1

The Sermon Concealed: The Four Codes and Sermon

Title Creation

Sherman Haywood Cox II

SoulPreaching.Com

Copyright c©2008, Sherman Haywood Cox II

E-mail: shcox2@soulpreaching.com

January 15, 2008

Abstract

In this document the author provides a method for the creation of sermons titles.In the first section, the author provides a review of the literature regarding sermontitles. He then suggests a theological basis for the sermon title from his belief inCelebration and the purpose of the title as directing the preacher. The author thenproposes a method for creating a sermon title and ends the paper with two examplesof the method in action.

2

CONTENTS 3

Contents

1 Introduction 4

2 Survey of Sermon Title Information 5

2.1 Definition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52.2 Sub-Categories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

2.2.1 Purpose and Importance of the title . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52.2.2 Evaluating the Title . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

3 Basic Approach to the Title 9

4 Method for creating a Sermon Title 11

4.1 Getting Options for the Title . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114.2 Step One: Creation of Sermonic Plan - Attention to Congregation . . . . . . 114.3 Step Two: Four Codes - Attention to Preacher’s Intention . . . . . . . . . . 124.4 Step Three: Smith’s Artistic Title Categories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134.5 Step Four: Evaluating the Titles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

5 Examples 14

5.1 Acts 1:6-9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145.1.1 Possible titles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145.1.2 Evaluation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

5.2 Matthew 9:20-22 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185.2.1 Possible Titles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185.2.2 Evaluation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

1 INTRODUCTION 4

1 Introduction

What do you call your sermon? Many sermon preparation textbooks have little or no di-

rection on how to create a sermon title. For example neither, Paul Scott Wilson’s Practice

of Preaching1 nor his The Four Pages of the Sermon2 contain any information on sermon

titles.

Thomas Long’s Witness of Preaching has only two pages on sermon titles. In that section

of the first edition of his book there is a question: “Should a sermon have a title?”3 Such

a question must be expected in that so few homiletics theorists even broach the subject.

Dr. John McClure’s work Best Advice for Preaching does not address the subject either.4

This is another surprising fact for the book is based on discussions with numerous homiletics

teachers who were to give their “Best Advice” to new preachers. We can only assume that

for that number of teachers the title is something either that cannot be teached, not worth

teaching, or not even worth having. It is interesting that something that is considered very

important by some homiletics teachers is almost completely ignored by many others.

The few who address the subject of sermon title only give evaluation methods to deter-

mine if a sermon title is acceptable. While this is necessary and important, a method for

the creation of a sermon title to be evaluated is an important and needed omission. I will

attempt to address that which is omitted by many others in this paper.

In the first section of this paper I will present a survey of the sermon title in homiletic

literature. In the next section, I will present the theological foundations for my own method

1Paul Scott Wilson, The Practice of Preaching, (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1995).2Paul Scott Wilson, The Four Pages of the Sermon, (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1999).3Thomas G. Long, The Witness of Preaching, (Louisville, KY: Westminster J. Knox Press, 1989).4John S. McClure, ed., Best Advice for Preaching, (Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1998).

2 SURVEY OF SERMON TITLE INFORMATION 5

of sermon title creation. Then I will describe my method of sermon title creation. In the

final section, I will present a two examples of the method in action.

2 Survey of Sermon Title Information

2.1 Definition

Dr. John McClure’s Homiletic Terms Bibliography defines the sermon title as: “A published

name for a sermon designed to indicate the sermon’s theme and arouse interest.”5 While

this is a good compact definition, there is some disagreement as to the importance and the

function of the title.

2.2 Sub-Categories

2.2.1 Purpose and Importance of the title

While many homiletics teachers ignore the title in their methods, they do not go as far as

Clyde E. Fant did in his book Preaching for Today.6 In that work Fant sees the sermon

title as ”not really very important...”7 He diminishes it as only being put in “the newspaper,

church program, [or] billboard”8 In contrast, Calvin Miller and Rick Warren both believe

that the title is very important. In the subtitle to his article, Miller states that “The right

sermon title makes all the difference.”9 In addition, Warren suggests that the title can help

5John McClure, Homiletic Terms Bibliography, (Nashville, TN, 2006).6Clyde E. Fant, Preaching for Today, (San Francisco: Harper and Row Publishers, 1987).7Ibid., p. 187.8Ibid.9Calvin Miller, “Naming the Baby”, Leadership, Winter (1998), p. 93.

2 SURVEY OF SERMON TITLE INFORMATION 6

the sermon in its transformative purpose.10

In the book Preaching Without Notes, Joseph Webb agrees that titles are very impor-

tant. He also gives help for evaluating the sermon by writing: “Too often, sermon titles

are throwaways–too hackneyed, too clinched, too theological, too ambiguous, too cute, too

nonsensical.”11 In contrast, Webb says that sermons should be precise, “capture the essence

of the sermon, some element of the sermon’s core.” Webb continues by saying that it should

also withhold what the sermon is to say. It should be a “fishhook” to lure in listeners.12

That is tall order for the preacher and Webb doesn’t really suggest how one creates such a

title, but I believe these characteristics of sermon title that are very helpful. Gardner Taylor

agrees with Webb’s perspective by writing: ”the sermon title...aught to be a contraction of

the theme [of the sermon], which in turn ought to attempt to be the sermon concealed, as

the sermon ought to be a the title revealed.13

While Thomas Long does not write a lot on sermon title, he does explicitly speak against

using the title as an evangelistic method to lure in listeners. He questions whether anyone is

really reading the titles and whether it is productive to lure in listeners with a glitzy title.14

In contrast, Long believes that the main purpose of the sermon title is to be an “advanced

introduction.”15 Long also suggests that many poor sermons come from allowing the title to

guide the sermon versus allowing the text to guide it.16 Interestingly both Miller and Fant

10His subtitle is “If the sermon is designed to transform lives the title must relate to life.” This assumesthat the sermon is transformative.Rick Warren, “The Purpose-Driven Title”, Leadership, Winter (1998),p. 95

11Joseph M. Webb, Preaching Without Notes, (Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 2001), p. 74.12Ibid., p. 74-75.13Gardner C. Taylor, The Words of Gardner Taylor Volume 5, (Valley Forge: Judson Press, 2001), p. 38-39.14“[I]t would be unfortunate if preachers created glitzy sermon titles to snare curiosity-seekers.” Long (as

in n. 3), p. 19115Ibid.16“Indeed a great deal of distorted preaching has been generated by preachers assigning titles to sermons

before the work on them is done...only to find that careful exegesis of the biblical text demands that the

2 SURVEY OF SERMON TITLE INFORMATION 7

seem to see this as valuable in that the title sharpens in the preacher’s mind what she or

he will preach. I think that Long’s concern is that a title that was chosen before any real

encounter with the text may push the preacher into using the text to say what the title says

rather than engage the text. I think that Long’s concern is valid, but at the same time, I

think that the preacher’s title can and should help the preacher in her homiletic exegesis.

However, Long does agree both with Webb and Taylor by stating that one must be careful

to not give the sermon away. Basically the title should orient people to the sermon without

“either promising too much or revealing too much”.17

Calvin Miller believes that the sermon title should give the sermon “identity and signif-

icance.”18 He even notes that he feels more closeness to a sermon that is titled. He also

noted that there is a practical aspect in that a titled sermon is easier to file.19

2.2.2 Evaluating the Title

A few of the preaching theorists give some aid in the creation of the sermon title. For

example, Joseph Webb suggests that the time to create a sermon title is when the outline is

created.20 Thomas Long, as noted above, suggests that a good sermon title is short, orients

the people to the sermon without “either promising too much or revealing too much of the

sermon content.”21

While Clyde Fant doesn’t think that the sermon title was all that important, he does

however suggest that the sermon title’s main purpose is to clarify the vision of the preacher

sermon move in another direction.”Long (as in n. 3), p. 19117Ibid., p. 192.18Miller (as in n. 9), p. 93.19Ibid.20Webb (as in n. 11), p. 74.21Long (as in n. 3), p. 192.

2 SURVEY OF SERMON TITLE INFORMATION 8

and it should focus on the people and not the text.22 Rick Warren agrees with Fant that the

sermon title should directly relate to the hearers. He states: “Titles that deal with the real

questions and hurts of people can attract an audience, giving us an opportunity to teach

the truth.”23 Calvin Miller disagrees with this perspective. Miller states that “titles derived

from dominant illustrations lose their punch.”24 In contrast, Miller believes that the sermon

should come from the text. He declares unequivocally “link the title to the text.”25 He even

goes so far as to say that the power in the title comes from the text.26

A few authors gave a little more direction on how to create a sermon title. J. Alfred

Smith in his work Preach On! defines some examples of “artistic title creation.”27 These

examples are balance (eg “Christ or Chaos”), a simple sentence (eg “The Heart is a Door”),

exclamation (eg “Stand Up!”), label (eg “The Prayer of the Righteous”), word play (eg “Jail

House Rock”), rhyme (eg “Unity in Community”), and question (eg “My God, Why?”).

Further, Smith notes that one should use good taste in the sermon title.28

Calvin Miller tells us what a title should not do “five faux pas for sermon titles.”29

He notes that the title should not be “grandiose”, “oblique”, “frivolous”, “offensive”, or

“blatant.”30 Rich Warren also helps the sermon title writer by giving four questions that

one should ask of a title to make sure that it is appealing.31 The first question is “Will this

title capture the attention of the people.” The second is “Is the Title Clear?” The third

22Fant (as in n. 6), p. 187-188.23Warren (as in n. 10), p. 95.24Miller (as in n. 9), p. 93.25Ibid., p. 94.26Ibid., p. 95.27J. Alfred Smith, Preach On, (BH Publishing Group, 1984), p. 43.28Ibid.29Miller (as in n. 9), p. 94-95.30Ibid.31Warren (as in n. 10), p. 95-96.

3 BASIC APPROACH TO THE TITLE 9

question, “Is the title good news?” Finally, “Does the title relate to everyday life?”32

3 Basic Approach to the Title

I would first say that in my understanding of sermon title the sermon title is the whole of the

sermon. In this I agree with Gardner Taylor and the other homiletics theorists who believe

that the sermon title should be connected in some way to the whole sermon. Because of this,

I would agree with Thomas Long and say that the sermon title should not be created before

the initial exegesis is done on the text. I would even go further and say that the sermon title

should not be created until all of the study of the congregation and preacher is completed.

This is because the sermon title is in a sense the whole of the sermon.

In line with this, I think that some exegesis should be done first. Then after the initial

exegesis and the sermon title and the focus and function statements are created, only then

should the sermon title begin to be determined.33 I agree that the title should not guide

initial exegesis, but the more in depth exegesis and actual sermon creation can and should

be guided by the title. In this the title is simply a homiletical form of the sermon to be

preached.

My approach to sermon titles is explicitly informed by an approach to sermon planning

that I have outlined in my paper Narrative Theory and Sermon Planning that was created

for the class Narrative, Communication, and Religious Identity.34 I would hope that under

normal circumstances that I would create a sermon plan as noted in the paper. In that

32Warren (as in n. 10), p. 95-96.33I use Long’s terminology, but I mean that the basic idea of what the sermon is to say has been determined.

Then the sermon title should be considered34Sherman Haywood Cox II, Narrative Theory and Sermon Planning, (Nashville, TN, 2005).

3 BASIC APPROACH TO THE TITLE 10

paper I used narrative theory to analyze a congregation. The output of that process was a

sermon plan that contained a few outlines and directions for sermons. I didn’t talk about

how I came up with the sermon titles that I put in the sermonic plan. I used a seat of the

pants type of approach. This paper supplements this deficiency of the previous paper and

even makes use of the same sermon plan by revisiting the sermon title component. This

sermon plan is strongly connected to a Four Codes kind of analysis of the preacher and the

congregation.

Also, I approach the subject of sermon titles as an African American Preacher who sub-

scribes largely to the concept of celebration that Henry Mitchell speaks of.35 The connection

that I see between the sermon title and celebration is that both are supposed to illuminate

the whole sermon. I would also agree with what the theorists have said in the above that

the title should be a summary of the sermon. Thus the sermon title should have a hint of

the celebration in it, although it definitely should not give the sermon away as stated above.

Finally, I wish to agree with Fant who seeks to have the sermon title as a guiding principle

for the sermon. If we have in our mind the whole of the sermon when we come up with the

title then we can use it to determine what is added and what is left out of the sermon. As

noted above, the sermon title is made after the initial exegesis (of preacher, congregation,

and text).

So the sermon title includes the whole sermon including the celebration. It should be

done after the initial exegesis of the text. In addition, it should be allowed to guide the

direction of the sermon.

35Henry H. Mitchell, Black Preaching: The Recovery of a Powerful Art, (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1990).

4 METHOD FOR CREATING A SERMON TITLE 11

4 Method for creating a Sermon Title

4.1 Getting Options for the Title

In this section I will describe a method for creating a sermon title. I do acknowledge that

sometimes the sermon title may come to you in a flash of insight. This can not be planned

or predicted. If this happens then I would suggest that one uses the tools for evaluating the

effectiveness of your insight. One can still complete the steps of this method to compare

what comes out of it to the flash of creative insight. Actually if you have a good sermon

title then you can go to any number of books or articles described above to find resources

to evaluate the title. However, for the vast majority of time we do not have such a flash of

insight.

As with many sermon approaches I would also suggest that congregational analysis be

done as well.

4.2 Step One: Creation of Sermonic Plan - Attention to Congre-

gation

This process has been described in my previous pastor as noted above. Here is a basic

outline for the creation of the plan. The first step is to use narrative theory to determine

the current place of the congregation. Here we use McClure’s worldview to determine if the

congregation’s story is tensive, oppositional, equilabrational, or permutational. I also made

4 METHOD FOR CREATING A SERMON TITLE 12

use of James Hopewell36 and James Loder37. I wish to also make use of Dan McAdams38 to

determine if there are any powerful agents in the story of the congregation and what is their

role.

In step two we determine where we wish to take the congregation. Here we again use

McAdams39 and McClure40 to determine where the imagoes are headed. we also wish to find

out where God is leading the congregation. This searching for God’s work in the congregation

is important for the preachers sermons is to aid God in that work that God is already doing.

Step three is a sermonic plan that will address the moving of the congregation in the

way that God is leading. This sermonic plan is a list of texts and themes to be preached in

the coming months. Each entry in the sermon plan will have the title, text, narrative goals,

and notes. We assume that the sermon title is created during this kind of analysis when a

sermon plan is created.

4.3 Step Two: Four Codes - Attention to Preacher’s Intention

One important component of this approach is to complete the analysis of one’s theology

and homiletical approach provided by Dr. John McClure’s Four Codes of Preaching. This

would include a description of one’s scriptural code, semantic code, theosymbolic code, and

cultural code. Dr. McClure suggests that each sermonic “sequence” or “move” should make

36James F. Hopewell, ed., Congregation: Stories and Structures, (Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1987).37James E. Loder, “Negation and Transformation: A Study in Theology and Human Development”,

Toward Moral and Religious Maturity: The First International Conference on Moral and Religious Devel-

opment , (1980).38Dan P. McAdams, The Stories we Live by: Personal Myths and the Making of the Self. (New York:

Guliford Press, 1993).39Ibid.40John S. McClure, ed., Four Codes of Preaching, (Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 2003).

4 METHOD FOR CREATING A SERMON TITLE 13

reference to each of these four codes.41 I wish to suggest that the sermon title be considered

a “sequence” or “move.” This is in line with Long’s contention that it is an “advanced

introduction.”42. Thus, I would suggest that we attempt to refer explicitly or implicitly to

each of the four codes in the sermon introduction.

However this is a special kind of “move” or “sequence” in that it should include the

whole sermon. Thus, one should have the whole sermon in mind. What we are seeking to

do is encapsulate the sermon including the “celebration” of the gospel. We are also seeking

to not give the sermon away and yet find it helpful for remembering the sermon later for

parishioner and preacher.

4.4 Step Three: Smith’s Artistic Title Categories

Now J. Alfred Smith gave some categories for “artistic sermon title creation.”43 I wish to

create a sermon title that corresponds to each category. Thus when we have our text and

our sermon in mind we then attempt to create a title that corresponds to the “balance”

category. After that we try to create one that corresponds to the “simple sentence.” Then

“exclamation”, “label”, “word play”, “rhyme”, and finally “question.” I believe that some

of these categories will be difficult to come up with and sometimes we will not be able to

come up with one that corresponds to each one, but an attempt would be made to get as

many as possible. So now we should have 5-7 possible titles. In addition, one should add

the sermon title that comes from the “flash of brilliance” described above.

41”I encourage students to activate all four codes in each sequence if possible.”McClure, Four Codes ofPreaching (as in n. 40), p. 186

42Long (as in n. 3), p. 191.43Smith (as in n. 27), p. 43.

5 EXAMPLES 14

4.5 Step Four: Evaluating the Titles

At this point we are ready to evaluate the sermon titles. The first criteria for evaluating our

sermon titles is variety. The preacher should not use the same category from Smith or titles

that sound too much alike every sermon. In addition, the preacher should take care to not

create sermon titles in such a way that they give away the sermon. For example, one might

use Smith’s exclamation for only a certain kind of sermon. Thus when one hears the title

one knows the kind of sermon to be preached.

Another important consideration is that the sermon title encapsulate the whole sermon

including the celebration. Next, as noted above the sermon does the sermon title not give

away the sermon. Both of these criteria are noted above. As I stated above just about

any method of evaluation would do so depending on time I would suggest asking Warren’s

questions and seek not to commit Miller’s faux pas. Finally, the important consideration is

that each of the four codes are addressed directly or indirectly in the sermon title.

5 Examples

5.1 Acts 1:6-9

5.1.1 Possible titles

In my paper on sermonic planning I gave four possible sermons. Here I included a title,

narrative goals, text and notes. The first of these was titled, “I’m Going, but You Are

Ready.” I was not particularly happy with this title. It can be considered the “flash of

insight” title. My narrative goals for that sermon were to: promote communal and/or

5 EXAMPLES 15

agentic imagoes in congregation and to Promote congregation’s connection to the larger

story of the denomination and/or Christian church in general. In the notes section I stated:

“Jesus left the disciples with a prophecy of their overcoming. Here we are connected to that

mission that God will institute.”

First we will generate a title of balance. One that immediately comes to mind is “Going

or Coming.” It is a balanced sermon title, but it doesn’t exactly convey the sermon message.

Another is the Simple Sentence. Our “flash of insight” sermon fits in this category. The

exclamation title might be: “You Have the Power!” It is more of the scriptural code of

translation than I am particularly used to, but if the congregation is of the translation mode

it might fit in particularly well. Next is the label which I will say is: “The Power in this

Church.” Immediately the sermon is beginning to shift. First it was totally about Jesus

speaking to the disciples. Now it is particularly speaking of the power that the church still

has and is operative in it. Thus this method has a secondary benefit of helping to ”try”

different sermons on for size. I didn’t force myself to stay on one sermon and thus this process

plays a role in what is preached. However this is all been done after the initial exegesis that

was done to put together the sermon plan.

Now we continue by looking at Word Play and Rhyme. These are very difficult for me

and I will not push it. If I can get 5 of the 7This is an arbitrary number in reality if only

one title comes out of this step and it is a good one then that would be enough. I will be

happy. Now we will look at the question: “Do You Want the Power?”

5 EXAMPLES 16

5.1.2 Evaluation

So now we must evaluate the possible titles. We first look at “Going or Coming.” Here the

power that the congregation needs is either going with Jesus or coming with the Holy Spirit.

This title immediately brings the question to the congregation, “Who is going or coming?”

That is what is intended. In addition, it encapsulates much of the sermon except what we

want the congregation to do with the sermon, namely “be witnesses.” But I like it and am

inclined to it initially.

The next title to try out is: “I’m Going But You Are Ready.” I think that this sermon

gives more of the sermon away than the previous one, but it does convey both my scriptural

code in that the readers of the text are encouraged to do what is needed. It does encapsulate

the sermon, but it doesn’t seem to be as “flashy” as the previous title. One thing that is

interesting about this title is that it could possibly be a mantra in the “celebration” under

the correct circumstances.

“You Have the Power!” is the next sermon title. I didn’t like it as noted above, but as

I did this analysis another title in this category came to my mind, “Use the Power!” This

one captures the essence of the predicament that the church is in. It doesn’t know it has

this power from God and it needs to come to terms with it. It does encapsulate much of the

sermon. It is a strong candidate. You have the power was not exclamatory enough, but this

one is a little better.

The next title is: “The Power in this church.” I think it is too plain and not as interesting

as the others, but it can carry a sermon. Is the power in what we have now or in God’s

future. I think the next title conveys that though better than this one, but the effort of

5 EXAMPLES 17

creating this possibility opened the door to seeing the next title and thus it did its job well.

The final sermon title is: “Do you want the power?” I really like this one. Once again

like many of the others it can become a part of the celebration. Here the emphasis is on

whether the church will allow Jesus to leave so that it can receive the further blessing that

is in God’s future. It would encapsulate a slightly different sermon that is more in line with

the intent of the sermon thought of in the sermon plan. Once again the question of what

the power is for is not in the sermon which is a drawback, but it is interesting and does not

give away the sermon.

I like “Do You Want The Power?” and “Going or Coming.” I will assume that both

would encapsulate the sermon in that there would be two different sermons. For example

the sermon “Do You Want the Power?” might emphasize that the power is in the future

and our holding onto the past means that we do not really wish the power that is in God’s

future. “Going or Coming” suggests that the power is not really leaving, but it is actually

coming. This has a little Iconoclastic feel. But this should let us know that choosing the

sermon title does affect the sermon if it is chosen before the sermon is concluded. Neither

title gives away the whole sermon while “Do You Want the Power” does give away a little

more than “Going or Coming.”

Thinking about the celebration of the sermon, I think that “Do You Want the Power?”

can easily become a mantra in the celebration because it can easily fit into the celebration

and it is really an appeal. I really like “Going or Coming” and will keep this in mind as a

possible alternative. At any rate, I think I came up with 2 good sermon title options. while

neither is great, both are better than my ”flash of insight” sermon title.

5 EXAMPLES 18

5.2 Matthew 9:20-22

5.2.1 Possible Titles

My ”flash of insight” sermon title was: “If I Can Touch His Cloak” This title is not really

too bad and I like it so it will be of interest to see if the method will help me find a better

one.

In my previous paper, the narrative goals are to promote: Jesus Christ as helper and

“positive mediation in congregation’s story.” In the notes I say that “The woman in the

story was in a sick situation. She took action into her hands and moved forward to touch

Jesus.” and “The congregation is invited to do the same thing, break out and reach for help

from Jesus.” As was noted in the previous paper, this was to a congregation that put too

much faith and hope in the previous pastor who left that church.

The next title option is a simple sentence. “Healing Through Our Touch.” Here we can

see the sermon beginning to emphasize the agency of the church. Agency of the people and

Jesus Christ as helper are both good points to make from this story, but I will have to choose

one sermon or the other to preach. This title emphasizes the people.

The next title option is exclamation. “Grab That Cloak!” This one actually feels a little

too strong for my tastes, but it definitely promotes the agency of the people. For label I say

“A Picture of Faith.” This is a little plain, but I like it in that once again we emphasize the

woman’s practice. I will skip wordplay and rhyme again because of the difficulty of coming

up with them and often they are too cutesy to use anyway. In addition, I do not create a

“balance” option either. None that I thought was theologically satisfying was forthcoming.

Finally, I will use “What will Heal You?” This is an interesting title in that it opens the

5 EXAMPLES 19

door to talk about either Jesus’ work or humanities work or both. To these four we will add

my flash of insight which is: “If I Can Touch His Cloak.”

5.2.2 Evaluation

At this point the text and my possible sermon titles all point to a sermon that pushes the

people to see God’s work still in their hand even though their powerful leaders have left.

I immediately drop “Healing through Our Touch” because it is not strong enough. I

drop “Grab that Cloak!” because it borders on being offensive. I also drop “What will Heal

You?” because I just used a question in the last sermon even though this seems like a pretty

good title.

One of the important considerations for me is the celebration. In this case neither “If

I can touch his cloak” nor “A Picture of Faith” will be of much use as a mantra in the

celebration moment. However the sermon can still have a strong celebration, it just will not

come directly from the sermon titles. Although I think that “If I can touch his cloak” might

be slightly better in this regard.

As far as giving away the sermon, I think that “A Picture of Faith” does just that.

As soon as the sermon begins we can expect that the emphasis would be on bringing an

illustration of faith. “If I can touch his cloak” does hide the sermon better. In addition If I

can touch his cloak is Bible language which connects the hearer to the text better.

Thus I think I will stay with my “flash of insight” sermon title in this case, but going

through this exercise has concretized the sermon in my mind. The sermon will emphasize

the woman who is a representative of the people. Her willingness to jump out there and put

it all on the line will be put forth as an example to the congregation. This will increase the

5 EXAMPLES 20

agency of the people who will be less inclined to fall into the trap of putting their trust in

“flesh.”

References 21

References

Cox II, Sherman Haywood. Narrative Theory and Sermon Planning . Nashville, TN, 2005

Fant, Clyde E.. Preaching for Today . San Francisco: Harper and Row Publishers, 1987

Hopewell, James F., ed.. Congregation: Stories and Structures. Philadelphia: Fortress Press,1987

Loder, James E.. “Negation and Transformation: A Study in Theology and Human Devel-opment”. Toward Moral and Religious Maturity: The First International Conference

on Moral and Religious Development , (1980), pp. 166–90

Long, Thomas G.. The Witness of Preaching . Louisville, KY: Westminster J. Knox Press,1989

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