A deductive structure is one attribute that helps you deliver a sermon that has cohesion and sequence. Using a deductive format will produce deductive sermons that work.
Deductive Sermons That Work
Let’s face it, most people who listen to sermons simply want two things.
First, they want to know what the preacher is talking about.
Second, they want to follow and understand what the preaching is talking about.
That’s not too much to ask for, is it?
A deductive structure will enable you to deliver a sermon that works for you and for your listeners.
How to Prepare a Deductive Sermon Outline
There are several ways you can structure your sermon. You can structure the sermon, deductively, inductively or a bit of both.
However, in this article, I am going to show you how to structure your sermon deductively.
To put it in the simplest terms, deductive sermons that work have a main preaching point followed by sub-points and incidental points.
The Main Preaching Point
The main preaching point is the topic of your sermon or the big idea of your sermon. In other words, it is what you are going to preach about.
For example, you are preaching through the gospel of Luke and you come to chapter 4:1-13. After studying the text, you discover that it is talking about temptation. In fact, it is talking about Jesus being tempted by Satan and how Jesus overcame these temptations.
With that in mind, you decide to tell this story by teaching your congregation how to deal with temptation with a winning smile. So your topic or main preaching point would be: Dealing with Temptation With a Winning Smile.
The Sub-points
Once you have established your main preaching point, you will need to expand and explain your main preaching point with sub-points by asking why, what, where, when and how of your main preaching point.
Of course, we are asking the how question. How can we deal with temptation with a winning smile?
When I wrote a sermon for this passage of Scripture, I came up with three sub-points.
- Recognizing Temptation Immediately
- Realizing the Way of Escape
- Remembering the Subtleties of Temptation
The deductive sermon outline now looks like this.
There are three ways to deal with temptation with a winning smile. They are:
- Recognizing Temptation Immediately
- Realizing the Way of Escape
- Remembering the Subtleties of Temptation
Incidental Points
Incidental points are points that expand and explain your sub-points. Sometimes you only need to explain your sub-points. Other times you will need to expand your sub-points. When you do this, they become incidental points.
Here is the deductive sermon outline with main preaching point, sub-points and incidental points.
There are three ways to deal with temptation with a winning smile. They are:
- Recognizing Temptation Immediately
- Realizing the Way of Escape
- Jesus Trusted God
- Jesus Trusted God’s Word
- Remembering the Subtleties of Temptation
- To Draw Us Away From God
- To Rely on Our Own Resources
The deductive sermon outline now has cohesion and sequence. As you preach through this outline, your congregation will be able to follow you and hopefully understand what you are teaching them.
Of course, you will need to write sermon content to your outline, write a sermon introduction to your outline and write a sermon conclusion to your outline.
How do you write your deductive sermon outlines?
Resources For Deductive Sermons That Work
Chapell Bryan, 1994, Christ-Centered Preaching: Redeeming the Expository Sermon, Baker Book House, Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Koller Charles W, 1995, How To Preach Without Notes, Baker Book House, Grand Rapids Michigan.
Braga James, 1981, How To Prepare Bible Messages, Multnomah Press, Portland, Oregon.