Those who prepare a manuscript, preach from the overflow, or present their lessons without notes may all have an outline as the foundation of their sermon.  Preachers vary the fullness or scarceness of the written material they take with them when they stand to preach, but constructing an outline is a wise way to prepare.  Consider two valuable questions concerning the making of an outline.

Why an Outline?

  • Organization. An outline is a value map that helps you (and, therefore, your listeners) see where you are going. It also helps you smoothly, understandably, and quickly transition from point to point. It reminds you of where you are going and how to get there. It helps you define the end, so that you will know when you have finished.
  • Unification. An outline helps you to stay on topic and prevents you from “chasing a rabbit.” An outline ties your ideas together.
  • Simplification. An outline establishes a logical progression, making the lesson easy to follow for you and your hearers. Incredibly, it also is an aid to your retention and memory of the material as you study it. You can more easily recall the simpler message, and the listener will better remember the simpler message.
  • Facilitation. An outline aids comprehension. You will be better able to “get a handle” on the topic. You connect the dots better, and that makes the difference between a smooth ride and a rough ride with sharp turns and spin outs!

An outline is an expedient, but such a wise one. God made human beings to think with logical progression, and an outline appeals to that makeup. Certainly, the content must still be the result of deep study and rich research, but an outline is how you organize the fruit of that study.

How to Outline?

In simple terms, there is an order to outlining.

  • Decide on a main subject (for example, “the church,” “the love of God,” “heaven,” “church discipline,” or “social drinking”). The main subject may come from a great text (like Matthew 16:16-19, Romans 5:5-8, Revelation 21:1-8, or 1 Corinthians 5), or even from a single verse (John 3:16; Acts 2:38; or Isaiah 40:31). It may come from a necessary topical study.  Whatever subject you choose should be the heading of the outlining process.
  • Begin to define sub points. In combination, these produce an overall theme (I, II, III, IV, etc.).
  • Add depth to the sub points (A, B, C, etc.).
  • Some sub points require further development (1,2,3, etc.).
  • Dividing a main point or a sub point logically creates at least 2 sections. If you have an A, you must have a B. If you have a 1, you must have a 2. If you have only one subdivision, either combine it with the previous point or expand the material to at least 2 subdivisions.

Next week, we’ll look at a few examples of simple outlines as an illustration.