Session 3 Classroom
1: Welcome
Welcome to the Session 3 Classroom.
Everything you need for working through the third session is right here on this page. Start with the video lecture. Download the fill-in-the-blank notes page to help you follow along!
After the video move on to the discussion questions, recommended readings, and practice exercises.
If you are still hungry for more go to section 4 and find fun videos relating to session 3 and a downloadable powerpoint presentation about focus, function, and form in more detail.
2: Session 3 Video Lecture
The third session teaches you about how to animate and bring to life your sermon so that people can receive it with ease. Download and print the fill-in-the-blanks notes page:
⬇️ Download Session 3 Notes ⬇️3: After The Video
Discussion Questions:
- What are some good examples of “stealing like an artist”?
- How could you help yourself cultivate a “knack for noticing”?
- What are some good action verbs that could complete a sermon function statement?
- Bring “be kind” down the ladder of abstraction.
- What are some ideas for props that could be used for a sermon on Psalm 23?
Readings for Session 3:
- Teresa L. Fry Brown, Delivering the Sermon, Elements of Preaching (Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2008), Chapters 3-5, pgs. 29-74.
- Daniel Overdorf, One Year to Better Preaching: 52 Exercises to Hone Your Skills (Grand Rapids: Kregel Ministry, 2013), Chapter 18, pgs. 113-118.
Practice Exercises
Sermon Charades
Preach a 1 minute “sermon” of the text you draw from a hat using primarily your body. Just like in Charades you can not rhyme or say anything that is in the text you are acting out (including no verse references!). See how creative you can get. Here is a list of some verses you can use for charades.
Performing a Text
Pick a short passage of scripture and read it with emphasis and passion. Do voices for the characters, add sound effects, pause for dramatic effect, and anything else you can think of to help bring the text to life.
Power Pose Prep
Watch the Ted Talk about power poses (here). After watching the video do power poses before giving a 3-5 minute impromptu talk about your fondest childhood memory.
4: Keep the Learning Going
``Totally Like Whatever, You Know?``
A poem written and performed by Taylor Mali about speaking with confidence and conviction.
Here is a presentation Andrew prepared about focus, function, and form with more detail than time allowed in the video lecture.
