91 – Writing Your Sermon: Starting to Lead Worship series
A weekly blog of Creative Ideas for Leading Worship
7 – Writing Your Sermon
Starting to Lead Worship
This is the seventh of 10 updated posts that aim to give people new to leading worship the tools and confidence to get started. Experienced worship leaders will also find useful information in these posts.
The first 3 posts explore What’s in Your Toolbox? The last 7 posts provide guidance for Constructing a Service.
This post provides three practical methods for writing sermons – traditional study and drafting, a hybrid approach using dictation and AI, and fully AI-generated drafts – each designed to help worship leaders create meaningful, engaging messages. It outlines step-by-step processes for working with lectionary readings, developing personal insights, incorporating anecdotes, and ensuring the Good News is central. The post also offers guidance on editing, polishing, and rehearsing sermons to deliver them with clarity, confidence, and impact.
• • •
Introduction
Crafting a sermon can be one of the most rewarding – and time-consuming – parts of leading worship. Whether you’re a seasoned preacher or preparing your very first message, having a clear process helps you create sermons that are meaningful, memorable, and rooted in the lectionary.
In this post, you’ll discover both traditional and tech-savvy approaches, learn how to integrate AI tools like ChatGPT into your workflow, and gain practical advice for structuring, editing, and delivering your sermon with confidence.
The Purpose of a Sermon
At its heart, a sermon is an opportunity to explore one or two Bible readings and help the congregation discover in them fresh meaning for life today. It is often the high point of the service – a moment to offer new insights, challenge assumptions, and leave people inspired. A good sermon is engaging, thought-provoking, and memorable.
Three Sermon-Writing Methods
I use the New Zealand Methodist Church’s version of the Revised Common Lectionary to select readings.
Here are three approaches I’ve found effective.
1. Traditional Approach
Step 1: Gather the Bible Readings
· Go to Bible Gateway online: https://www.biblegateway.com/
· Search for each of the Lectionary readings
· Select your preferred translation from the dropdown (top right)
· Click the settings cog above the text and untick: Cross-references, Footnotes, Verse Numbers, and Red Letter – leaving only Headings. This produces clean text
· Copy and paste each reading into a Word document
· I like to use two contrasting translations: New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition – reliable and scholarly, The Message – vivid and conversational
· Do this for all four Lectionary readings
Step 2: Annotate and Reflect
· Print your document and sit somewhere quiet
· Using a pen:
· Underline key words
· Circle phrases Jot down margin notes, and
· Draw arrows to connect ideas
· This free-flowing approach helps you notice which texts and translations resonate with you most
· After working through all eight readings (four texts × two versions), choose the one or two you’ll preach on – usually the Gospel plus one other
· Write further notes by hand – both bullet points and sentences. I find handwriting unlocks creativity in ways typing doesn’t.
Step 3: Write a First Draft
· Start typing your sermon.
· Don’t self-edit. Just get your ideas down.
· Often a key phrase or theme will emerge to anchor your message
Step 4: Fact-Check
· Verify details you’re unsure of, e.g. How long did it take to journey by donkey from Nazareth to Bethlehem in Jesus’ time? When did Moses live?
Step 5: Consult Commentaries (Later)
· Only now turn to biblical commentaries. You’ve already explored your own thoughts – now broaden your perspective.
· Commentaries are helpful, but your congregation wants to hear your ideas and voice.
Step 6: Add a Personal Anecdote
· Adding a brief personal story linked to your theme creates warmth and relatability.
Step 7: Share the Good News
· Always affirm God’s love and offer hope.
· Ask yourself: What’s the Good News here? How will I leave people encouraged?
2. Hybrid Approach – Dictation + AI
Dictate Your Thoughts
· Follow steps 1 and 2 above to choose your readings and annotate them. But instead of writing detailed notes, speak your thoughts into a document. As you speak, your words will be added into the document on the screen.
· You can use the voice dictation tools built into Microsoft Word or Google Docs. Use the microphone that comes built into your laptop, the microphone in a separate web cam or a separate external microphone.
· Speak freely and don’t worry about grammar or structure. Once you run out of steam, stop. Then lightly edit for capitals and full stops, but nothing more.
Use ChatGPT to Organise Your Thoughts
Paste your dictated text into ChatGPT with this prompt:
“Please provide a 1000-word summary of the following text. Please organise and extend the ideas.”
ChatGPT will turn your raw thoughts into structured paragraphs with improved grammar, ready to shape into a sermon
3. Ask ChatGPT to Write Your Sermon
If you’re stuck, or just want a new take on the readings, let ChatGPT draft something for you
Try prompts like:
“Based on [Bible reading 1] and [Bible reading 2] and taking into account these key ideas: [bullet points], write a 1400-word sermon using engaging, simple, inclusive language.”
Or:
“Based on [Bible reading 1] and [Bible reading 2], write a 1400-word sermon using engaging, simple, inclusive language.”
Here’s a real example I used recently:
“Please provide a 1400-word sermon based on the readings: Psalm 63:1-8 and Luke 13:1-9. Make links between the readings. Make links to the church seasons of Lent and Easter. Treat the Bible texts symbolically rather than literally. Explore the relevance of the texts to contemporary life in New Zealand in 2025. Use simple language and vivid imagery. Offer uplifting and encouraging words.”
ChatGPT can generate a full sermon with a title and section headings.
You can use this as a foundation and add your own voice, anecdotes, and insights.
Editing and Polishing Your Sermon
Once you have a draft – whichever way you created it – print it out and read it aloud
Mark changes by hand:
· Fix sentences that don’t make sense
· Break up long sentences
· Replace weak words with stronger ones
· Type your edits and save the updated document.
I often run my near-final version through ChatGPT using this prompt:
“Please edit the draft sermon text I will give you in a moment to simplify it while retaining the key content, extend the ideas in the sermon, and correct any grammar issues.”
You can choose how much of the output to use – but I’ve found ChatGPT’s suggestions are usually excellent. This version often becomes my final sermon
On the Friday or Saturday before preaching, print your sermon and rehearse it aloud one last time. You may spot a final tweak or two, and you’ll step into the pulpit more prepared and confident.
Summary
This post has shown you three flexible sermon-writing methods – from traditional pen-and-paper study to dictation and AI-enhanced drafting.
You’ve seen how to make the most of Bible translations, the lectionary, and your own reflections. You’ve learned when and how to bring in commentaries, where anecdotes add impact, and how to polish your final sermon for clarity and inspiration.
Whichever method you choose, the goal is the same: to speak Good News into people’s lives with clarity, heart, and hope.
• • •
The full content of this series and lots more worship ideas are included in my book The Creative Worship Leader’s Toolbox, available in print and eBook formats.
Ngā Mihi
Philip