Sermon Outlines

SERMON OUTLINES provide a structure for outlining your sermons. By the way, there are two structures you can follow when outlining sermons - the deductive model or the inductive model.


How To Write A Sermon Outline

The reason for constructing a sermon outline is because the sermon outline is your road map for writing a sermon.

A deductive sermon outline is constructed with the main preaching point followed by sermon sub-points that expand and explain the main preaching point.

The Main Preaching Point

The main preaching point is the big idea of your sermon outline.

The Sermon Sub-points

The sermon sub-points expand and explain the main preaching point. Furthermore, you MUST link your main preaching point with your sermon sub-points.


Linking The Main Preaching Point With Sermon Sub-points

You link the main preaching point with your sermon sub-points with a HINGE word. The hinge word MUST be a plural noun.

For example, 1 Thessalonians 1:8-10 describes a soul-winning church. You may use the hinge word characteristics to link soul-winning church with the sermon sub-points.

Your sermon outline may look like this:

There are three characteristics of a soul-winning church. They are:

  1. The church will broadcast the gospel message (1 Thess. 1:8a)
  2. The church will live out the gospel message (1 Thess. 1:8b)
  3. The church will be talked about by others (1 Thess. 1:9-10)

Of course, you will place incidental points to explain and expand the main sub-points.


Your Complete Sermon Outline May Look Like This

There are three characteristics of a soul-winning church. They are:

  1. The church will broadcast the gospel message (1 Thess. 1:8a)

    1. They received the gospel message (1:6b)
    2. They proclaimed the gospel message (1:8a)

  2. The church will live out the gospel message (1 Thess. 1:8b)

    1. It confirms the reality of the gospel message
    2. It communicates the reality of the gospel message (1:8b)

  3. The church will be talked about by others (1 Thess. 1:9-10)

    1. They turned to God from idols (1:9a)
    2. They were now serving the true and living God (1:9b)
    3. They were waiting for the Lord's return (1:10)

ANOTHER EXAMPLE could be 1 Thessalonians 1:1-7. These verses explain why the apostle Paul was praising God for the gospel message. You could use the hinge word reasons to link praising God for the gospel message with the sermon sub-points.

There are three reasons why Paul praised God for the gospel message. They are:

  1. Paul praised God for the impact of the gospel (1 Thess. 1:3)

    1. It produced a work of faith (1:3a)
    2. It produced a labor of love (1:3b)
    3. It inspired an endurance of hope (1:3c)

  2. Paul praised God for the power of the gospel (1 Thess. 1:4-5)

    1. The elective work of God (1:4)
    2. The message itself (1:5a)
    3. The messenger himself (1:5b)

  3. Paul praised God for the potential of the gospel (1 Thess. 1:6-7)

    1. They became imitators (1:6)
    2. They became examples (1:7)

Once you have mastered sermon outlining, you will find sermon preparation easy and enjoyable.



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