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Writing a Sermon on Paper

Last Updated October 15, 2009 by Matt 5 Comments

I preached this past Sunday, and due to certain circumstances I started writing my sermon on paper. My wife Alicia was interviewing on Friday for a residency next year and I went with her (mostly for the free meals). There were four separate interviews scheduled, so I thought that would give me some good time by myself. I took with me the notes I had made about the text for the week and some paper and a pen so I could write my sermon while she was in her interviews.

Usually, I write my sermons (like most people, I ‘d expect) on the computer. Computers are so much more efficient, right? You can cut and paste, move things around, look up a verse real quick and insert it into the sermon with just a few clicks. So, I wasn’t looking forward to writing my sermon on paper last friday, but I wasn’t going to lug my computer around all day.

When Alicia went into her first interview, I put my head down and started writing my sermon. Her first interview ended up being really short, probably 20 minutes, but in that period of time I wrote, mostly in outline form, over half of my sermon. There was something about putting the pen on the paper with no distractions–no internet, no email, no twitter–that allowed me to focus and think clearly. I wasn’t able to finish the sermon while I was there, so I took what I had written home.

I decided that I would finish writing the sermon on paper, even though I was at home. So, I sat down and cranked out the rest of the sermon in almost no time. Later, I transcribed what I had written to the computer and made a few minor edits, but for the most part I really enjoyed writing a sermon on paper. I’ve heard it said that poets should never write poetry on a computer; it makes the process too technological and removes the organic creativity that comes when stroking a pen across a sheet of paper. Perhaps sermon writing is the same way.

Have you tried writing a sermon in a different method than normal? What were the results?

Filed Under: Ministry, Uncategorized Tagged With: sermon

About Matt

Matt Cleaver has written since 2004 on youth ministry, theology, and the church. His blog was ranked by Youth Specialties as a Top 20 Youth Ministry Blog. Click here for Matt's list of the Best Youth Ministry Books.

Comments

  1. Rusty says

    October 15, 2009 at 2:09 pm

    I’ve found that my Wednesday lessons are easier to put together when I write them in my notebook first. Once I do that, I usually type them in Word before printing them out for revisions and discussion questions.

    Reply
  2. Grant Alcorn says

    October 15, 2009 at 5:15 pm

    I have grown to adopt the method of writing little down and as I read throughout the week I edit and write the sermon in my head.

    I usually have an outline, very brief, and one or two illustrations written out.

    Makes it hard for someone to fill in for me using my notes!

    Reply
  3. Tom Pounder says

    October 16, 2009 at 4:45 am

    If I know I have a long week ahead filled with meetings and running around, I usually type up some general notes on Monday about my Sunday message. Then, I print it out and pull it out throughout the day to work on it – 20 min. here, 30 there, etc. Then, I go home later that night or early the next morning and type up what I wrote down. I do this over and over again until I’m done.

    I have found this helps me stay focused and when I retype my notes, I usually come up with other ideas or thoughts to that expands on a thought or 2.

    Reply
  4. dave wainscott says

    October 26, 2009 at 9:34 am

    Great post.

    I have been preaching almost twenty five years,
    and that itself may be the reason I have never prepared a sermon on the computer..I have never really even thought about it until now.
    Now that i think of it, I did my first six months of sermons on typewriter (remember those, anyone?), but i gave it up probably becaus it didn’t fell organic and oral enough.

    I take (at most) a page or two of notes with scribbled references an md my own shorthand to stick in my Bible.

    I just finished teaching preaching for the first time. I wonder now that you got me thinking if I should recommend everyone try the “other way” (prep on computer if you never do, and prep without if you usually do)

    Reply
    • Matt says

      October 26, 2009 at 10:41 am

      I think getting people to try to prep differently would be a great exercise. It worked well for me, that’s for sure.

      Reply

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