Preaching Part 2: "The Goals of Preaching"

My family chipped in and bought me a GPS for my birthday last year. It's worth slightly more than my 94' Honda Civic, so I wanted to make sure I used it as much as possible. The key to maximizing the GPS is that you need to know your destination before you start the trip. If you don't know where you're going, then it can't possibly help you get there and you will just drive around aimlessly looking at the mesmerizing moving map on the GPS' screen.

I've heard many sermons that make me realize that a lot of pastors preach sermons with no clear destination (or "goals") in mind. It becomes painfully obvious early in the message that they don't know where they're going and they don't know where they're taking the audience. It's an uncomfortable experience for everyone involved.

It's imperative that a preacher be laser-focused on the goals of his sermon. Before he even starts preparation, he must ask himself, "What do I want these people to know and what do I want them to do?". The answers to that question represents the destination or "goals" of the sermon. Once you know where you are going, map out the most direct route possible (with a few scenic points of interest along the way to keep the passengers interested). Preachers must also remember that the ultimate goal of every sermon is to clearly and correctly lift up the Gospel and the name of Jesus Christ. If we will do that, He will do the rest.

"And when I (Jesus) am lifted up from the earth, I will draw everyone to myself.” John 12:32 (NLT)