How I Write a Sermon, Pt 1, SCORRE Method

When I was at Teen Mania, I took part in a program called the Fellowship of the Burning Hearts.  There were a group of 10 of us that were to read through the Bible as well as 30 other books, speak 18 times, critique 36 sermons and meet every other week as a group under the mentor-ship of Ron Luce.  We had other assignments, but these were the most substantial.  I set college aside during that time, because I knew that a communications degree wouldn't be giving me the tutelage that I was going to be receiving in this nearly one-on-one program.  It is one of the most fundamental and prolific experiences of my life to date.  I have known in the deepest part of me that I was called, designed and destined to be an orator for as long as I can remember.  In the 2nd or 3rd grade, my mom had signed me up to be in a speech class.  I can recall agreeing with her that it was a good idea, and thinking, "This will help build me to be a speaker, to prepare me for my calling."  I knew that it was a tangible way for what I was convinced that I was created to do.  I wish I could interact with my little 7-year-old self now!

It's been a while since I have written a teaching or a sermon.  In the past decade, I have spoken to groups ranging from a 10-person small group to a 1000-person auditorium, and my process, no matter the size of the group, has evolved into the same process.  The whole point of sharing something in a structured way with someone is so that they can 1 - understand it, 2 - remember it, and 3 - apply it.  I would encourage you the next time you hear a teaching or sermon to 1 - summarize the point of the teaching, 2 - decide the application that was encouraged, and 3 - think about whatever really hit home with you personally in that moment/hour/day that you heard the teaching.  Speakers have to work hard and it is a time-consuming process to develop one's assigned or personally decided topic to evolve that thought into an effective teaching.  Ken Davis, developer of the SCORRE system said "...75 percent of the people leave a presentation with no idea what the point of the message was. Even worse, 50 percent of speakers can’t identify the objective of their own talk."  He was a guest speaker on Michael Hyatt's blog and shared the power of effective preparation/presentation.

1. Effective communicators know how to prepare a message with a singular and crystal clear focus.
   • If you know where you are going, you can take anyone with you.
   • If you aim at nothing, you will hit it every time.
2. Effective communicators know how to read an audience and are able to customize their presentation to make that audience want to listen.
   • Until the audience is engaged, communication has not taken place.
   • An engaging presentation puts people on the edge of their seats.
3. Effective communicators are passionate about their subject.
• They pour every part of their being into the presentation.
• If the subject is not worthy of your passion, it should be distributed in a memo.
4. Effective communicators leave the audience no doubt about how to benefit from the objective of the talk.
   • They call people to action.
   • They make it easy to respond.

His method  is what I have used for every sermon/teaching to date since our time in the Fellowship program.  I am deeply grateful for its ability to help me hone in on what is assigned to me or on my heart to share and to make it accurately applicable.