The old maxim is still true most of the time: Don’t talk about illustrating; just illustrate. “Congregations can recognize illustrations without being told what they are.”

Although homileticians vary over the best time to write an introduction, most preachers begin to construct an introduction after they have roughed out a sermon’s outline, and then they continue to hone its elements as their preparation progresses.

When a preacher says, “What we should do” or “What you should believe,” the sermon automatically moves out of the abstract.

Preachers whose primary purpose is simply to disseminate information may seem intelligent (and can garner great respect), but they will also seem out of touch, irrelevant, and even uncaring. Pastors, however, who organize textual information so as to minister to congregational concerns remain fully biblical while also expressing personal sensitivit

conclusion. Wraparounds. A highly professional way of concluding is to hearken back to material mentioned in a sermon’s introduction (or other earlier portions of the message).

Preachers who ignore the human flaws in biblical characters out of deference to the reputation of past saints or out of a desire to hold a moral example before present believers unconsciously distract attention from the only hope of true faithfulness.

A message that merely advocates morality and compassion remains sub-Christian even if the preacher can prove that the Bible demands such behaviors. By ignoring the sinfulness of humankind, which makes even our best works tainted before God (Isa. 64:6; Luke 17:10), and by neglecting the grace of God, which makes obedience possible and acceptable (1

Mandate clarity. Preachers who cannot differentiate between a scriptural mandate and a good suggestion drain biblical power from their ministries.

On the best sermon highways, listeners concentrate on their destination and give little thought to the road surface. Only when the sermon’s ride gets bumpy do listeners begin to pay attention to the details of the pavement.