Preaching Without Notes

I have seen and am contemplating purchasing a "wide margin" Bible set up for just this sort of thing.
It was suggested that I use an outline format with less than 5 words for each point and each sub-point. This worked to keep me on track and also left enough of in the moment to keep me from appearing canned.
The smaller outline format would fit nicely there and I would have a nice resource to use even when I was tossed in there without notice.

 

Years ago a professor told us that if we preached more than 10 percent of what we studied then we preached too much. I have found that to be true. If I dumped on the congregation all the hours of my study and what I learned they would never return. The sermon would go on into the next day. Plus they would not understand becasue they do not have the same skills I do. Greek and Hebrew words would mean nothing to them. Certainly it is highly likely that the explanation of a pluperfect would mean even less.

In most cases they just want the preacher to tell them what they need to know. Sometime look at how simple the messages were that Jesus taught.

 

I use notes when I teach or preach. >> Being the Minister of Music, I even use notes for the music portion of the service - page numbers, titles, which song is first, second, third, etc., the special music. I keep a running record of all of this so that I don't fall into the "same 50 songs over-and-over" routine.

When teaching or preaching, as the years have gone by I find that I am able to use less detailed notes. I have more understanding of the scripture now through years of study, and have experienced some spiritual growth also. This makes as much difference as anything else.

 

Another lesson I learned about preaching. Pick the youngest audience member of understanding and preach to him; the doctor, the lawyer, the teacher and everyone else will understand what you are preaching. Understanding is the key to effective preaching. If you introduce an unfamiliar word, use a defining word in the next sentence. You build your vocabulary and the audience's.

Cheers,

Jim

 

Amen, Jim!

When I first accepted the call, I was accused of being "high hat." I was invited to join a ministry that held church services in the resturaunt of a truck stop, and being part of that really changed the way I approached preaching.

It can be rather intimidating to try to preach the gospel to a room filled with smoke, waitresses, truck drivers, clattering dishes, and the smell of bacon. It calls for focus, the empowering of the Spirit, and simple talk. Even there, I found the use of short notes to be of service (even if it was only the 'addresses' of the verses that I was going to use).

The old accronym still holds true- K.I.S.S. "Keep It Simple, Stupid"

In Christ,
Trotter

 

I must say that I am disappointed with this thread in that many people have shared their "pet" theories on preaching with or without notes, while very few have actually addressed or offered help on the original question. As I see it there is a lot of "what has worked best for me is the way it ought to be done" and "I don't like it that way so it must be wrong" and on & on. Just because someone has made a botched job preaching with notes or preaching without notes is not a scriptural argument regarding either. Paul commanded, "PREACH THE WORD" and I suspect that when the word is preached the commandment is obeyed.

I'll list some stuff, to which you may or may not have access. Here are some of the available books on the subject:
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• Preaching Without Notes by Joseph M. Webb, ISBN: 0687090881</font>
• How to Preach Without Notes by Charles W. Koller, ISBN: 0801057612</font>
• Preaching Without Notes by Clarence E. MacCartney</font>

The Koller book is a combination of two previous books - Expository Preaching without Notes and Sermons Preached without Notes, are combined in a single volume. Koller was a Baptist, albeit a Northern one! I have read it and recommend it highly. MacCartney's book is an old book from 1946, but might be found in a library.

Also here are a couple of minor items online:
Storr's Conditions of Success in Preaching without Notes - Click on this link above, then click on the link when you get on that page. This begins at the bottom of 745 and continues to the next page.

Sermon notes - a short article on manuscripts, notes and extempore preaching.

J. Alfred Smith, professor at American Baptist Seminary of the West, teaches a course called "A Friendly Approach to Preaching Without Notes", but I don't think he has written any book on it. You might do some research on that possibility. Also if you have access to or can order a back issue of Preaching magazine - "Overcoming the Fear of Preaching without Notes" by Clay A. Kahler; March-April 2002 ~ Vol. 17, No. 5; Preaching PO Box 681868 Franklin, TN 37068-1868 (also in this issue a bonus: "How Reading Improves Your Preaching" by John D. Duncan)

I hope there was a lot of follow up, and that you are not always so easily convinced simply by a poor presentation of one point of view. IOW, perhaps you should have read a scriptural presentation of the idea of preaching without notes.

 

How true what you wrote! Some years ago when my daughter was in third grade we came home after church and she told me she had fifty words that she needed to know what they meant. I counted exactly 50 and everyone were from the service that morning. That afternoon I spent some time explaining those 50 words to her. So the next Sunday I made it a point of using simpler language. It really made me think more about how to explain those words. It helped me and it helped the people to understand better.

 

rlvaughn,

There was more to the original post than that.

There are times that I feel enslaved to the notes I've written, or I don't want to get to far away from the lecturn. Any suggestions on preparation & technique would be welcome.

USN2Pulpit also asked for suggestions on preparation and technique, which we have given him in the form of personal experience and advice. True, the responses have ran the gaunlet from one extreme to the other, but all are valid when viewed as opinion.

I do not own any works that go about teaching how to preach without notes, nor do I plan to acquire any, so I did not recommend any. I did offer my personal preference, and a word or two from my experience.

I have found that this subject is a touchy one, especially to those who have not attended a Bible school or seminary. Most of these open the Bible and explode into sermon. The problem with this approach is that there is sound, but little substance (oh, you get a smidgin of this, and a taste of that, but nothing solid to sink your teeth into). I prefer to have a sermon with order, with a beginning, meat in the middle, and an ending, which is hard to do without some sort of a framework laid.

Learning to preach without notes, to me, is basically trying to memorise the notes that you would have taken into the pulpit with you. I don't know about the rest of you, but when I stand to deliver the Word, my mind is buzzing at about mach 4, and I don't need the distraction of trying to remember which point is number one and which point is number three.

In Christ,
Trotter

 

Trotter, I agree that his question opened the door for everyone's advice, but I think, in context, his plea for "suggestions on preparation & technique" appears to be asking for advice so he was not enslaved to notes and could at times move away from the lectern. But, anyway, my main complaint was that in 5 pages of thread, very few had given him an answer from the direction the question was asked. I guess that's to be expected, though, since most here probably preach with notes, and have not been interested to read much from the other point of view.

"I have found that this subject is a touchy one, especially to those who have not attended a Bible school or seminary."

After reading this thread, I came to the conclusion that it is a touchy subject for people on both sides of the fence. Worthless sermons are not limited to those who have not attended seminary, nor are good sermons limited to those who have.

"Learning to preach without notes, to me, is basically trying to memorise the notes that you would have taken into the pulpit with you."

Many may have this understanding, but it is not the usual advice of Koller, et al.

Another book I want to mention, and did not have the title handy last night, is:
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• A Treatise on the Preparation and Delivery of Sermons by John A. Broadus; ISBN: 158960007X</font>

I assume that John Albert Broadus is a well-known name among Baptists in the U.S., especially the South, and will not be considered anti-education or a back number. Yet he asked, "How can a man pray that God will guide him through a forest, when he has already blazed the entire path, and committed himself to follow it." I believe the ISBN above is the original book and not the one revised by Stanfield.

 

I don't think the issue is whether or not you preach without notes but have you studied and rpayed and do you have something worth hearing.

I am convinced that if the sermon has all those ingredients then there will be action. Some will get mad and some will bless you. I have watched people leave the chruch and others who come to hear the truth and worship God. I have watched leaders rise up and start discipling people. I have also watched church leaders rise up against me the messenger.

 

rl, I hear you.

Please do not take me wrong. I do not have a problem with anyone not using notes. I have a problem with preaching using a "splatter" technique. God is not the author of confusion, and, to be honest, I do not believe that He is the author of a lot of what is called "preaching" in our churches of America (Baptist or no).

I do not believe I could, in good conscience, stand before a congregation and spew forth any idea that popped into my head based off of a verse or two that just happened to catch my eye as I stepped up to the pulpit. God deserves my best in everything, but especially when I am called to preach His word. For me, that involves prayer, study, and some form of notes to jog my memory and keep me focused. Not a manuscript, but notes.

gb, as usual you have given us a dose of wisdom.

I don't think the issue is whether or not you preach without notes but have you studied and prayed and do you have something worth hearing.

Without these ingredients, we will fail as preachers of His word (although we do fine as preachers of our own words).

In Christ,
Trotter

 

Trotter:

A "splatter" technique is not preaching whatsoever and if anyone preaches that way, then they think nothing of what Paul said to Timothy of being "instant in season, out of season."

 

I am thankful that my pastor, who had 15 seminary professors and 100+ seminary students among the congregation, did not do that. His messages were "top shelf" and this young teen rushed home and spent the afternoon in the encyclopedia to seek the context of his references and illustrations.
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That was NOT the normal congregation. The rule still applies. Note, I did not say a simple sermon, but in language readily understood. This still applies to the seminarian, the professor, the doctor and lawyer, and especially to the average congregant.

I was never one to impress by degree. Who am I trying to impress? If more preachers came down from their lofty palace and met the needs where they are, we would have a far stronger church to-day.

Cheers,

Jim

 

A "splatter" technique is not preaching whatsoever and if anyone preaches that way, then they think nothing of what Paul said to Timothy of being "instant in season, out of season."

Amen! Even though that is the exact verse that is often used to justify preaching in that fashion!

When one is put on the spot, you do the best you can through the Spirit's filling and leading. But to do so when there is no need to be unprepared...

In Christ,
Trotter

 

I'm not "easily convinced" of much of anything! I'm always challenging what I hear, what I read, and even what I think. I'm constantly trying to learn!

I'm not sure you've properly represented by comments. Please take note that I did not say I was convinced preaching should be with notes any more than without notes. I'm merely convinced that preaching should be according to the manner in which the Holy Spirit leads and that the tools used don't make it right or wrong. I do object to those in my faith and order who believe "no notes" is scriptural which it is not!

Thanks for the references. When I have some time I'll probably check them out.

 

Thanks for the clarification. What you say here is certainly different than how I interpreted what you said, which was that reading his argument against notes convinced you in favor of notes.

I assume then that you mean that saying ONLY NO NOTES is scriptural is not.

 

Thanks for the clarification. What you say here is certainly different than how I interpreted what you said, which was that reading his argument against notes convinced you in favor of notes.

I assume then that you mean that saying ONLY NO NOTES is scriptural is not. </font>[/QUOTE]Correct!