Smart Sermon

PS! This is the last episode before our Summer break - back in August with more episodes.

Do you do these expository mistakes in your preaching? This week, part 1 of a three part series, we look at some common mistakes with the use of Greek words in sermons.

Resources mentioned in the episode:

D.A.Carson, Exegetical Fallacies: http://amzn.to/1UMfhAb

Louw & Nida dictionary: https://www.logos.com/product/199/greek-english-lexicon-of-the-new-testament-based-on-semantic-domains

BDAG & HALOT dictionaries: https://www.logos.com/product/5228/bdag-halot-bundle

A quick report from my trip to Salvador in Brazil last weekend, and then crucial tips on how to preach deep, solid sermons in simple language that everyone can understand. Be challenged to take your preaching to the next level!

"Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication." ~ Leonardo da Vinci

"Make everything as simple as possible, but not simpler." ~ Albert Einstein

This week we will look at more of the questions you submitted on our Facebook-page.

Listen to the discussion about questions like:

• How can I improve the closing of a sermon?
• How can I figure out how to pick a topic/passage to preach on quicker?
• How do I make my sermons more applicable? I heard that using too many personal stories for applications makes you seem self-centered.
• How do you feel about engaging controversial topics on the pulpit, such as abortion, homosexuality, etc?

So listen to this week's episode right now for an interesting discussion of these issues.

This week (and the next) we are looking at some great questions from you guys, like

• Is having a manuscript absolutely necessary when preaching?
• How can I make a sermon outline?
• What do I do if I lose the audience's attention?

Listen to this episode and see if Dr. Vetne's suggestions sound helpful or not.

To be able to ask questions yourself in the future, make sure that you "like" our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/smartsermon/ or join our email newsletter at http://www.smartsermon.com/

Why is this podcast (and my book) called Smart Sermon? Why not "Anointed Spirit-filled Sermon" or "Practical Useful Sermon" or "Unselfish Love-focused Sermon"? These are all good suggestions, but there is a reason for why I chose this provocative title.

There is no reason why preaching has to be either inspiring Spirit-filled preaching OR practical OR focused on the Christian fundamental virtue of love OR being educational and interesting. It should be all of the above.

Listen to this episode and see if you agree.

Another exciting news: My Smart Sermon book was released this week on Amazon.com. If you like this podcast, you will love the book. Go and order a copy now on Amazon.com

Not all stories are equally powerful. Make sure you know what kind of stories will make the greatest impact on your congregation.

Commentaries are vastly underused by most preachers in their sermon prep. Here are some practical tips on how to use commentaries, why you need to use them, and what kind of commentaries you should get.

Ok, we want to preach deeper and more biblical sermons, but how do we practically go about preparing such sermons? Here are some useful tips to get us going.

All sermons need to have these 4 elements in order to be effective and powerful. We need to fill both the intellectual, practical, and emotional needs of our congregation.

Trends in preaching come and go. We take a look at the 3 classical types of sermons - expository, topical, and narrative sermons.