Using Sermon Outlines - is it Cheating?

Some ministers and pastors are able to sit down and write out a full sermon with little or no help at all. Every once in a while we all get that spark that just sets the words free and before we know it, we have created a sermon for our congregation that feels inspired full of passion. But some weeks the words do not flow so neatly or quickly. It is during these weeks that using sermon outlines can be a good idea.

What are sermon outlines?

Sermon outlines are much like any other outline that helps a person put his or her thoughts down on paper. The outline gives the sermon writer a road map to follow as he or she works to get her thoughts out on paper and ready for the congregation come the end of the week.

Be careful that you do not confuse an outline with a divine Mad Lib! An outline for a sermon is not a "plug and play" application that creates ready made speeches. It merely gives you the guidance you need to find the right passages and verses to share and asks you questions that will help you fill in the exposition between them.

Is it cheating to use a sermon outline?

Absolutely not! At some point every person uses an outline for something...a basic recipe for dinner, a set of directions to help build a house, a plot outline for a novel to sketch out the major turning points of a story, etc. None of these are considered cheating are they?

A sermon outline is a tool that religious leaders can utilize to help them figure out what they think and feel about the topic they have chosen for a weekly sermon. Finding the right words to illustrate your thoughts and inspire others is difficult, and this can help make that process feel easier.