Thirty years ago I attended a Seminar led by Rick Warren of 30,000 member Saddleback Church, that included a section on preaching. In retirement I am listening to the preaching of others and find myself comparing them to what I learned from Rick Warren. He began by asking eight questions when preparing his messages:

1. TO WHOM WILL I BE PREACHING?
2. WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY ABOUT THEIR NEEDS?
3. WHAT IS THE MOST PRACTICAL WAY TO SAY IT?
4. WHAT IS THE MOST POSITIVE WAY TO SAY IT?
5. WHAT IS THE MOST ENCOURAGING WAY TO SAY IT?
6. WHAT IS THE SIMPLEST WAY TO SAY IT?
7. WHAT IS THE MOST PERSONAL WAY TO SAY IT?
8. WHAT IS THE MOST INTERESTING WAY TO SAY IT?

Let me take each question in turn. He argues that our preaching model should be Jesus who said, “The Father who sent me commanded me what to say and how to say it.” (John 12:49)

Question #1 To whom will I be preaching? “Whatever a person is like, I try to find common ground with them so they will let me tell them about Christ and let Christ save them. I do this to get the Gospel to them.” (1 Cor.9:22-23) “Jesus knew their thoughts.” (Luke 11:17) What are their needs, stresses, challenges, problems? What are their hurts? What are their interests? “Speak only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.” (Eph.4:29)

The listener is asking “What does this mean to me?” Three things get our attention: Things we value, things that are unusual and things that threaten us.

Question #2 What does the Bible say about their needs? Jesus always spoke to people’s needs, hurts or interests: “He has appointed me to preach Good News to the poor; he has sent me to heal the broken-hearted and to announce that captives shall be released, and the blind shall see, that the down-trodden shall be freed from their oppressors and that God is ready to give blessings to all who come to him.” (Luke 4:18-19 LB) “All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching the faith and correcting error, for resetting the direction of a man’s life and training him in good living.” (2 Tim. 3:16)

We don’t have to make the Bible relevant. It is! But we do have to show its relevance by applying it to today’s needs.

Question #3 What is the most practical way to say it? “Don’t only hear the message, but put it into practice, otherwise you are merely deluding yourselves.” (James 1:22) “Now go and do likewise.” (Luke 10:37) If the goal of preaching is changed lives, then application is the primary task of preaching! “You must tell them the sort of character which should spring from sound teaching.” (Titus 2:1) It is not enough just to interpret the text. Too many preachers spend all their sermons on interpretation and neglect application.

To make preaching more practical the preacher must always aim for a specific application: “teach them to do everything I have commanded you.” (Matt. 28:20) Tell them why and tell them how. “The words of Peter moved them deeply and they said to him. What shall we do?” (Acts 2:37) We need less “thought-to” preaching and more “how-to” preaching! Preaching can be too long on diagnosis and too short on remedy.

Question #4 What is the most positive way to say it? “A wise, mature person is known for his understanding. The more pleasant his words, the more persuasive he is.” (Prov. 16:21) Negative sermons fill a church with negative people. “Be tactful with those who are not Christians Talk to them agreeably.” (Col. 4:5-6) Jesus never tried to convert people with anger. Nagging doesn’t work. Being abrasive isn’t persuasive. Our basic message to the unchurched must be good news.

When preparing a message ask, is the message Good News, does my title imply Good News? “Do not use harmful words in talking. Use only helpful words, the kind that build up.” (Eph. 4:29) Promote the positive alternative to sin. Preach on negative passages in the Bible with a humble attitude. Identify with people and problems with a loving heart. If you say if offensively it will be received defensively.

Question #5 What is the most encouraging way to say it? “A word of encouragement does wonders!” (Prov. 12:12:25) “Everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and encouragement of the Scriptures, we might have hope.” (Rom. 15:4) Three fundamental needs of everybody is to have their faith reinforced; their hope renewed and their love restored. It is not a sin to make people feel good. The key to encouraging personal change is to tell it like it can be, could be, might be. The definition of prophecy is to strengthen, encourage and comfort (1 Cor. 14:3).

Question #6 What is the simplest way to say it? “When I came to you, it was not with any show of oratory or philosophy, but simply to tell you what God has guaranteed.” (1 Cor. 2:1) “My preaching was very plain, not with a lot of oratory.” (1 Cor. 2:4) Jesus taught profound truths in simply ways. “The common people heard him gladly.” (Mark 12:37)

Simple doesn’t mean shallow. We forget 95% of what we hear in 72 hours. Condense the message into a single sentence. Avoid using religious terms. Keep your outline simple. Make your applications the points of your outline. Put a verb in each point. If you want to change lives use an outline that communicates the application of the text instead of one that just describes the interpretation of the text. Establish a need, give personal examples, present a plan, offer hope, call for commitment and expect results.

Question #7 What is the most personal way to say it? “We have spoken frankly to you, se have opened wide our hearts.” (2 Cor. 6:11) “We were delighted to share with you, not only the gospel of God but our own lives as well.” (1 Thess. 2:8) Honestly share your struggles and weaknesses. “I want you to know about the hard times we went though in Asia. We were really crushed and overwhelmed and feared we would never live through it.” (2 Cor. 1:8) Share where you are making progress and currently learning.

Question #8 What is the most interesting way to say it? “Be wise in the way you act towards unbelievers. Your speech should always be pleasant and interesting.” (Col. 4:5-6) To capture and hold attention for an extended period of time you have to vary your delivery in timing, silence and speed. Never make a point without a picture. Abstractions become obstructions without illustrations.

Tell human interest stories. “Jesus constantly used parables when speaking to the crowds. In fact he never spoke to them without at least one illustration.” (Matt. 13:34-35) Use humor. Hebrew humor used exaggeration or hyperbole to make a point. Humor relaxes people. It makes the painful truth more palatable and creates positive emotions. The most important key is to love the people you are addressing. If you love them they will like you.