When preparing a one point message I use Andy Stanley’s approach laid out in Communicating for a Change. Here’s the five parts to cover in a one point message:
- The ME section. In the ME section of the message you share how you personally relate to the topic.
- The WE section. In the WE section of the message you share how the audience relates to the topic. In this section you want to pose a question your audience wants answered, create a tension they need resolved, or point to a mystery they have been unable to solve.
- The GOD section. In the GOD section of the message you share what God says in the Bible about the topic of the day.
- The YOU section. In the YOU section of the message you share what God says you should do in light of what he’s said.
- The WE section. In the WE section of the message you paint a picture of what the church and/or the world would look like if we all applied what we learned.
When preparing an expository message I use a different method that I covered in my previous post.