tyranny of the sermon.”

1. Get Properly Trained in Ministry

Faithful preaching of the Word means declaring “the whole purpose of God” (Acts 20:27), which includes the knowledge of the Scriptures, a good grasp of systematic theology, a knowledge of the original languages, the role of exegesis in the interpretation of the Word, and basic homiletics. It is tempting to go into ministry without seminary training, but the better trained one is, the easier ministry becomes, including sermon preparation. A pastor without theological preparation begins every sermon from scratch. Proper training gives us a head start on every facet of ministry, especially in preaching. If you plan to pastor, go to seminary or Bible college. Are you a pastor without preparation? Seek preparation even as you pastor. One can never be “over-prepared.”

2. Preach Through Books of the Bible

There are various methods and styles of preaching. Style usually applies to the personality and manner of the preacher’s delivery. 

Method usually refers to the particular mode of explaining the Scriptures and their truths. The methods are primarily textural, topical, and expository. All three methods are biblical and effective ways to preach and must be used in different ministry venues. For those who preach often, at least twice a week, and desire to preach for a long time in the same church, the expository method of preaching is the preferred method. 

Expository preaching is preaching through books of the Bible, explaining and applying the contents. 

It is less stressful because it removes the stress of finding a new text and topic every week and supplying some structure to sermon crafting since the structure is always available in the text. The key to effective expository preaching is to preach through books of the Bible that the congregation needs to know and books that excite the preacher. This also removes the stress of having to plan a preaching calendar. All you need to know is what books you will expound on for the year. The menu is already set.

3. Start Early in the Process of Preparation

History says that the great English preacher Charles Spurgeon did not know what he would preach until the hour of preaching. I cannot imagine the stress of such a method. Unlike Spurgeon, I need to know well in advance what I will preach on the Lord’s Day. 

Hence, I begin sermon preparation early in the week or weeks before. My personality does not allow me to go through the week with an unfinished sermon or wait until Saturday night to prepare a “Saturday night special.” Hence, begin your preparation early and relieve the stress of the unfinished sermon.

4. Set Aside Specific Time for Sermon Preparation

A pastor is “self-employed” and can set his own weekly schedule. The pastor’s workweek should include definite hours devoted to each sermon. This includes a definite place to study, the tools necessary for the task, such as a desk or table, a library of books, his computer, and whatever else is essential for sermon preparation. Build your library early in ministry to have all the references handy. In addition, you need solitude and uninterrupted time. Make sure your secretary or, if at home, your family knows you need to be uninterrupted during sermon preparation. For example, my weekly schedule begins with Monday as my Sabbath day of rest and follows with Tuesday and Wednesday as sermon preparation days. I set Thursday and Friday aside for counseling, administration, and other pastoral duties. Each pastor must find a schedule that works for him and his family, personality, and church life. Yet, he should set aside a definite time for sermon preparation.

5. Once You Understand the Text, Stop Researching

Researching the text in Scripture occupies the most time in sermon preparation. There is so much to know, and there is no end to the research that goes into preparing a sermon. The key is to remember that we are preparing one sermon at a time from a particular text for a particular moment. Hence, my research stops once I understand what the text means and arrive at its proper interpretation. This does not mean that I know everything about the passage or book of the Bible, but I know the correct interpretation and purpose of the passage. My research is done. Thus, the stress of continual research is over. One test I use is to select the five or ten best commentaries on the text and then read them all. When the commentaries repeat themselves, and I am gleaning very little new insight, I know I have finished my research.

6. Prepare the Complete Sermon

Once we have arrived at the proper interpretation of the passage, we move immediately to the next phase, which is the preparation of the complete sermon. This includes identifying the point of the passage and the point of the sermon. Then, we create the outline or structure that we will use to explain and apply the passage or text. Complete the outline by including the main points, sub-points, illustrations, and applications. The introduction and conclusion come last but also need to be included. The goal is to complete the sermon in one sitting. When this is done, the sermon is complete and ready to be preached. This step is a major stress remover.  

7. Let the Sermon Simmer

Beginning our sermon preparation early and completing the sermon early in the week allows us to review and meditate on the sermon throughout the rest of the week. We become more acquainted with its content, and the sermon grows in power as we make it our own and pray over its usefulness to the congregation. Meditation, memorization, and prayer give the sermon a special unction that hastily prepared and unfinished sermons do not have. I liken this to preparing a special stew and then letting it simmer on the stove so that it grows in flavor. I even enjoy reviewing the sermons as I go for long jogs during my weekly exercises. It creates anticipation for the preaching event because it removes the stress of the incomplete sermon.

8. Refrain from Making Major Changes

Uncertainty in preaching is a major cause of stress. Not being sure of what we are preaching this week or having doubts about what we will preach adds a dimension of stress, which is unnecessary. We should never prepare two sermons for Sunday and wait until the last hour to decide which one we will preach. This results in indecision, lack of focus, and a weak delivery. The Spiritual unction in preaching takes place in the study and the preparation of the sermon and not so much in the delivery. This is God’s message delivered through the preacher to the people of God. This does not mean that you cannot modify it, add thoughts to it or illustrations, or perfect it, but do not redo the complete sermon at the last minute. Go with the divine game plan. The stress of doubt should be eliminated early in the week.

9. Learn to Preach Extemporaneously

There are different styles of delivering sermons: impromptu, reading from a manuscript, and extemporaneous preaching. The latter is the delivery method, whereby one prepares well, uses an outline or notes, and speaks freely to the audience. Manuscript preaching is exact but very time-consuming and laborious and thus not recommended for a busy pastor who preaches 2 or 3 times a week. Extemporaneous preaching eliminates the manuscript process and gives the pastor more opportunities to preach. It is also, by consensus, the best method of sermon delivery. It is a method worth mastering. Extemporaneous preaching at first seems stressful, but once mastered, it removes the stress of delivery. In this method, the sermon is “the finished product” in its delivery.  

10. Find Time to Review  

Sermons prepared early in the week or well in advance need a special time for reviewing and meditation before the preaching event. The pastor must set aside time for the sermon’s “pre-heating.” 

The preacher reserves an hour or more to review the sermon, to prepare the mind and heart, and to feel comfortable with the sermon. The preacher must eliminate the stress of the rushed sermon. Some sermons need more time than others. Preaching is the high point of the week. Anticipate it and prepare for it. In my case, I set aside Saturday night as a time to review and ignite my soul; then, I sleep on it and wake up early to review again before preaching. For the Sunday evening sermon, I set aside Sunday afternoons for review and meditation before the evening service. 

You will notice that it takes special discipline to ensure these times are available for review and meditation.

11. Enlist Pulpit Supply

Unexpected events and interruptions always fill a pastor’s week. Personal or family sickness, a church member’s death, a leadership crisis, or a natural disaster can interrupt the sermon preparation process. Sometimes, a pastor may need more time to prepare for the beginning of a new book or the preparation of a special series of sermons. In these cases, we can relieve the stress by asking a staff member or fellow preacher to fill the pulpit for us. Some churches build into the pastor’s schedule a Sunday off every now and then for this very reason. In any case, we should feel free to use pulpit supply when the tyranny of the sermon becomes treacherous. It is neither sinful nor shameful for the preacher to exercise this privilege.

12. Enjoy the Preparation and Delivery of Sermons

The danger of not dealing properly with the tyranny of the sermon or the stress of preaching is that it can rob us of the joy and excitement of preaching God’s Word. 

Preaching God’s Word is the pastor’s calling (2 Timothy 4:1-5). It is what we live for and what we enjoy most. The stress that comes from the constant preparation and delivery of sermons can make preaching a chore, a burden, an experience to be endured and not enjoyed. This is not beneficial to the preacher or the people of God. Stress is sometimes helpful, but too much stress can be harmful. 

Find the proper balance in ministry by learning to deal wisely with the “tyranny of the sermon.” May this short piece help you “kindle afresh the gift of God which is in you” (2 Timothy 1:6).  

©2024 Alex D. Montoya. Used with permission.

About The Author

Alex Montoya
Alex Montoya

Alex D. Montoya is the senior pastor at First Fundamental Bible Church in Whittier, Calif. He is the author of the book, Preaching with a Passion.

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