The ‘Basic Flow’

This afternoon I’ve been mainly engrossed in trying to write “the basic flow” for my Sunday message. I consistently find that my sermons have greater clarity when they are planned out both simply and comprehensively on one page before writing the entire outline. Yet it is a constant temptation to bypass this step or begin to sneakily start writing the sermon in what is meant to be a page or two of basic structure. Do any of you fellow preachers find the writing of a basic flow useful?

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If you don’t have a clue what I’m talking about, see below an example from one of my Senior Pastor’s sermons at our church.

ELIJAH - “LEARNING IN DROUGHT CONDITIONS”
(1 Kings 17: 2-10)

God has plans for Elijah during the years of drought - there are three lessons to learn :

1. Learning to live in OBSCURITY
An isolated place of preparation :
- Moses (Exodus 2-3)
- Paul (Galatians 1: 15 - 2: 1)
- John the Baptist (Luke 1: 80)
- The Lord Jesus (Luke 3: 21 - 4: 13)
The best test - alone with God

2. Learning to live in DEPENDENCY
Elijah preserved for a purpose with
-food from ravens (see Leviticus 11: 15)
- water from the brook

For both he is utterly dependent on God

3. Learning to live in UNCERTAINTY
A change of direction:
- the brook dries up (through Elijah’s prayer!)
- the word of the Lord comes

The importance of instant obedience

A LEARNING EXPERIENCE for the battle that lay ahead