Message Prep System

As a department head or pastor in ministry, it is important that you develop a yearly message plan. The people you lead deserve your best as you pour into their lives.

The following is the system I use in preparing for our messages:

1. Every year I lay out a yearly preaching calendar. I preach one series per month. (This year we are doing one over a two month period due to holidays.) In future posts I will give you this years schedule.

2. Two months out I prepare a series synopsis that will lay out every message and includes the following elements. (Two months out I will also prepare the series graphic for promotions)

Series Verse:
Series Subject:
Series Synopsis:

Messages:

• Date –
• Message Name –
• Big Idea –
• Scripture –
• Application –
• Message Synopsis –

3. Four weeks out, as a team, we will prepare a first draft of the message that will include the following:

• Me - Introduction

Stories and/or movie clips to introduce the message and big idea.


• You - Connection


Ask questions about desired outcome wanted.

• How do we want people to think differently?
• How do we want people to feel differently?
• How do we want people to act differently?

Big Idea


• God – Biblical Foundation


Scriptures & Biblical Stories centering on Big Idea.


• You - Application


How we can apply the Big Idea into our lives.


• We - Vision


Answering the connection questions about the desired outcome we want.


• Altar Call

4. Week of the message teacher will review message for changes and additions to tighten it up.


Two books that have impacted my message prep are The BIG IDEA – Focus the Message and Multiply the Impact and Communicating For A Change.

Together these books are forming the basis of my prep this year.

Read the other posts related to the "Message Prep System"
-->> Series Synopsis
-->> Message Prep Lost - The Arrival