How about you, notes or no notes when you preach? Everyone has an opinion, preaching, however, is vastly personal. Without the personal aspect, your sermonizing may very well be truth, but it will lack the neccessary second part of Brooks’ famous definition of preaching: “Truth through personality.” I think it is innately wrong to demand how anyone preach (though, of course for the very young preacher, stern guidance may help in the process of developing a style all his own), but I do agree with what Spurgeon had to say…Prepare as if the Holy Spirit were not to show up for the message, and then preach totally dependent upon the Spirit as if you had never prepared.
Scot McNight has posted a great article over at www.jesuscreed.org on methods for preaching. His article has created a huge discussion that is worth your while as a preacher to peruse. And, if you read this and then read his article leave a comment here or there with your own methods of preparation.
As for me, I manuscript most of my sermons. This is a practice I began several years ago and it really helps me to organize my thoughts. From my manuscript I develop an outline (usually fill in the blank for my congregation) from which I preach. Preaching from an outline allows a great deal of deviation and give and take in the pulpit. Further preparation for me involves reading widely in the areas surrounding my sermon topic/Scripture reference which allows me to “file away” information that can be used in the sermon.
This is not necessarily the best advice, but it works for me. I just read as much as I can, pray through the manuscript I’ve prepared, and let it go and watch God work through his word.
