How to Write Sermon Outlines

As a pastor, your most important duty is delivering a sermon, and this responsibility should not be taken lightly. A well-crafted, properly worded sermon is the result of hours of prayer, study, writing and revision. A strong sermon outline is a crucial step that will help you clearly and effectively communicate the word of God to your congregation.

Determine the main message. If someone only remembered one thing from your sermon, what would you want that to be? Look over the scripture passage that you have been studying and determine the main point. Everything else that you discuss should relate back to this overall theme.

Determine the sub points. As you study the passage, prayerfully consider the supporting points to your main theme. For example, if your main message is to share your faith with others, a supporting point could be to share your faith in the face of ridicule. Be sure to have scriptures that support each point. Aim to keep the amount of sub points to around three; otherwise your congregation could be overwhelmed.

Insert illustrations and stories. Illustrations and stories are important to help bring your sermon into your present day context. Jesus was always using parables and metaphors to convey his message, and you can do the same. Use personal experiences, popular topics of the day, or even examples from music or movies.

Write a conclusion. For some pastors, the most difficult part of a sermon is knowing when to wrap it up. Having a specific concluding thought will help bring the message to an end. Re-state the main message and give your congregation a relevant application and specific actions to take.