How to Listen to a Sermon

Take it in:

Come in to a service each week with an open mind.  Spend time in prayer preparing your heart to hear what the Lord is going to say.  Come on time.  The teaching doesn’t start when the pastor stands in the pulpit.  From the first moment of the service, God is speaking, through music, prayer, drama, video and baptism.  When you come to a worship service- take it ALL in.

Take it down:

Scholars tell us that your ability to retain what you learn increases 80% when you write it down, rather than just hearing it.  Write down the points of the sermon, the scripture references, questions you may have.  In fact, write as though you were going to be reteaching that same material from your notes.

Think it over:

Use your notes during the week to begin to apply the message in your life.  Look back over key points and scripture, praying for God to reveal areas of your life that need changing or restructuring.  If your notes stay stuck between the pages of your Bible or left on the pew, they aren’t doing you much good.

Live it out:

Hearing, understanding, and applying God’s Word will have a visible effect on your life.  Your attitudes, actions, goals, dreams, relationships, business and focus will all be influenced by God’s Word when you commit to living out what you learned.