I preached at the local Anglican school’s senior school chapel yesterday and on Tuesday. I have gotten to know their new chaplain, Matt Gray, who is kind of like Tim Keller for high school chaplaincy.
It’s a different ball game preaching for 8-10 minutes. Annoying to have to do it, but important to learn how to do it.
Here’s a few things that help a sermon hit home in a short time:
- The mighty quote that summarises your point and seals the deal.
- The list of impossible applications: it both illustrates your point, by saying what it doesn’t mean, and also is a subtle form of apologetics, responding to common misconceptions.
- The bald, clear statement. This is one of the great powers of John Chapman and John Stott. Saying something idiotically simple. But saying it with such clarity and conviction that it really does its job. Like an uppercut from Rocky Balboa.
