Preaching Methods, Part 2: Christ-Centered Preaching Series 5 of 6

By Larry Kirk

Introduction: From Preparation to Proclamation

Last week in Part 1, we walked through a practical pathway and checklist for sermon preparation. We considered six foundational practices that together form a disciplined and repeatable approach to preaching:

1. Prepare yourself and your materials. Cultivate your own Christ-centered life. Read biblical theology. Listen to Christ-centered preachers.

2. Read and reflect on the text with redemptive sensitivity, looking for themes that point to God’s saving purposes.

3. Exegete the text in its original context.

4. Ask contextual and pastoral questions.

5. Construct a clear outline.

6. Highlight and hone the big idea.

Part 1 focused on preparation. Part 2 now moves from preparation to proclamation.

Once you have identified and refined the big idea of the text, how does that idea shape the sermon itself? How do you move from outline to living, Christ-centered proclamation?

In this lesson, we consider five essential practices:

1. Unify with a proposition

2. Explain with a purpose

3. Craft contextual applications

4. Connect to Christ and the gospel

5. Engage the human heart

1. Unify with a Proposition

Bryan Chapell calls it the proposition. Others call it the big idea, the burden of the passage, or the central theme. Whatever term you use, the principle remains the same: everything in the sermon must pull in the same direction.

Years ago, when I practiced jujitsu and judo, I learned that a smaller person can overcome a stronger opponent—not by relying on isolated strength, but by locking the entire body into one unified movement. When you apply a joint lock correctly, you do not use your arms alone. You bring your hips, your back, your legs—your whole body—into focused force on a single point.

That is what a sermon should feel like.

• Your introduction introduces it.

• Your main points develop it.

• Your subpoints clarify it.

• Your applications press it home.

Everything is brought to bear on one central proposition.

For example, in preaching a passage from 1 Peter built around two imperatives—“Be subject to every human institution” and “Live as servants of God”—a simple outline might be:

• Be subject

• Be servants

But what unifies those commands?

The central proposition is this: As followers of Jesus in a hostile culture, we must live as model citizens.

How?

By being subject.
By being servants.

Our primary posture toward government and culture is not red-faced confrontation but Christlike service. We silence ignorance not through rage but through doing good. When a sermon is unified, every explanation and every application reinforces that central burden.

2. Explain with a Purpose

Explanation is not an academic data dump. It is disciplined clarity in service of the big idea.

Yes, there are times when you must explain words like propitiation, justification, or sanctification. Yes, you may need to clarify historical background or theological nuance. But explanation must be selective and strategic. 

Ask yourself:

• What must my listeners understand to grasp the burden of this text?

• What clarification will serve the proposition?

• What details can I leave out?

If you spend twenty minutes wandering through technicalities that do not advance the main idea, you dilute the sermon’s force. The goal is not to impress people with what you know. The goal is to help them understand what God is saying.

Every explanation should move the listener closer to the heart of the passage.

3. Craft Contextual Applications

Application requires as much care as exegesis.

It is easy to say, “You should pray more,” or “You should give more,” or “You should be more loving.” But faithful application requires pastoral wisdom. Why do people struggle? What fears, idols, wounds, or pressures stand in the way? How does the gospel speak into those struggles?

Strong application answers four essential questions:

• What?–What is the text calling us to believe, repent of, or do?

• Where?–Where in real life does this confront us—our marriages, our parenting, our work, our leadership, our cultural moment?

• Why?–Why should we obey? What gospel motivation fuels this call?

• How?–How do we find the strength, the power, and the practical steps to obey?

Application that answers only “What?” often produces guilt.
Application that answers “What, Where, Why, and How?” produces gospel-shaped transformation.

A sermon is never delivered in the abstract. It speaks to real people in a particular congregation with unique needs and pressures. Wise application requires you to know your people.

4. Connect to Christ and the Gospel

Every faithful sermon must flow from and point back to Jesus Christ.

This does not mean forcing artificial connections. It means recognizing that every text stands within the unfolding drama of redemption and ultimately finds its fulfillment in Christ.

As you preach, you may “play the music” of the gospel quietly throughout—subtly reminding listeners of who Christ is and what he has done. And there may be moments when you intentionally turn up the volume and explicitly anchor the application in the finished work of Jesus.

When you call people to obedience, show them:

• Christ’s obedience on their behalf

• Christ’s forgiveness for their failure

• Christ’s Spirit empowering their growth

Without Christ, application becomes moralism.
With Christ, application becomes worship.

The sermon must not merely tell people what to do. It must show them who Christ is and what he has already done.

5. Engage the Human Heart

Preaching is not merely the transfer of information. It is an appeal to the whole person—mind, will, and affections.

The psalmist says, “Taste and see that the Lord is good.” It is not enough that people know God is good. They are called to taste his goodness.

So how do we engage the heart in non-manipulative, genuine ways?

• Through well-chosen illustrations that illuminate rather than distract

• Through stories that serve the text and expose its beauty

• Through vivid language—metaphor, analogy, word pictures—that help listeners feel the weight and wonder of truth

• Through pastoral vulnerability and appropriate passion

Sometimes engaging the heart means leaning in and allowing people to see how the text has first confronted and comforted you.

But we must guard against emotional manipulation. We are not trying to engineer feelings. We are seeking to faithfully present Christ so that the Spirit awakens holy affections.

Conclusion: Bringing It All Together

In this lesson, we have seen that:

• Everything in a sermon must be unified around the central proposition.

• Explanation must serve clarity, not complexity.

• Application must answer What, Where, Why, and How.

• Every sermon must flow from and lead to Jesus Christ.

• The preacher must aim for the heart in genuine, Spirit-dependent ways.

When these elements come together, the sermon becomes more than a lecture. It becomes a unified, Christ-centered proclamation that explains the text, applies the gospel, and calls believers into joyful obedience.

As you prepare your next sermon, ask yourself: Is everything in this message pulling in the same direction?

If it is, then by God’s grace, your preaching will not only inform minds—it will transform lives.

Preaching Methods, Part 1: Christ-Centered Preaching Series 4 of 6

By Larry Kirk

Developing a Faithful and Practical Path for Sermon Preparation

Faithful preaching requires more than good instincts or spiritual passion alone. It requires hard work—thoughtful, disciplined, and prayerful labor shaped by deep conviction. As Paul reminds us in Colossians 1:28–29, we proclaim Christ, “struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me.” That kind of labor benefits greatly from a clear method.

Over the years, I have found it immensely helpful to approach sermon preparation with a practical path—a process I can trust to guide me through everything I need to see, consider, and accomplish. I often describe this as a preaching path, much like a well-marked trail in a national forest. Forest rangers design trails intentionally so hikers can see the most important vistas. In a similar way, a good preaching method helps ensure that we do not miss what matters most in the biblical text or in the lives of our people.

Hunters understand this instinctively. In the woods, animals follow well-worn game trails—paths that reliably lead from bedding areas to water, to food, and back again. Over time, those trails become clear because they work. Sermon preparation benefits from the same wisdom: a trusted path that leads us where we need to go, week after week.

Why Preachers Need a Method and a Checklist

Some pastors resist structured methods, fearing they will stifle creativity or the Spirit’s work. But experience—and research—suggests the opposite.

A helpful illustration comes from surgeon Atul Gawande, who studied ways to reduce surgical complications worldwide. His surprising discovery was that the most effective intervention was not better training, but simple checklists. Surgeons resisted checklists because they felt unnecessary and humbling. Yet when implemented across hospitals—from Tanzania to Seattle—complications dropped by 35 percent and death rates by nearly 50 percent.

The checklist did not replace skill or judgment; it ensured that critical steps were not overlooked under pressure.

Sermon preparation works much the same way. A method does not replace prayer, insight, or gifting. It supports them. And if this particular method I share with you does not resonate with you, the larger principle still stands: every preacher needs a thoughtful process—a checklist that ensures faithfulness to the text, attentiveness to people, and clarity of message.

A Practical Pathway and Checklist for Sermon Preparation

What follows are six key practices that together form a practical approach to sermon preparation.

1. Prepare Yourself and Your Materials

Before preparing a sermon’s message, the preacher must prepare his own heart. Gospel-centered preaching flows from a soul that is listening before it speaks.

Early in the week, I try to approach the text devotionally—not analytically. I read it prayerfully, allowing it to settle into my mind and heart. I want the text to begin shaping me before I attempt to shape a sermon from it.

At the same time, preparation includes gathering materials. This might involve pulling commentaries from the shelf, downloading sermons or lectures to listen to during the week, or organizing articles and notes.

Just as athletes or outdoorsmen prepare their equipment before heading out, preachers must prepare both spiritually and practically.

2. Read and Reflect on the Text

This step is distinct from formal exegesis. Here, the goal is humble reflection—meditating on the text in your own language--and sometimes in several translations--noting themes, tensions, questions, and initial impressions.

This reflective reading allows the preacher to encounter the passage personally before consulting other voices. Writing down early observations is especially helpful, whether by hand or digitally. These first impressions often surface pastoral insights that can be lost if we rush too quickly into technical analysis.

3. Exegete the Text in Its Original Context

Only after reflection do we move into careful exegesis. This is where seminary-level training can be especially helpful: understanding the historical setting, literary structure, grammatical details, and theological intent of the passage.

Words, syntax, and literary features matter. Sometimes what initially captures our attention turns out not to be the author’s main point at all. Faithful preaching requires submitting our instincts to the discipline of careful interpretation so that we proclaim what the text actually says—not merely what resonates with us.

4. Ask Contextual and Pastoral Questions

Before writing the sermon, pause and ask questions that bridge text and people.

Every congregation is unique. There are no generic churches. Preachers must resist the temptation to imitate voices or styles shaped for very different contexts. What speaks powerfully in one city or culture may miss the mark—or even cause harm—in another.

Ask questions such as:

• Who are my people?

• How will believers hear this?

• How might skeptics or seekers respond?

• What cultural assumptions or “defeater beliefs” might block understanding?

In every culture and ministry context, certain beliefs are so deeply assumed that they can short-circuit biblical truth before it is fairly considered. Wise preaching anticipates these obstacles and addresses them with patience and clarity.

5. Construct a Clear Outline

Outlines are not restrictive; they are liberating. A clear structure helps listeners follow the message, helps the preacher stay focused, and reinforces the unity of the sermon.

A good outline allows you to preach with freedom rather than being tethered to notes. It also disciplines you to clarify what truly matters in the passage.

6. Highlight and Hone the Big Idea

Every biblical text has a dominant burden—a central message. Everything else in the sermon should serve that main idea.

Highlighting means distinguishing what is primary from what is subordinate. Honing means sharpening how that central truth is expressed—making it clear, compelling, and memorable.

The goal is not to showcase insight or eloquence, but to proclaim Christ with clarity and power so that God’s word does its intended work in the hearts of his people.

Conclusion

Faithful preaching is both spiritual and disciplined. It requires prayerful dependence on the Spirit and thoughtful attention to process. A practical method does not quench the Spirit; it creates space for faithful labor guided by conviction, humility, and love for God’s people. 

By developing a clear path for sermon preparation—one that prepares the preacher’s heart, honors the biblical text, engages the real lives of listeners, and sharpens the central message—we position ourselves to proclaim Christ with faithfulness and fruitfulness, week after week.

The Music and the Dance: Christ-Centered Preaching Series 2 of 6

By Larry Kirk

One of the most important convictions behind Christ-centered—or gospel-centered—preaching can be captured with a simple analogy I often use when teaching at the seminary, in the church, and even in my own personal life. I call it The Music and the Dance.

Imagine a large house where two kinds of people live together: some who can hear, and some who are deaf. Picture yourself as an observer looking in through a window.

A man walks into a room and presses a button on an entertainment system. Instantly, the room fills with music. It’s obvious he’s enjoying it. He doesn’t just stand still—he begins to move with the rhythm. At first, his movements are subtle, but before long he’s fully dancing. He’s caught up in the music, responding naturally and joyfully to what he hears.

Then a second man enters the room. He is deaf. He watches the first man carefully and thinks, That looks wonderful. I want to do that. So he begins to imitate the movements. At first it’s awkward and uncoordinated, but as he studies the other man closely, he starts to get in step. Eventually, he appears to be dancing in rhythm.

Now imagine a third person standing next to you at the window. He doesn’t know either man. From his perspective, both appear to be doing the same thing—listening to the music and dancing in response to it.

But are they really doing the same thing?

And does it matter that they are not?

That question gets to the heart of this analogy—and to the heart of preaching, ministry, and the Christian life.

There is a kind of preaching and ministry that focuses almost entirely on the dance. It is deeply concerned with whether people are moving correctly—whether they are in step, following the right rhythm, and obeying the proper commands. It prescribes steps, corrects missteps, and calls people out when they fall out of rhythm. But it doesn’t pay much attention to whether people are actually hearing the music.

Over time, this kind of approach can produce a familiar experience. People try very hard to live the Christian life. They keep moving. They keep serving. They keep obeying. But gradually—often quietly—they stop hearing the music.

For some, this happens because of the sheer longevity of ministry. Years of responsibility, disappointment, criticism, and unmet expectations can wear down the soul. The result is a kind of Christian living that still dances, but no longer delights. The movements continue, but the joy fades.

At the core of gospel-centered preaching is a refusal to separate the music from the dance.

Christ-centered preaching does not choose between grace and obedience, or between proclamation and application. It does both. It turns up the music and calls the dance.

In this analogy, the music represents the massive message of God’s redemptive love in Jesus Christ. It is not limited to forgiveness, justification, or the promise of heaven. It includes adoption into God’s family, the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit, and the sure hope that all things will be made new at the end of history. It is the full kaleidoscope of grace that flows from the incarnation, life, death, resurrection, ascension, and ongoing reign of Christ.

The dance represents the whole Christian life—the call to love God and love others, and all the practical expressions of obedience that Scripture lays before us through its commands and exhortations.

The point of the analogy is not that we should turn up the music and forget about the dance. Nor is it that we should focus on the dance while ignoring the music. Faithful preaching requires both. The dance must always be connected to the music.

This is why gospel-centered preaching means preaching the person and work of Christ as both the motive and the means of Christian living. Every application of Scripture must be rooted in Christ.

The question preachers must ask as they prepare sermons is not simply What should people do? but How does the richness of our redemption in Christ supply both the reason and the power for this obedience?

The dance always has to be related to the music.

This conviction is not new. John Calvin put it plainly when he wrote:

“We ought to read the Scriptures with the express design of finding Christ in them. Whoever shall turn aside from this object, though he may weary himself throughout his whole life in learning, will never attain the knowledge of the truth; for what wisdom can we have without the wisdom of God?”

Charles Spurgeon echoed the same conviction in his own words:

“Preach Christ, always and everywhere. He is the whole gospel. His person, offices, and work must be our one great all-comprehending theme.”

Christ-centered preaching, then, is not about mastering techniques or perfecting steps. It is about ensuring that people hear the music of the gospel clearly and continually—so that their obedience flows from joy, gratitude, and love for Christ rather than from imitation, pressure, or exhaustion.

When the music is heard, the dance follows.

Core Convictions: Christ-Centered Preaching Series 1 of 6

By Larry Kirk

In 2 Timothy 4:1–2, Paul gives Timothy one of the most solemn and weighty charges in all of Scripture:

“In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: preach the word. Be prepared in season and out of season. Correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction.”

This is only one of many passages in Scripture that speak about preaching. But it captures something essential: preaching is not a peripheral task in pastoral ministry. It is central.

There are many good and important things that pastors do. We plan services. We shape liturgies. We develop small groups. We build discipleship strategies. We think about leadership development, evangelism, and mission. All of these matter.

But when you read the New Testament, nothing is emphasized quite like this: preach the word.

For example, almost every church I know today is deeply committed to small groups—and for good reason. They serve fellowship, community, discipleship, and mission. But nowhere in the New Testament do you find a command that says, “Develop small groups.” You do, however, find repeated, explicit, emphatic commands to preach.

I once searched the New Testament for the words “preach” and “preaching.” I found nearly 100 passages, 79 of them in the New Testament alone.

In Matthew’s Gospel, as soon as Jesus emerges from the birth narratives, we read, “From that time Jesus began to preach.” Later, “He went from town to town to preach.” Jesus describes his own ministry by saying, “The poor have the gospel preached to them.” He reminds his hearers that Nineveh repented at the preaching of Jonah—and then uses that to indict his own generation for not repenting at his preaching.

In Mark’s Gospel, the word “preaching” appears four times in the first chapter alone. Jesus says, “I must go to other towns also, to preach there.” He appoints the twelve and sends them out to preach. They go and preach everywhere.

The same pattern continues throughout Acts and the Epistles. Peter preaches. Paul and Barnabas preach. Paul asks for prayer that he might preach boldly. And when Paul writes to Timothy and Titus, he tells them—again and again—to preach.

It is so common in Scripture that we almost stop seeing it.

Preaching and the Renewal of the Church

What Scripture emphasizes, history and research confirm.

Dr. Thom Rainer conducted a major study of churches that had declined or plateaued and then experienced genuine renewal. In every case, one of the dominant factors—often the dominant factor—was the preaching of the senior pastor. Not merely that he was a “good communicator,” but that his preaching was shaping and leading the renewal.

Rainer also studied church plants and found something similar. When people were asked what most influenced them to come, stay, and commit, the most common answer was the preaching.

Christianity Today once did a large study asking why people with a church background, who moved to a new community, chose the church they did. The number one answer was the beliefs of the church (89%). The second was the preaching of the senior pastor (87%). Worship style, children’s ministry, and other factors all ranked lower.

Mark Dever famously writes that the first and most important mark of a healthy church is expositional preaching, because if you get this right, all the others should follow.

There are complexities in how that plays out in real life, of course. You can preach excellent sermons on evangelism and still not instantly produce a congregation full of bold evangelists. But the basic insight is sound: preaching is one of the primary ways God shapes, guides, and renews his church.

So the question becomes: How can pastors and church planters preach in a way that truly changes lives—both believers and unbelievers—for the glory of God?

The Foundation: Core Convictions

Here is the first main principle:

Lay a foundation of core convictions for gospel-centered preaching.

John Stott puts it memorably:

“In a world that no longer wants to listen, how can we be persuaded to go on preaching and learn to do so effectively? The essential secret is not mastering certain techniques, but being mastered by certain core convictions.”

If you are truly convinced that you must preach the word—that your preaching must expose what is actually in Scripture—you will find a way to do it, even if your techniques are imperfect.

If you are convinced that people must clearly understand the implications of God’s word for their lives, you will labor to make your message plain, even if your illustrations are not brilliant.

If you are convinced that preaching is a God-ordained means of grace through which God changes hearts, you will keep preaching “in season and out of season,” even when you feel inadequate or discouraged.

Techniques matter. But convictions drive everything.

So what are some of these core convictions?

1. Dependence on the Holy Spirit

Authentic preaching is always a test of faith.

On our best days, we stand before a congregation made up of real people with real crises: broken marriages, secret sins, deep grief, fragile faith, and desperate need for grace. We bring what we have prepared—and it feels like the boy with the loaves and fishes. What we bring is never enough.

Yes, God is sovereign. But he works through human instruments. And unless God himself works, nothing truly lasting will happen.

The greatest preachers in history—men like Charles Spurgeon—spoke often and openly about their dependence on the Holy Spirit.

The image is like Elijah on Mount Carmel. He builds the altar. He arranges the sacrifice. He even pours water on it. Then he steps back. Unless God sends fire from heaven, nothing happens.

This conviction must shape not only how we preach, but how we prepare and how we pray. For me, this means cultivating dependence all through the week—and especially in worship before preaching. However you structure your own disciplines, you must learn to step into the pulpit consciously dependent on the Spirit of God.

2. Love for the People You Preach To

Another core conviction is genuine love for those you serve.

Jack Miller, in Outgrowing the Ingrown Church, describes “preaching by faith.” He used to sit on the platform before preaching and look out over the congregation, deliberately reminding himself of God’s deep love for each person.

Preaching is not delivering information to an audience. It is loving real people with the truth of God.

If you truly love them, you will labor to be clear. You will speak with patience. You will apply the word with both courage and tenderness.

3. Faith in the Power of God’s Word

There are many voices today saying that preaching is not very effective, that what really matters is one-on-one discipleship or small groups or personal counseling.

All of those are important. But Scripture shows us again and again that God uses the public preaching of his word to save, convict, and transform.

Jesus preached. Peter preached. Paul preached. And the Holy Spirit worked.

Some of the great movements of revival in history can be traced back to a single sermon that God used to change a life—who then changed other lives, and so on.

We should step into the pulpit with real faith that God works through his word.

4. Humility and Hard Work

Another essential conviction is humility.

Preaching is never about displaying ourselves. It is about serving Christ and his people.

And humility always shows itself in a willingness to work hard. Paul speaks often about laboring. Preaching well—especially in today’s culture—requires serious study, serious thought, serious prayer, and serious preparation.

5. Proclaiming Christ in All Things

At the center of everything is this final conviction: in all our preaching, we proclaim Christ.

Paul writes in Colossians 1:28:

“We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone mature in Christ.”

Whether we are teaching, correcting, or encouraging, the ultimate goal is always the same: to bring people to maturity in Christ.

Not to showcase our insights. Not to impress with our skill. Not to build our own reputation.

We proclaim him.

Conclusion

In a world that no longer wants to listen, the future of faithful preaching will not be secured by better techniques alone.

It will be secured by men who are mastered by deep, biblical, Christ-centered convictions—and who step into the pulpit week after week in dependence on the Spirit, love for their people, faith in God’s word, humility, and a relentless commitment to proclaim Christ.