Blog

     About ten years ago I switched to series preaching, that is, preaching on a topic, usually over a four to six week period. I found making this switch pumped new life into both my preparation time and the actual proclamation each week. Plus, the response of the congregation to a series was overwhelmingly positive.

     I still used the lectionary of appointed gospel readings as the text for each message. In fact, I was surprised to find a number of connections streaming through many weeks of these readings, allowing for natural ties that could be expressed via a unifying theme. Once that thread was discovered, I looked for timely issues in the congregation and/or the surrounding culture that matched that theme-thread, issues which could be addressed in an interesting series. For example, during the season of Pentecost, with its emphasis on the gospel of Christ moving out into the world with power and success, I once titled a series for those weeks “Make Your Life a Mission” (see Sermon Resources Year A). Each week the message opened up some aspect of living a significant, meaningful life in and for Christ, the light of the world.

     Why switch to series preaching? There a many benefits that make it worth the effort:

1) It gives the preacher a deeper appreciation for the lectionary. When you look over the appointed readings for a number of Sundays in advance, you gain insight into how they inter-relate, and realizes some of the thinking behind the lectionary plan by those who developed it.

2) It allows for a fuller treatment of important spiritual themes. When topics change every week, you can only go inches deep. When you have weeks to unpack a theme, you can take the listener deeper into the waters of faith, hope and love.

3) It communicates to the congregation the preacher’s high commitment to quality messages. People notice the thoughtful planning and preparation given to sermons, which helps them take those messages more seriously.

4) It fosters better attendance. If a parishioner is engaged by a series theme, he or she will not want to miss an upcoming message (the titles of the messages are printed in advance). Over time, this can build stronger worship habits in folks. If people do miss a week, they often try to catch up by getting a copy of the sermon or watching it online or asking a friend about what was said.

5) It promotes evangelism. People are more likely to talk about a series going on at their church with co-workers, friends or neighbors. If they think a topic will especially relate to a problem someone is going through, they are more likely to invite that person to come with them.

6) It builds unity. People feel like they’re sharing an important learning experience together, kind of like attending a conference more than a one day workshop. Instead of “one-and-done,” momentum can be built “week-by-week.”

7) It gives power to the whole worship experience. Why? Because all the music staff and others who plan for worship can plan ahead and pick music that is in sync with the theme, thus adding support and impact to the message each week.

8) It makes the most of sermon preparation. Usually, pastors only use a portion of what they learn during their study for a sermon. When you have weeks on a topic, you can carry forward ideas discovered in your study which will benefit from more time to unpack them. 

     Finally, if the preacher will print a copy of the sermon for each week, they are likely to find people picking them up, studying them during the week, even creating binders for each series. Sometimes, small groups will decide to use the sermon series for an ongoing study. You may also be surprised to find people mailing copies of each week’s message in a series to friends and relatives. I had one member sending them to a relative in prison, who then used the series for a weekly Bible study with fellow inmates.

     Whatever your preaching style, you may want to experiment with series preaching for some of the seasons of the church year, and see how it goes. Yes, it will involve more pre-thought and effort, and may feel challenging at first. But you’ll get the hang of it. And once a series is prepared, each weeks sermonizing is easier. Don’t be afraid to learn from others who’ve done this successfully.  In fact, I encourage you to check out the preaching resources on my website: www.sundaycreations. They offer various series titles for all three years of the lectionary, with extensive notes for each one! No need to re-invent the wheel. Learn from what others have done, especially early on as you while you’re on that proverbial learning curve. Why not give it a whirl? Then, watch what happens: New energy in you. New responsiveness from the people. And new joy in the privilege of proclaiming God’s lively Word!