Homiletics, the basic Recipe

Way back in the beginning as a class member of BSF (Bible Study Fellowship), I often wondered what "Homiletics for Leaders" meant at the bottom of the BSF lesson.  When after a couple of years I became a children's leader, I finally learned what it was.  Part of our leadership prep was doing Homiletics on the scripture passage for the week.  It would then be briefly discussed during Leader's Meeting.  I soon learned from conversation with others, that it tends to be like fruitcake, you loved it or your don't.  And just like Fruitcake, I loved doing Homiletics.  It is this tool that I used as the basis for writing lectures while as a Teaching Leader for BSF.  Since leaving BSF leadership 14 years ago, I had kind of abandoned the practice until my Aunt Sue suggested I teach it to my  bible study group.  With the revival of using this tool I realized it really is one of my favorite ways to study the bible and discover application of biblical text.  (For clarification,  Aunt Sue isn't really my Aunt but my beloved mentor and friend who is a BSF legend and wise, God-centered woman.)

Personally I approach homiletics much like I do recipes.  It provides the general framework of ingredients and steps but I take liberties to modify ingredients and procedure as time and supplies dictate. I find it helpful to my soul, not to be rigid about following it exactly.  People are different though, and I know some are more comfortable following recipes in detail.   Today I am going to present the basic recipe and will let you know places I tend to modify.  

Linda's recipe for Homiletics

Ingredients: 

• Bible, 
• paper (I keep a notebook) and pen.  (Paper and Pen can be substituted with some electronic devise)
• Commentary (OPTIONAL - for clarifying or enhancing after personal homiletics attempted.)
• Other Bible Translations (OPTIONAL - can be helpful for clarification)

Time: extremely variable; may take as little as 30 minutes, may take hours or even days

Procedure:

• Pray
• Read passage of scripture
• Read passage again this time writing as you go a list of 10 to 20 summary statements or sentences that summarize the passage. Follow up sentence with verse numbers it covers. This is called Content List *
• Looking at the summary list (and bible passage), divide the list into 2, 3 or 4 divisions, writing a sentence that summarizes each division.  Write down verse numbers the division covers. This is the Division List **
• Looking at the divisions and pondering the whole passage, write a 10 word sentence that summarizes the passage. This is referred to as the Summary Sentence. ***
• Considering all that has been discovered so far, write an aim based on the passage.  This sentence starts with To Casue Me (or the Audience if used for teaching preparation) to know (do) … This is the application. Basically you are answering the question, how does the passage change or inspire one's thinking or actions. This is known as the Aim ****
• Finally for each division, write an application question that brings action to the Aim. *****

Recipe Notes 

* Sometimes when impatient, I combine the first two steps, writing content list from the beginning. However reading the passage one or more times prior to beginning the list really does increase familiarity with the passage. I also often forget to start with prayer and find praying at any point and throughout the process redeems a rushed start.

** When stuck on knowing how to divide the passage, a short cut is to look at any bible headings your bible might provide.  Sometimes my divisions match this and sometimes they don't. Complete sentences are helpful here.

*** I was taught by people who believed 10 or less words was the only acceptable number of words in a subject sentence however correct grammar was not emphasized.  I tend to believe 11 or 12 words are just fine and often necessary.  And I will never be one to be a stickler for proper grammar (as my blog indicates.) 

**** I was taught to start with TCATK (To Cause Audience to Know) and then write out the Aim.  Recently Aunt Sue said Miss Jonson (BSF Founder) taught her TCATD (To Cause Audience to Do). I tend to interchange them now. 

*****As a teaching leader this is where I developed a principle for each division as well as questions to support that principle and bring it into action.  A biblical principle is a timeless truth about God or Man.  So now when I do homiletics, I sometimes write a principle or a application question or both.

I will conclude this post with this important thought. I view homiletics as very personal.  You are not looking for a cookie cutter outcome. What God speaks to you and me will often be different.  Personally I think it is important to go into the process looking and listening for God to speak to me and not to go in search of "the right answers."  Sharing homiletics with others is very helpful, insightful, encouraging, and stretching.  But comparing can be defeating and counter productive.

So for my next homiletics post I will share my homiletics on Acts chapter one to demonstrate what the process can look like on paper.