Preaching Resources: Illustrations

UNDER CONSTRUCTION

We’re building this new area on our website for FCA members—to help you find that story, statistic, or quotation that can strengthen the impact of your sermon.

Why? Because preparing sermons can be difficult. Finding the best way to communicate God’s Word to today’s generation can seem an elusive task at times.

So we’re inviting our members to help each other. We’re hoping that this will become a community effort—sharing the stories that have worked effectively for us.

We know, of course, that nothing can replace the anointing of the Holy Spirit. When it comes to delivering a transforming message, neither polished oratory nor the in-depth research can accomplish what God alone can do.

At the same time, we also know God wants us to hone our speaking skills and develop our gifts. He wants us to use available resources. In other words, Don’t bury your talent! 

Check out the illustrations. Then send in a story that worked effectively for you. And this area takes shape, let us know if you have suggestions on how to improve it. Simply contact us at: email@template.kubernetsinc.co.uk.

May the Lord bless you as you work to faithfully and effectively serve him!

Here are some basic suggestions for retelling stories or using information that you obtained from other resources.

1. As a common courtesy and (even more) as an ethical standard, always cite the person or source of your information.
2. Keep it simple. You don’t need to elaborate on all the details, just the basics. Too much information can bog your sermon down, interrupting the flow of your message.
   • You don’t have to provide every specific detail, just enough to direct people in the general direction if they might care to investigate further.
   • Remember that a sermon is very different than a classroom lecture.
3. It’s okay to provide only a generic reference, especially when your congregation will have no experience or knowledge of your source or author. Examples:
   • A 16th-century monk once said…” 
   • “A recent broadcast on CBS News reported on the epidemic rise in…” 
   • “I’ve been reading a fascinating book about…”