PREACH is a multi-session resource, especially suited for those who teach large groups. The first session is for those who present lessons (Sunday School, teens, etc.). The rest of the sessions are for those who preach formal sermons.
“I have been preaching & teaching the Bible, for 28 years. When I was shown how to do a Big Idea Study it took my teaching to the next level. The difference in my delivery and receptivity of my sermon was felt immediately. If you want to level-up your sermon preparation and delivery next Sunday, I can’t recommend The Big Idea method highly enough. It is simple, memorable, reproducible, and impactful.” — Manny C. |
"In just a couple of weeks, my preaching grew by leaps and bounds. My preparation was simpler, my teaching more precise and impactful, and my communication clearer. The Big Idea Study has made all the difference!" — Josh D |
Session 1: Lesson Development and Presentation.
Read a passage of Scripture. Passages are the basic units of thought in Scripture. They usually contain an italicized or bold print heading.
Identify several answers to the following question: What does this passage say about God and people? Include the entire godhead in the first part of the question (God the Father, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit). Let the passage speak for itself. Some passages are equally weighted in what they say about God and people, some not so much.
Create an application question from each answer. Use a word or phrase from the answer to the God/people question and form a personalized question. Use the term "you" in each question. This encourages people to answer on behalf of themselves. Use the term "you" twice for those prone to answer in an impersonal manner. Ask for an explanation for questions that are answered with a yes or no. See examples below.
Provide or facilitate answers to the questions. Sometimes the answer is a personal story. Sometimes the answer consists of responses from Scripture. Depending on your level of experience, you can either arrive with prepared answers, or let the audience generate answers, and develop and answer application questions.
Read Mark 2:1-12 and the samples below. The first line is the answer to the question, "What does the story say about Jesus and people?" The second line is a sample application question.
- Homes are a key place where people experience Jesus Christ. Mark 2:1
What role did/does home-based ministry play in your spiritual life? - People of faith are involved in bringing unbelievers to Jesus. Mark 2:3
Did believers help bring you to Jesus? Explain. - Jesus placed a greater priority on forgiveness than healing. Mark 2:5
Why might Jesus place a greater priority in forgiving you than healing you? - Jesus proves his identity to people. Mark 2:10
How did Jesus prove his identity to you? - A true encounter with Jesus is unlike an encounter with anyone else. Mark 2:12
What are some ways Jesus wants to amaze you?- Through Scripture. Matthew 7:28, 8:7, 12:23
- Through answered prayer. Matthew 21:22, Acts 4:29-31, 12:6-16
- Through our witnessing. Acts 16: 13-15,
Practice: Pick a passage and harvest several answers to the God/people question. Develop personal application questions from the God/people answers.
Assignment: Repeat the steps outlined in the practice above. Contact your teacher when finished.
Step 1. Create a Textual Outline.
A textual outline is developed from a passage of Scripture. Passages are the basic units of thought in the Bible. They contain at least one main idea, and several details.
A textual outline consists of only the words of your translation. Don't incorporate any outside words at this time. This includes not using the passage heading. Creating this type of outline is foundational for a good preaching outline. Your final product will only be as good as your initial step. You will add more in the following steps.
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A textual outline is created by finding a Big Idea, Supporting Ideas, and Defining Ideas. Understanding and identifying these concepts will be key to developing a good outline. We'll learn more about them below. For now, look over the template below to get a visual picture. Note the color coding. Often that is helpful for identification purposes.
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Outline TemplateBig Idea
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A. By Finding the Big Idea.
A Big Idea is a main concept of the passage. It is found by answering the question, "What word or phrase conveys a central idea of the passage?" It may be mentioned once or repeated. It may be located anywhere in the passage. Choose a word, phrase, or sentence from the passage itself, not the passage heading. Note, there will likely be more than one Big Idea chosen when several people compare outlines. The Big Idea will become the title of the outline.
A Big Idea may be just a word or phrase. The smaller the better. This is because you'll expand on it as you develop the outline. A Big Idea with too many words can lead to confusion when it comes to the development process. This will become clear as you go. For now, just remember, smaller is better.
A Big Idea is not the passage heading. Passage headings are not inspired text. Don't let it lead you off track. Sometimes it's helpful to see what the heading says, sometimes it's best to ignore it all together. The more confident you become with this method of study, the less it will guide your thinking.
A Big Idea can be hard to find. Sometimes a Big Idea is obvious. Sometimes it requires extra prayer, patience, and careful observation over time. Repeated readings of the passage as well as reading the other translations can be helpful. Don't paralyze yourself by overthinking. Just pick an important word or phrase and see if you can build on it. You'll know soon enough if what you picked is a valid Big Idea.
A Big Idea takes into account different elements of the passage. Note the different types of speech: nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, prepositions, conjunctions, and interjections. Often verbs play a key role in identifying a Big Idea. Pay attention to locations, time, emotions, and titles as well. Note shifts in scenes and dialogue. Observe the tense: past, present, and future. Consider the genre of each Testament. The Old Testament has four: Law, History, Poetry, and Prophecy. The New Testament also has four: Gospel, History (Acts), Epistles, and Prophecy (Revelation). Consider the chronology of the passage. Remember, revelation was unfolding as it was being written. The canon is closed now, but was open and progressive as it was recorded. Excellent resources are listed below.
A Big Idea can be found by breaking the passage into paragraphs. Marking a key thought in each paragraph can help identify a Big Idea. Pick the main idea of each paragraph and see if one emerges as the Big Idea.
A Big Idea is like a big fish in an aquarium. Imagine you're standing before a large glass panel of an aquarium stocked with different sized fish. You're looking for a big fish, but you're noticing the medium and small fish at the same time. The medium and small sized fish will become important in the next two steps. Remember where they are because you'll refer to them. As you progress in this method of study, you will find yourself putting together a complete study all at once.
A Big Idea is a main concept of the passage. It is found by answering the question, "What word or phrase conveys a central idea of the passage?" It may be mentioned once or repeated. It may be located anywhere in the passage. Choose a word, phrase, or sentence from the passage itself, not the passage heading. Note, there will likely be more than one Big Idea chosen when several people compare outlines. The Big Idea will become the title of the outline.
A Big Idea may be just a word or phrase. The smaller the better. This is because you'll expand on it as you develop the outline. A Big Idea with too many words can lead to confusion when it comes to the development process. This will become clear as you go. For now, just remember, smaller is better.
A Big Idea is not the passage heading. Passage headings are not inspired text. Don't let it lead you off track. Sometimes it's helpful to see what the heading says, sometimes it's best to ignore it all together. The more confident you become with this method of study, the less it will guide your thinking.
A Big Idea can be hard to find. Sometimes a Big Idea is obvious. Sometimes it requires extra prayer, patience, and careful observation over time. Repeated readings of the passage as well as reading the other translations can be helpful. Don't paralyze yourself by overthinking. Just pick an important word or phrase and see if you can build on it. You'll know soon enough if what you picked is a valid Big Idea.
A Big Idea takes into account different elements of the passage. Note the different types of speech: nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, prepositions, conjunctions, and interjections. Often verbs play a key role in identifying a Big Idea. Pay attention to locations, time, emotions, and titles as well. Note shifts in scenes and dialogue. Observe the tense: past, present, and future. Consider the genre of each Testament. The Old Testament has four: Law, History, Poetry, and Prophecy. The New Testament also has four: Gospel, History (Acts), Epistles, and Prophecy (Revelation). Consider the chronology of the passage. Remember, revelation was unfolding as it was being written. The canon is closed now, but was open and progressive as it was recorded. Excellent resources are listed below.
A Big Idea can be found by breaking the passage into paragraphs. Marking a key thought in each paragraph can help identify a Big Idea. Pick the main idea of each paragraph and see if one emerges as the Big Idea.
A Big Idea is like a big fish in an aquarium. Imagine you're standing before a large glass panel of an aquarium stocked with different sized fish. You're looking for a big fish, but you're noticing the medium and small fish at the same time. The medium and small sized fish will become important in the next two steps. Remember where they are because you'll refer to them. As you progress in this method of study, you will find yourself putting together a complete study all at once.
B. By Finding the Supporting Ideas.
Supporting Ideas are the main points of the outline. They describe and explain the Big Idea. They are the medium size fish and are found by answering the question, "What words or phrases support the Big Idea?"
Supporting Ideas usually exist in pairs. There are generally at least two Supporting Ideas for every Big Idea. Sometimes there are several, but usually there are at least two.
Supporting Ideas usually flow from beginning to end of the passage. Unlike the Big Idea, which can be found anywhere, Supporting Ideas generally appear from top to bottom. This is true for Defining Ideas as well.
Supporting Ideas are the main points of the outline. They describe and explain the Big Idea. They are the medium size fish and are found by answering the question, "What words or phrases support the Big Idea?"
Supporting Ideas usually exist in pairs. There are generally at least two Supporting Ideas for every Big Idea. Sometimes there are several, but usually there are at least two.
Supporting Ideas usually flow from beginning to end of the passage. Unlike the Big Idea, which can be found anywhere, Supporting Ideas generally appear from top to bottom. This is true for Defining Ideas as well.
C. By Finding the Defining Ideas.
Defining Ideas are the sub-points of the main points (Supporting Ideas). They are small fish and are found by answering the question, "What words or phrases define the Supporting Idea?"
Defining Ideas should occur in pairs. Try to find at least two defining ideas for each Supporting Idea. A good outline usually contains at least one Big Idea, two Supporting Ideas and four Defining Ideas (two for each Supporting Idea). This is a generalization, not an absolute rule.
Defining Ideas are the sub-points of the main points (Supporting Ideas). They are small fish and are found by answering the question, "What words or phrases define the Supporting Idea?"
Defining Ideas should occur in pairs. Try to find at least two defining ideas for each Supporting Idea. A good outline usually contains at least one Big Idea, two Supporting Ideas and four Defining Ideas (two for each Supporting Idea). This is a generalization, not an absolute rule.
Defining Ideas are often a single word. By the time you get to Defining Ideas you have thoroughly mined the passage, and all that may be left are single words. Don't worry about this. It's a good thing. Keep reading.
Defining Ideas are what you spend the bulk of your time talking about during your presentation. That is because they are what you will explain, illustrate and apply. See Step 3.
Defining Ideas are what you spend the bulk of your time talking about during your presentation. That is because they are what you will explain, illustrate and apply. See Step 3.
Resources
- View sample Step 1 outlines: Acts 17, Isaiah 6
- Watch Keep Watching (2:56)
- Homework: Develop a textual outline from a passage of Scripture.
- Resources: How To Read The Bible For All Its Worth, How To Read The Bible Book By Book.
Step 2. Create a Thematic Outline.
Share the homework from the previous Step.
The thematic outline modernizes the textual outline. It incorporates timeless truths. This means it does not use words that are anchored to the time of the text. Generally, this means eliminating names, locations, and historical references. For instance, instead of saying, "Paul traveled to Corinth" you might say, "We should be strategic about sharing the gospel."
The thematic outline rewords the textual outline. It consists of vocabulary not used in the textual outline. Restating Scripture increases understanding, enhances comprehension and aids in retention. Fresh terminology makes the message vibrant, lively, and relevant.
The thematic outline aligns with your audience. The age, spiritual maturity and culture of your listeners should shape the content of your outline.
The thematic outline is supported by the textual outline. The words in the textual outline validate the thematic outline. Hence, it is stated below the words of the thematic outline. The words in Step 1 confirm the words in Step 2. This will become clear in the samples.
The thematic outline rewords the textual outline. It consists of vocabulary not used in the textual outline. Restating Scripture increases understanding, enhances comprehension and aids in retention. Fresh terminology makes the message vibrant, lively, and relevant.
The thematic outline aligns with your audience. The age, spiritual maturity and culture of your listeners should shape the content of your outline.
The thematic outline is supported by the textual outline. The words in the textual outline validate the thematic outline. Hence, it is stated below the words of the thematic outline. The words in Step 1 confirm the words in Step 2. This will become clear in the samples.
Resources
Step 3. Create a Complete Outline.
Share the homework from the previous Step.
One way to complete Step 3 is by answering a series of questions.
Does my outline have an engaging title? Use the Big Idea to develop a question or addresses a relevant issue. Statements that start with, "How to..., "Why...," and "Top signs of..." generate interest. Create a heading that would cause people to want to know more. Be positive. Flip a negative passage into an upbeat title. Remember, the Gospel is good news, not bad news. Offer hope.
Does my outline prioritize the Defining Ideas? Most of your presentation should occur at the level of Defining Ideas. The exception is if a Supporting Idea does not have any Defining Ideas. A simple message will contain many points. Spending too much time talking about Big and Supporting Ideas can create information overload. Defining points often yields the most critical information. Spend the majority of your time talking about the smaller fish, and only what is necessary about the big and medium fish.
Does my outline explain, illustrate and apply the Defining ideas? An explanation consists of a few well-worded statements that provide understanding and clarity. Nehemiah 8:8 An illustration is an example, and comes from sources such as Scripture or everyday life. Spotlight yourself if you are modeling the principle being discussed. Maximize what you say about God, but avoid repetitive stories about your family. The application can be in the form of a question and should direct the listener to know, do, or feel something. Note, applications can also be made at the end of the message under the "So Let's..." summary.
Does my outline, ask an important question about a Defining Idea and provide insightful answers? This is a great way to deepen the thought about a crucial word and phrase. For instance, "Here are three reasons why this is so important." Providing insightful answers to a key question fosters maturity.
Does my outline take me deeper in the text than I have gone before? The task of the preacher is to discover fresh insights then share them with his audience. Maturity is the result of an in-depth encounter with Scripture. Superficial treatment of the text reflects inadequate presentation. It is the job of the preacher to answer the question every listener is asking; "So what?"
Does my outline reflect reliance upon resources that aid in the comprehension of the passage? Now is the time to look at other translations, commentaries, language tools, dictionary, encyclopedia, etc. This is when you harvest linguistic, cultural, and historical insights. This may result in modifying or changing some of the terms in the outline.
- Free sites: GotQuestions.org, BibleGateway and Bible Hub, Bibleref.com.
- An excellent paid app is Olive Tree. I personally use the following add-on resources: Bible Knowledge Commentary, MacArthur Study Bible, Ryrie Study Bible Notes, and Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
Does my outline link the Big, Supporting and Defining ideas? They should form one complete sentence. Tie them together with words that communicate a complete thought. For instance—The truth about God... (Big Idea) ....is that He is righteous... (Supporting Idea) ...which means he is the judge of all mankind (Defining Idea). See samples below.
Does my outline use us and we? Is it personalized? Be inclusive by using the terms us and we. Statements that use you or your come across impersonal and distance the speaker from the audience.
Does my outline use a fill-in-the-blank format? This option that allows the audience to follow along with the presentation. It keeps your listeners engaged with the flow of the message.
Does my outline conclude by summarizing a few key points that prompt obedience? End with a few phrases that summarize the points you want to emphasize. Reword them for freshness. Leave space and time for a reponse to an "I will..." statement. Obedience is the key to multiplication.
Resources
- View Step 3 samples: Acts 17 and Isaiah 6, Ephesians 2:1-10
- View more sample outlines: 1 Corinthians 9:24-27, James 1:1-12, Colossians 1:15-20, 1 Peter 4:7-19, Romans 8:26-30
- View Transforming Teaching
Step 4. Find a Banner Verse.
A Banner Verse is actually the first step if you are teaching through a book of the Bible. It is listed last in this teaching because of the need to first understand how to develop individual messages.
A Banner Verse is a word or phrase that summarizes the entire book you are studying. It's the Big Idea for the all the individual Big Ideas, and serves as a series title. It links all the messages under one common theme.
A Banner Verse is found by reading the entire book you are studying. Read with the aim of locating a key word, phrase or verse that summarizes the book as a whole. Finding it requires concentration and focus. Don't let chapter markers, passage headings of thematic outlines distract you from creating an outline. Create a list of key words, phrases or verses from a read through, then select a banner verse and create a final outline from that list.
A Banner Verse has a universal nature about it. It's a statement that is true for the entire book. It easily connects to each of the individual Big Ideas. See sample below.
A Banner Verse can be stated verbatim from Scripture, or reworded. Sometimes the Banner Verse is engaging as is. Sometimes it needs to be rephrased. For instance, a Banner Verse from the book of Hebrews 12:2 can be stated literally as, "Keeping our eyes on Jesus" (NLT) or reworded as, "Devoted: Staying Focused on Christ."
A Banner Verse is actually the first step if you are teaching through a book of the Bible. It is listed last in this teaching because of the need to first understand how to develop individual messages.
A Banner Verse is a word or phrase that summarizes the entire book you are studying. It's the Big Idea for the all the individual Big Ideas, and serves as a series title. It links all the messages under one common theme.
A Banner Verse is found by reading the entire book you are studying. Read with the aim of locating a key word, phrase or verse that summarizes the book as a whole. Finding it requires concentration and focus. Don't let chapter markers, passage headings of thematic outlines distract you from creating an outline. Create a list of key words, phrases or verses from a read through, then select a banner verse and create a final outline from that list.
A Banner Verse has a universal nature about it. It's a statement that is true for the entire book. It easily connects to each of the individual Big Ideas. See sample below.
A Banner Verse can be stated verbatim from Scripture, or reworded. Sometimes the Banner Verse is engaging as is. Sometimes it needs to be rephrased. For instance, a Banner Verse from the book of Hebrews 12:2 can be stated literally as, "Keeping our eyes on Jesus" (NLT) or reworded as, "Devoted: Staying Focused on Christ."
Resource
- See Sample Banner Verse & outline from Philippians
- Sample: 2 Timothy 2