How I prep my sermons

One of the questions I get asked most often as a pastor is: “How do you write your sermons each week?”

The truth is—it’s a process filled with study, prayer, creativity, and a lot of time staring at a blank page asking the Holy Spirit to lead me. In this post, I want to pull back the curtain a little bit. Sermon preparation isn’t some mystical thing that just happens magically, and it’s definitely not something that can be accomplished in 30 minutes. It takes intentional time and focus to hear God’s voice, understand His Word, and prepare to share it faithfully.

I usually aim to spend 15–18 hours a week preparing my sermons. But the reality is that ministry life is busy, and often I end up with closer to 8–10 hours of prep time. Whether it’s on the longer or shorter end, I’ve learned to trust that God can multiply the hours I give Him.

Here’s a look at what my typical week of sermon prep looks like:

The first step for me is always diving into the Word itself. I’ll spend 1–3 hours digging into the passage, studying the original language, exploring cultural and historical references, and looking at the context around the story.

This deep understanding of Scripture is what allows me to be more easily led by God into the message He has for Passion Church in Kernersville. When I know the subject, timeline, or history well, I find that God can work more broadly than if I’m walking in unprepared and ignorant. Preparation gives God room to expand the message.

I’ve also found that the more I prepare, the freer I become when preaching. A personal goal for me is to use my notes as a reference, not a crutch. The deeper I know the material, the less I have to rely on reading my notes word-for-word, which leaves more space for the Spirit to move in the moment.

After that, I usually spend 2–4 hours watching other pastors preach on similar passages or themes.

It’s worth noting: at Passion Church, we draw a significant amount of inspiration for sermons and series from other churches, and we recommend that others do the same—with permission and proper referencing. A great example is Life.Church’s Open Church Resource, which provides free sermon series, graphics, and a wealth of resources to support local churches.

Now, I don’t recommend stealing an entire church’s series and replacing your prep with their work. Nor do I recommend following someone else’s script word-for-word, because that can remove room for the Spirit to lead. But inspiration can come from others—and God can absolutely use their work to spark something new in you. You never know how He may choose to work through the Body of Christ.

A big part of sermon prep for me is not just information, but transformation. I have to let the message work in me before I can share it with you.

That means I’ll spend 2–4 hours in prayer, worship, and reflection, asking God to show me what He wants to say to Passion Church this week. During this time, I also go back through my notes and manuscript, reading them aloud. Doing this while praying and worshiping helps calm my mind, keeps my heart centered on God, and cements everything into place before I step on stage.

On weeks when I have more time, I’ll split extra hours between practicing the delivery, watching more sermons for inspiration, and spending even more time in prayer and worship.

I also personally find that editing my jokes takes up a significant amount of time. The more I prepare, the shorter my sermons usually run and the more “acceptable” my jokes become. Humor is a big part of preaching for me. I believe God loves me in spite of me—and that’s a reason to be joyful! Because of that, many of my sermons include intentional humor. Our relationship with God should absolutely be one of respect, love, and submission, but it should also be full of humor and joy.

For me, preaching isn’t just about content—it’s about carrying the presence of God and making His Word come alive for people.

Something that has surprised me in recent years is how helpful AI tools have become in this process. I use AI for research, organization, and even structuring my thoughts. It’s not a replacement for the Spirit’s leading (and it never will be), but it has helped me use my time more effectively so I can spend more of it in prayer and preparation.

At the end of the day, sermon writing is not just about crafting words—it’s about hearing from God and faithfully communicating His truth. Whether I spend 18 hours or 8 hours preparing, I remind myself of Jesus’ words:

“Apart from me, you can do nothing.” (John 15:5)

That’s why every sermon begins and ends with dependence on Him.

If you’ve been searching online for a church near me in Kernersville, exploring Kernersville churches, or simply wondering about Christian churches near me, we’d love to invite you to Passion Church in Kernersville.

We’re a community of authentic people doing our best to follow after Jesus Christ. Every message is preached and taught from God’s Word, and every service is designed to help you take your next step with Him.

Join us in person or online for one of our services—you’ll find a welcoming atmosphere, meaningful worship, and teaching rooted in Scripture.

👉 Learn more at www.passionchurchnc.com/PlanYourVisit