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Parker Manuel

Preview prototype, still being built. “From the guide” sections are Parker’s words; everything else is an editorial draft for review, not cleared for public release. Worked examples are fictional. Preview hub

Prototype

Everything I Got On Preaching

A practical pathway for developing preachers. A mentor and a developing preacher work through it together, building one real sermon.

Where to begin

Orientation sets your passage, date and growth goal. Each installment after it follows the same four moves.

Start with the orientation

Every installment, four moves

  1. ReadRead “From the guide” first, out loud if you can, then “Working it out.”
  2. DiscussTalk through the questions with your mentor.
  3. PracticeDo the exercise on your one real sermon and bring what you made.
  4. ReviewCheck the work together against the review list, then agree the next step.
Use one real sermon throughout. Installments 1–8 build the sermon. Installments 9–14 are refinement passes on that draft. Installments 15–17 review and finish it. A mentor may combine or split installments.

“Points” and “movements” mean the same thing: the main sections of a sermon.

Installments

  1. OrientationBefore you beginDraft written
  2. Installment 1The foundation of all preachingDraft written
  3. Installment 2The posture of a growing preacherDraft written
  4. Installment 3Choose the text and discover it yourselfDraft written
  5. Installment 4ResearchDraft written
  6. Installment 5Big idea and outlineDraft written
  7. Installment 6ApplicationDraft written
  8. Installment 7Opening and landingDraft written
  9. Installment 8Practice and timingDraft written
  10. Installment 9TransitionsDraft written
  11. Installment 10IllustrationsDraft written
  12. Installment 11PrayerDraft written
  13. Installment 12DeliveryDraft written
  14. Installment 13Reading the roomDraft written
  15. Installment 14The invitationDraft written
  16. Installment 15When you're behindDraft written
  17. Installment 16Rookie mistakesDraft written
  18. Installment 17Template and final wordDraft written

Optional schedules

Both schedules are optional suggestions. Move at the pace your sermon and your week allow.

12 weeks

  1. Orientation + 1
  2. 2
  3. 3
  4. 4
  5. 5
  6. 6
  7. 7
  8. 8
  9. 9 + 10
  10. 11 + 12
  11. 13 + 14
  12. 15 + 16 + 17

8 weeks

  1. Orientation + 1 + 2
  2. 3 + 4
  3. 5 + 6
  4. 7
  5. 8 + 9
  6. 10 + 11 + 12
  7. 13 + 14
  8. 15 + 16 + 17

Optional 55-minute session

  1. Reflection and prayer (5 min)
  2. Review last week's practice work (10 min)
  3. Discuss the reading (15 min)
  4. Practice and feedback (20 min)
  5. Agree the next step (5 min)

Numbers in the guide (passage length, number of points, opening length, the 7-minute rule, notes-to-delivery ratio) are Parker's rules of thumb from experience. Start with them, then adjust for your setting.

The earlier five-lesson prototype remains a separate, secondary editorial draft at Learn to preach.