Vote for Jesus

By David E Flavell

ISBN 1-84003-848-9 Published by Kevin Mayhew Ltd 80 Pages

This book won't make your sermons more eloquent.

It won't make your sermons more intellectually satisfying.

It won't make your sermons longer.

This book will make your sermons more effective.

Vote for Jesus is a book for new and experienced preachers.

Those new to preaching will find a complete blueprint from start to finish as to how to write an effective sermon. Experienced preachers will discover new approaches to sermon content and construction that will revolutionise the impact of their preaching. Those who think they already are good preachers will be able to buy it as a gift for their colleagues!

Instruction is combined with humour, and there are hints and tips to help preachers learn their craft.

Practical questions are answered such as:

· How can I keep my congregation listening? - You can't but there are lots of ways to regain their attention once you have lost it.

· How can I make my sermons relevant? - Find out the top questions that people want answering from the pulpit.

· How do I start with a bang? - The joke, the story and the illustration, plus the seven worst ways to start a sermon!

The book compares a sermon with a party-political broadcast. Why is this?

1) People switch off when they know one is coming.
2) The aim is for people to put the cross in the right place.
3) The "result" matters more than the "performance".
4) The best ones make them say "My God, that's absolutely right!"
5) The worst are talking-heads droning on about technical issues.
6) Honesty is the best policy.
7) You need to aim for the "swing-voter" each time.
8) The faithful are encouraged when they hear the message repeated.
9) Some people have already made their mind up before you begin.
10) The cumulative effect of several presentations is likely to have more effect than one single go.
11) The response "That was very interesting and made me think" is failure.
12) The response "I'm going to get out and vote" is success.

Now I'm not saying that sermons should be like party political broadcasts. They don't have to follow the same format or the same rules. What I am saying is that sermons have the same aim as party political broadcasts. That aim is to spur people into action. Sermons must seek to persuade.

"Vote for Jesus" tells you how to do just that.

I thought that my analogy was reasonably new, until recently I read a quotation by Charles Finney from 1835: "The object of the ministry is to get all the people to feel that the devil has no right to rule this world, but that they ought all to give themselves to God, and "vote in" the Lord Jesus Christ as the Governor of the universe." Just goes to show there's nothing new under the sun......

Vote for Jesus is available now in your local bookshop at Ł10.99 or you can order signed copies from me for Ł10.50 (inc P&P) or $21.99 (inc P&P)

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If you would like me to come to your church and do a free seminar on how to preach effective sermons, then send me an e-mail.

Look at another book: The Love Feast

Look at another book: Cooking Up Worship

Look at another book: Getting Married in Church - Again