With a thousand different ways to outline the text, I used to rewrite my outline 10 to 15 times before I landed on a final version. I think I spent more time re-outlining than actually working on sermon content. Everything changed when I decided to toss my conventional main point outline and narrow everything down to one word. I called it a keyword. Not a phrase. Not two words. One word. I was stunned. It not only provided expository focus but also led to homiletical clarity. My study was far more profitable, and my message was far more focused. Here’s how it works. Once you have your keyword, use it in the answer to these questions: 1. What is true? 2. Why do we resist what is true? 3. How does Jesus redeem our resistance? 4. In union with Jesus, what change is now possible? Suddenly, the sermon writes itself. Your exegesis has a target. Your applications become "get to’s" instead of "have to’s." But here's the best part. Your people start to see the same gospel pattern every week. They begin asking these four questions on their own. Your preaching becomes a discipleship tool, not just a Sunday event. Now, I know what some may be thinking. "Won't this be too limiting?" "What if my text has multiple themes?" "Doesn't this oversimplify Scripture?" Here's what I discovered. A single keyword doesn't limit your sermon. It focuses it. You're not ignoring the richness of the text. You're tethering it to one central idea. Think about it. When someone asks a congregation member on Monday, "What was the sermon about?" they're not going to recite three points and multiple sub-points. They're going to say one word. Or maybe a short phrase. So why not give them that word from the start? Why not make it easy on your listener—and on yourself? 🙂 The question to discuss: How have you experienced using the keyword as you build PPGR sermons? How has it helped? Where have you run into challenges?

I watched a video this week by preaching professor Don Sunukjian, who said, "Oral clarity is different than written clarity." That struck me as VERY significant. One implication is that it's different to prepare for the ear vs the eye. And it's different to present something orally than in written form. What are some implications for preaching as we consider this distinction? Have you found anything practically helpful that takes this into consideration? Share below! 👇