Preparing to Preach: Eraser Day

For four weeks, I compile as much information as I can. I study individual words, I read commentaries, I create outlines, I dig around for quotes and stories. By the time, I'm done, I have pages upon pages of charts, lists, drawings and web-clippings.

After a month of collecting, on Thursday, I start cutting.

By Thursday morning, I've narrowed my sermon down to four key movements and one main point. Anything that doesn't fit into those movements or support that point gets erased. By the end of Thursday, I've erased enough to have a sermon that can be preached in less than 30 minutes and will hopefully equip people to take 1-3 next steps on their spiritual journey.

Someday I hope to write more about this process, but for now, it's back to the eraser.