Week 3

Question 1

Bland’s first step for sermon development

Answer 1

Select the text

Question 2

Bland’s second step for sermon development

Answer 2

Become acquainted with the text

Question 3

Bland’s third step for sermon development

Answer 3

Establish or translate the text

Question 4

Bland’s fourth step for sermon development

Answer 4

Establish the parameters of the text

Question 5

Bland’s fifth step for sermon development

Answer 5

Employ various interpretive voices (commentaries)

Question 6

Bland’s sixth step for sermon development

Answer 6

Create sermon focus and function

Question 7

What is the sermon focus?

Answer 7

gist of the sermon in a concise sentence

Question 8

What is the sermon function?

Answer 8

Concise statement answering, “what do I what this sermon to do in the life of my hearers?” This comes from the genre of the text (praise, exhortation, lament, warning, narrate, etc)

Question 9

According to Dr. Bland, how should we define Biblical sermons?

Answer 9

Biblical sermons should be defined by a commitment to use Scripture as the foundation or source for preaching

Question 10

Dr. Bland also offers an alternate definition of Biblical sermon. What is that definition?

Answer 10

The communicating of a message of a particular portion of Scripture in a particular form to a particular group of people

Question 11

According to Hank Langknecht what is the goal of preaching?

Answer 11

For every hearer to know that the promises of God are for them, which is a moment of faith that the Holy Spirit empowers and makes happen.

Question 12

According to Hank Langknecht, what is the role of the Holy Spirit in preaching?

Answer 12

To create faith in the hearers to accept the promises of God through the sermon.

Question 13

According to Craddock, what are some reasons some preachers experience difficulties studying Biblical texts?

Answer 13

1. Hard exegetical work
2. Unconscious hesitation to studying the Bible
3. A fear that study will reveal unpleasant truths
4. Study involves moving back into a strange world
5. The responsibilities and expectations of ministry can distract the preacher from putting in sufficient study time.
6. Studying the Bible is a process of discovery which can frustrate preachers who want to master its contents quickly.

Question 14

Craddock urges breaking down this movement into easily managed doable steps. The main benefits with this approach are:

Answer 14

i. Having the satisfaction of completing each step on a particular day
ii. Creating forward momentum towards completion
iii. It fits the rhythm of the average pastor’s/preacher’s life

Question 15

Craddock mentions two common approaches to Scripture. They are:

Answer 15

i. Hermeneutic of suspicion (Scientific/questioning approach)
ii. Hermeneutic of assent (Full agreement)

Question 16

Craddock says designing the message into a sermon can be a delightful exercise if:

Answer 16

i. One has put in time getting the message and not procrastinating
ii. If it is kept separate from the first movement of preparation

Question 17

Craddock does not advocate the gathering of stories just to

Answer 17

spice up one’s sermons

Question 18

Craddock says Biblical preaching is not just asking “What does it say?” but also:

Answer 18

“How does it say it?”

Question 19

Craddock mentions several misuses of storytelling to avoid:

Answer 19

Make sure stories have enough dimension (substance) so that it does not diminish the sermon.

Must not be small and silly in our preaching. Must tell a story that minimizes the theology of the text.

Must not use stories in a way that minimizes the experience of the hearer

When create the story, make sure there’s more tell after you make your point

Question 20

Craddock says if there is not a God-ward focus when preaching a prayer, then:

Answer 20

The sermon suffers from a radical disconnect from the text

Question 21

According to Bland, what is the main problem with always equating an expository sermon to a Biblical sermon?

Answer 21

An Expository sermon can be arbitrarily defined by the length of the text. A Biblical sermon should not be defined by length or a particular method