Becoming a Better Preacher: The Benefit of a Sermon Manuscript

(This is what one of my manuscripts typically looks like. I cut the page around the margins and it fits perfectly in my Bible. Usually, one sermon manuscript will be anywhere from five to seven of these pages.)

I realize that the Spirit of God is the One Who must work through the proclamation of His Word. God is the only One Who can work on the hearts of men, but there are things I can do as a preacher to help me be all that I can in the pulpit. I don't mean for the praise and approval of men but giving our all to our King whose Word we are preaching and doing our best to be an unashamed workman.

One thing that has helped me tremendously is typing a manuscript. I realize that this doesn't work for everyone, but it does for me. I literally preach the message through my keyboard. This helps me in a number of ways.

-A full manuscript helps me develop my thoughts and many times while I am attempting to explain a verse or phrase my understanding is deepened as a result of my thought process. Many times the Scriptures become more clear in ways I have not yet seen as I am explaining them.

-A full manuscript can be looked to much later after much of the sermon and study has been forgotten and I can be refreshed and reminded of the richness of the study as well as how I felt about certain points of interest by the way they were written or typed.

-When looking back on a manuscript I am reminded by illustrations or references what I was reading at the time, or who I may have been listening to, or what peaked my interest.
-If I feel the need to preach the message again, all of the hard work has already been done and by reading and becoming familiar with the manuscript I find myself refreshed with the subject and reminded of the exegesis of the text.

-Typing a full manuscript expresses my thoughts fully for both now and later use instead of briefly with shorter notes. The message, for me, is preserved and not forgotten.

-Reading past manuscripts help me to see progress in my understanding of theology, my passion for God and His glory, and the possible errors I may have made.

-Filing manuscripts preserves the preacher's labor and thoughts for future generations to feed off of.

-Manuscripts keep the preacher working hard and not relying on his oratory skills, knowledge, or spontaneity.