A few of our Bible students at the Puget Sound Bible
Institute have asked me to write an article about how to prepare an introduction
of a sermon. I'm no homiletical expert. However, after 25 years of preparing and
preaching sermons, I have picked up a few hints that has helped in delivering
God's message to congregations I've had the opportunity to minister to.
First, you must realize the introduction is very
important to the rest of the sermon. If a preacher does not get hold of his
congregation's attention within the first five minutes of a sermon, chances are
they will not grasp much of the rest of the sermon. The human mind can think at
the rate of 750 words a minute. You can only speak about 150 words a minute.
Therefore, the introduction must captivate the listeners mind as quickly as
possible, otherwise they are going to be thinking about what they want to do as
soon as you shut-up.
This should go without
saying, but you should make the introduction a matter of prayer. Ask the Holy
Ghost to lead your thoughts as you prepare. Ask Him to help you to be sensitive
to the needs of the congregation you are going to preach this message to. He
knows their needs better than you do.
Next,
you should understand what the purpose of the introduction is. How does the
introduction relate the other parts of the sermon? The introduction of the
sermon is where you present your case. The body of the sermon is where
you prove your case. The conclusion is where you plead your case.
In the introduction you approach and assert your declaration; in the body you
amplify and apply the documentation; in the conclusion you ask and appeal for a
decision.
When you introduce your sermon you are
trying to convince your congregation that what you have to say is important and
exciting. If you do not communicate that you are excited about what you are
about to say, don't expect your listeners to be excited about your sermon
either. Ask yourself, "Why should my congregation to want to hear this? How does
this apply to those I'm preaching to? How will it benefit them? Why am I
preaching this particular message? What response do I want after the sermon is
over?" The answers to these questions will help you develop a good introduction.
Try to condense the main gist of
your sermon into one catchy statement to use in your introduction. This will
help your listeners to get their mind on track with yours. Remember what Amos
3:3 says, "Can two walk together, except they be agreed." If you want
your congregation to stay with you throughout your sermon, you must make them
agree with you that this sermon is GOD'S message for them THIS
HOUR!
Sometimes a good illustration that conveys
the main thrust of your sermon will get your audiences attention. The delivery
of the illustration must be dramatic and focused upon the main idea of what you
want to accomplish in this sermon. A current event is another good tool to use
in the introduction to show the relevance of what you are about to preach.
A preacher can usually sense if the "atmosphere" is
conducive for imparting spiritual truth. Someone who has never heard you preach
(perhaps a visitor), comes with their guard up. The use of humor in the
introduction is often appropriate in "breaking the ice." This will loosen up a
congregation. "Hey, this preacher ain't so bad. He's funny." Once their guard is
down you can use the sword of the Spirit effectively in applying the truth of
your message.
There is no hard and fast rule as to
the length of an introduction. It should be just long enough to set the stage
for the main points of your sermon. Shorter is better. Remember the objectives
of the introduction. You don't want to lose your listeners before you even get
to the main text of the sermon.
These are a few
things I've learned about introducing a sermon. Preach on! Amen!
Al Hughes, Pastor
Bible Baptist Church, Port Orchard, WA
Copiado de http://www.hurricane.net/~avhughes/images/serm_intros.html
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