Table Of ContentFrom Study to Sanctuary:
Planning a Calendar and Developing a
Process for Effective Preaching
A Thesis-Project
Submitted to the Faculty of
Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary
In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirement for the Degree of
Doctor of Ministry
by
Phillip Hargrove Jr.
Greenville, South Carolina
January 2018
Copyright © 2018 by Phillip Hargrove, Jr. All rights Reserved
Acknowledgements
To Cary: my wife, soul mate, best friend, and ministry partner—thank
you for putting up with more pouting and procrastination than productivity
through the years. You make doing life together an adventure and a joy. My
heart will always find its home with you.
To Allie, Mia, Lincoln, and Rosa—thank you for humoring me by
saying that you love it when daddy preaches. I’m starting to believe it.
Table of Contents
Acknowledgements iii
Table of Contents iv
Table of Tables x
Abstract xii
Chapter 1 The Problem and Its Setting 1
The Scene 1
The Problem 4
The Rationale for Planning and Developing a Process 6
The Hypothesis 7
The Ministry Setting 8
The Importance 9
The Opportunity 11
The Purpose 12
The Questions 13
The Not in the Scope of This Thesis-Project 14
Chapter 2 Theological and Biblical Foundations 15
General Theology: God Speaks, Preachers Speak 16
God Speaking in Relationship to Himself and Humanity 17
Preaching: A Theology of the Word(s) 20
Applied Theology: Preachers Plan Preaching, Preachers
Prepare Sermons 24
Theological and Biblical Foundations for Planning
Preaching and Preparing Sermons 25
iv
Old and New Testament Practice 28
2 Timothy 4:2 34
2 Timothy 2:15 37
Acts and the Pastoral Epistles: Located in Specific
Ministry Contexts 38
General Theological and Biblical Foundations on
Planning 41
Jesus and Paul 42
Proverbs 45
Conclusion: Benefits and Cautions 47
Chapter 3 Literature Review 49
Introduction 49
Contemporary Texts on Planning Preaching 49
Gibson, Preaching with a Plan 50
Rummage, Planning Your Preaching 55
Classic Texts on Preparing Sermons 57
Robinson, Biblical Preaching 58
Buttrick, Homiletic 60
Stott, Between Two Worlds 63
Craddock, Preaching 65
Greidanus, The Modern Preacher and the Ancient
Text 69
Chapell, Christ-Centered Preaching 72
Lowry, The Homiletic Plot 77
In General Conversation: Broad Touch Points 82
v
Conclusion 84
Chapter 4 Project Design 85
Introduction 85
Planning a Preaching Calendar: Limitations, Plan 87
Congregational Evaluation: Questionnaires, 93
Focus Groups, Interviews 93
Philippians: Congregational Surveys 93
Proverbs: Congregational Surveys, Descriptive
Narrative 95
Galatians: Interviews, Feed Forward Group 97
Preacher Evaluation: Ministry Narrative, Journals 100
Ministry Narrative: Descriptive Research,
Journals, Interviews, Personal Case Study 101
Confirming with Others: Interviews 103
Final Thoughts 106
Conclusion 108
Chapter 5 Outcomes 110
Introduction 110
Results 112
Peace Experienced, Effectiveness Realized 112
General Results 114
Personal Synthesis 119
Reflections 119
One Size Does Not Fit All 119
vi
Follow the Steps, Stir in a Bowl, Presto? 121
Preaching Is Not the Be-All, End-All 121
Contextualization Key 122
“Know Thyself” 123
Effectiveness and Unction 124
Stopping the Spigot: Safeguards for the
Information Collector 125
Further Reflections 127
Questions to Address and Further Study 128
Questions Related to Effectiveness 128
How to Measure Effectiveness? 129
Further Study Areas 130
How Much Time to Spend on Sermon Preparation? 131
Too High a View of Preaching? 131
Solitary or Communal Event? 132
Big Idea Worship? 134
Conclusion: Interpretations, Implications,
Recommendations 135
Implications 136
Recommendations 138
Commit to Planning an Advance Sermon
Calendar 139
Gather Resources for Regular Sermon
Research 139
Decide on a Sermon Preparation Process 140
vii
Elicit Help 140
Establish Stops 141
Appendix A Planning a Preaching Calendar 143
“Marinating”: The Main Motivation 147
General Benefits for Planning Sermons: A Survey 150
Disadvantages to Planning a Preaching Calendar 157
Appendix B Literature Review of Authors’ Sermon Preparation
Methods 161
Appendix C Professors’ and Pastors’ Sermon Preparation
Process 175
Introduction 175
Background: The “Big Rocks” of Sermon Preparation and
the Big Idea 176
Appendix D What Makes a Sermon Effective? 198
Sermon Effectiveness: Perspectives 199
Effectiveness: The Holy Spirit 214
Effectiveness: Evaluation Forms and Articles 216
Effectiveness: Communication Skills 221
Conclusion 223
Appendix E Personal Devotion and Sermon Preparation 226
The Inherent Tension 226
The Intuitive Ideal 229
The Personal Reality 238
The Hopeful Synthesis 242
Conclusion 243
viii
Appendix F Personal Process for Sermon Planning 245
The Four-Week Sermon Cycle: Phil Hargrove’s “Month-
Out Mile Plan” 246
Bibliography 251
Vita 262
ix
List of Tables
Table A.1: Scott Gibson’s Planning a Preaching Calendar 144
Table A.2: Stephen Rummage’s Developing a Preaching Calendar 145
Table A.3: Stephen Rummage’s Preaching Strategy Worksheet 147
Table A.4: Advantages for Advance Sermon Planning 150
Table B.1: Haddon Robinson’s Ten Stages Approach to Sermon
Preparation 161
Table B.2: David Buttrick’s Homiletic Process 163
Table B.3: John Stott’s Steps for Preparing a Sermon 164
Table B.4: Fred Craddock’s Two Stages of Sermon Preparation 166
Table B.5: Sidney Greidanus’s Ten Steps to Christocentric Sermons 167
Table B.6: Bryan Chapell’s Sermon Preparation Broad Steps 168
Table B.7: Bryan Chapell’s Christ-Centered Method 169
Table B.8: Eugene Lowry’s Homiletic Plot Method 172
Table B.9: Eugene Lowry’s Sermon Preparation Process 174
Table C.1: Four Basic Elements of Sermon Preparation 176
Table C.2: Timothy Keller’s Synthesis on Basic Elements of Sermon
Preparation 177
Table C.3: Phrases Used to Narrow Down to a Single Idea by a Sample of
Pastors 178
Table C.4: Donald Sunukjian’s Large Framework 179
Table C.5: Alastair Begg’s Foundational Questions 180
Table C.6: Alastair Begg’s Overall Focus 180
Table C.7: Chuck Swindoll’s Overall Focus 180
Table C.8: Mark Galli and Craig Brian Larson’s Preaching that Connects 180
x
