Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary Syllabus: PR 602 ... · Enthymeme Jan. 28 Listener AnalysisReflection Paper #1 Email Wright Topical Sermon ... completed audience analysis questions

Wright, PR602 Syllabus, Charlotte, Spring 2016 - Page 1

Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary—Charlotte

Syllabus: PR 602 – Preaching for Modern Listeners

Spring 2017

January 27-28, February 24-25, March 24-25

Fridays 6:30-9:30pm, Saturdays 8:30am – 4:30pm

Prof. Nate Wright

513-504-5102 cell

[email protected]

Course Description

This course is designed to prepare students to analyze and adapt to their listeners by preparing

messages that are both biblical and relevant. Students will speak multiple times and be

recorded. They will also analyze sermons and reflect on their own experience.

Course Relationship to the Curriculum

Building on PR601 and exegesis courses, this course helps students interpret Scripture for

modern listeners. The focus is on listener analysis and adaptation.

Course Objectives

Performance:

Analyze listeners.

Prepare and deliver biblical messages that are both biblical and relevant.

o Explain how to become a Christian to particular listeners.

o Preach expository sermons which address specific needs.

Form accurate exegetical ideas.

Outline clearly.

Become more skilled at speaking for the ear, esp. in using purposeful redundancy.

Employ variety by experimenting with various sermon forms, props etc.

Critique sermons in small group discussion.

Critique yourself and others in small group discussion.

Knowledge:

Review Robinson’s ten stages of sermon preparation giving special attention to issues of

exegetical idea, outlining, and relevance.

Comprehend how to analyze and adapt to your listeners.

Reflect upon how God has used preaching in your spiritual growth.


Attitude:

Value expository preaching.

Gain confidence in your ability to bridge the gap between the text and your listeners.

Value the use of creativity in preaching.

Depend on the Lord who uses his Word to transform hearts.

Required Texts

• Sunukjian, Donald R. Invitation to Biblical Preaching. Grand Rapids: Kregel, 2007. ISBN:

978-0825436666.

• Chapell, Bryan. Christ-Centered Preaching, 2nd edition. Grand Rapids: Baker, 2005.

ISBN: 978-0801027987.

• Other readings are available on Sakai.

Schedule (Subject to change)

Date Assignments Due Lecture/Discussion

Jan. 27 Read Sunukjian, 65-84; 142-191; 305-

314.

Read Bitzer, “Aristotle’s Enthymeme

Revisited” excerpt. (on Sakai)

Intro to the course and classmates.

Review of PR601 – big idea/outlining

Enthymeme

Jan. 28 Reflection Paper #1

Email Wright Topical Sermon

topic/text

Read Chapell, 43-57; 267-328.

Listener Analysis

Audience Adaptation

Preaching with Variety

Christ-Centered Preaching

Feb. 4

(No class)

Due: Video of 4-minute oral presentation “How to become a Christian” and completed audience analysis questions worksheet.

Feb. 11

(No class)

Due: Outline for Topical Sermon, incl. Audience Analysis Questions

Feb. 24 Topical Sermons Preaching lab

Feb. 25 Topical Sermons

Email Wright your Final Sermon text

Preaching lab

Preaching lab


Mar. 3

(No class)

Due: Sermon Analyses of Sample Sermons (Optional Submission of Outline for Final Sermon)

Mar. 24 Final Sermons

Preaching lab

Mar. 25 Final Sermons

All reading to be completed.

Preaching lab

Preaching lab

Mar. 27

(No class)

All work due by 11:00 p.m.

• Reading grade.

• Did you watch your own preaching via Sakai?

Attendance: Students are expected to be on time for all lectures and lab times. If it is absolutely

impossible for you to be present, please speak with Wright before class.

Assignments

Reflection Paper

Reflect on a particular sermon you heard that was influential in your life.

How did God speak to you by encouraging, rebuking, reminding, or guiding you

through this sermon?

What specific ways (identify at least two) did the preacher use to relate the message

of Scripture to you?

What specific decision(s) did you make as a result of hearing this sermon? How was

your response a result of the specific ways (noted above) the preacher directly

addressed Scripture to you?

1.5 page max. (12 pt. font, single-spaced).

Please note that the purpose of this paper is not to summarize the sermon’s content,

but to reflect on how the preacher presented Scripture such that it impacted you.

Sample Sermon Analyses

Using the sermon analysis questions below, evaluate five sermons of your choice,

preached by five different preachers. Two of these will be provided by professor Wright

via Sakai; the other three you may choose and find online from the following list of

preachers:


Andy Stanley, Bryan Loritts, Max Lucado, Rick Warren, Alistair Begg, Francis

Chan, John Piper, Jeff Arthurs, Chuck Swindoll, Tony Evans, David Platt, Nancy

Ortberg, Matt Chandler, Pat Batten, Alice Matthews.

Watch/listen to the sermons on your own time.

Dig deep. Show that you can apply what you have read and learned so far in class.

Please note that the purpose of this assignment is not to summarize the sermon’s

content, but to probe how the sermon reflects the preacher’s awareness of the

audience.

8 page max. (12 pt. font, single-spaced).

Submit your analyses in a single Word file via Sakai by the date in the schedule.

4-Minute Exercise – “How to Become a Christian”

• Choose particular listeners from the list below, and adapt your presentation to

those listeners. Your choice must be unlike your current place of ministry.

• Fill out the “Audience Analysis Questions” (see end of syllabus).

• Clearly explain to your chosen audience how to become a Christian. At the end of

your presentation, listeners should understand well enough to summarize the

topic to someone else.

• You are not required to use a text from the Bible, although this is usually

recommended. Adapt to the circumstances and listeners. In all cases, you will

present a simple and clear statement of how to be saved.

• Use any communication methods/channels such as discussion, visuals, story, and

lecture which help you achieve the goal. If you plan to use visuals, it is imperative

that you practice with them before presenting.

• No notes.

• Time limit = 4 minutes. 1/3 letter grade penalty for every 30 seconds over.

• Digitally record your presentation at a time and place convenient for you. Submit

it via Sakai along with a copy of your completed audience analysis questions. Due

by date in syllabus schedule.

Note: This is a very rigorous time limit. You will have to be extremely efficient and

simple to accomplish the goal within the time limit.

Note: For the best communication, strive for simplicity. Avoid jargon (or explain

unfamiliar terms as needed), and use restatement. Use brief forms of support such

as analogies and examples.

Options for Listeners:

• Public high school, Washington DC, world religions class.

• Fifth grade public school, Charlotte, “exploring religions” unit in social studies.

• Retirement village (senior citizens), your hometown, weekly chapel.


• Rotary club (business people), your current town, monthly meeting.

• Youth group, Roman Catholic congregation, predominantly Hispanic.

• Prison, minimum security, men.

• Prison, minimum security, women.

• Hospital staff, part of a lecture series on the work of chaplains.

• Funeral, non-believing uncle.

• Funeral, believing uncle.

• U of North Carolina., campus crusade monthly meeting.

• Coffee house, Charlotte, part of a Christian band’s performance.

• U of North Carolina., Korean student association.

• Atlanta, GA softball league, pre-game chaplain’s speech.

• Women’s retreat, Mt. Zion Baptist Church, predominantly African American.

• Racial/ethnic group of your choice.

Outline for Topical Sermon.

Include:

Your listeners (this needs to be the worshipping community you now minister to)

Your text reference.

Subject.

Complement.

Exegetical idea (subject + complement).

Homiletical idea.

Purpose—briefly state what you want the listeners to think, feel, or do as a result of

your sermon.

Skeletal outline:

o Main points/moves. No outline points beyond the level of capital letters.

o Complete sentence.

o One sentence per point.

o Indicate what portion of the text each point covers.

Write out transitions word for word. Use italics. I suggest using rhetorical questions and

restatement.

Indicate one issue of relevance per point—things that need to be explained, proved, or

applied.

Write out the introduction and conclusion word for word.

Submit the outline via Sakai by the date in the syllabus; watch for Wright to grade and

comment on your outline so that you can incorporate any changes he recommends.


Topical Sermon

From the list below, choose a problem or question faced by people you minister to, and

choose a passage of Scripture which directly addresses that problem. Preach without

notes in class “to those listeners.”

Alcohol abuse Eph. 5:15-20 Conflict Matt. 18:15-20

Divorce Matt. 19:1-12

1 Cor. 7:8-24

Malachi 2:12-16

Worry Phil. 4:4-7

Psalm 23

Sexual immorality 1 Cor. 6:12-20

2 Sam. 11

Suffering 2 Cor. 4:7-18

Job

1 Peter 1:3-9

Death

John 11

1 Thess. 4:13-18

Love of Money 1 Tim. 6:6-10

Eccles. 5:8-20

Luke 12:13-21

Matt. 6:19-24

The Tongue

Pure Speech Eph. 5:1-7

Complaining Phil. 2:12-18

Gossip/Flattery Proverbs

Selfishness/Entitlement

John 13:1-17

Phil. 2:1-11

Sign up for topic and text(s) by date in syllabus.

You may modify the suggested texts if you think they are not a thought unit.

With Wright’s approval, you may choose a problem/text not on the list.

With Wright’s approval, you may use multiple passages on a topic rather than just a

single passage. Consider the complexity this introduces, and whether you feel it is truly

necessary.

Time limit = 15 minutes. 1/3 letter grade penalty for every 30 seconds over.

o Scripture reading and prayer do not count toward time limit. But don’t carry on

like the hypocrites do.

We will record your sermon in the class and it will be available via Sakai. Watch yourself

on video by the end of the course.


Final Sermon

Choose one of the following texts from James; notify Wright of your choice via email by

the date in the syllabus.

James 1 James 2 James 3 James 4 James 5

1-4 1-11 1-12 1-3 1-6

5-8 12-13 13-18 4-10 7-11

9-11 14-26 11-12 12

12 13-17 13-18

13-15 19-20

16-18

19-21

22-25

26-27

Without notes, preach a relevant and audience-specific sermon to your classmates. Do

not create hypothetical listeners.

Employ at least two methods of variety in your delivery.

With Wright’s approval, you may choose to preach the text Christo-centrically. Consider

the complexity this introduces, and whether you feel it is truly necessary.

Time limit = 15 minutes. 1/3 letter grade penalty for every 30 seconds over.

o Scripture reading and prayer do not count toward time limit.

We will record your sermon in the class and it will be available via Sakai. Watch yourself

on video by the end of the course.

Reading:

Self-graded. Assign yourself a grade out of 100 points based on how much you read and how

well you read (e.g. 91/100). No grade may be higher than the percentage of pages read.

Reading “well” is judged on your attention, comprehension, and retention. Inform Wright

via Sakai of your grade by the date in the syllabus schedule.

Grading:

Grading Scale:

100-94=A

93-90 = A-

89-87 = B+

86-84 = B


83-80 = B- etc.

No late work will be accepted. If you experience illness or emergency, contact me.

At the end of the semester borderline cases will be determined on the basis of class participation,

but no grade will be raised more than 5 percent.

Assignment Percent of Grade Points Possible

Reflection Paper 5% 50

Analyses of Sample Sermons 15% 150

4-Minute “How to Become a Christian” 15% 150

Outline for Topical Sermon 10% 100

Topical Sermon 20% 200

Final Sermon 30% 300

Reading 5% 50

Sample Sermon Analysis Questions

{Remember to put the preacher’s name and the sermon title at the top of each reflection}

1. What do you think is the main idea the preacher was trying to get across?

2. What ways did the preacher customize his/her development of the idea to their particular

audience?

3. Based on your answer to #2, make an educated guess as to the age, gender, socio-

economic status etc. of the audience. Do they like the preacher? Are they mature in the faith?

How might they be opposed to what he/she is trying to communicate?

4. Did the preacher use variety? How so? If not, how might he/she have incorporated

variety in a way that helped the audience towards the big idea of the sermon?

5. Was the sermon Christo-centric? How did the preacher refer to Christ in the sermon?

Savior? Paradigm?

6. Is there anything else you’d like to say about this sermon?


Questions for Audience Analysis

1. What are the demographics of your listeners? Age, Gender, Race, Nationality,

Educational level, Socio-economic standing, Special interests/membership

2. Estimate listeners’ knowledge of your topic with a mark on the line. Describe briefly.

None Partial Expert

3. Estimate listeners’ attitude toward your topic and mark on the line. Describe briefly.

Hostile Neutral Favorable

4. Estimate listeners’ attitude toward you and mark on the line. Describe briefly.

Hostile Neutral Favorable

5. What is the spiritual condition of the listeners? Explain briefly

Conscious unbeliever (e.g. genuine skeptic, member of cult, etc.)

Nominal Christian (e.g. can be churched or un-churched, assent to basic doctrine, but no

living relationship with God).

Awakened sinner (e.g. seeker, convicted but not repented, not understanding gospel).

Apostate (e.g. repudiated faith without regret).

New believer (e.g. may have doubts, misunderstanding, questions, overzealous).

Immature believer (e.g. not growing, undisciplined, contentious, proud)

Mature believer (e.g. progressing in faith, able to teach others, responsive to Word).

6. Describe briefly the communication strategies and adaptations you will use.


Preaching Evaluation Sheet

PR 602, Wright

Name: ________________________________ Time: ______

Grade: ______

Intro

Gain Attention

Surface Need

Introduce Idea

______________________________________________________________________________

Exegesis and Theology

Did the sermon say what the text says?

______________________________________________________________________________

Big Idea -Clear

Repeated

______________________________________________________________________________

Arrangement

Clear/logical

Transitions

Christocentric?

______________________________________________________________________________

Relevance and use of Support Material

_____________________________________________________________________________

Conclusion

Summarize Reinforce

_____________________________________________________________________________

Language and Delivery

Variety?

Syllabus Addendum

Academic Standards

Cheating and plagiarism are considered serious breaches of personal and academic integrity.

Cheating involves, but is not necessarily limited to, the use of unauthorized sources of

information during an examination or the submission of the same (or substantially same) work

for credit in two or more courses without the knowledge and consent of the instructors.

Plagiarism involves the use of another person’s distinctive ideas or words, whether published or

unpublished, and representing them as one’s own instead of giving proper credit to the source.

Plagiarism can also involve over dependence on other source material for the scope and

substance of one’s writing. Such breaches in academic standards often result in a failing grade as

well as other corrective measures. For more information, please consult the Student Handbook.

ADA Policy

The seminary complies with the provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act. A student

with a qualifying and authenticated disability who is in need of accommodations should petition

the seminary in accordance with the stated guidelines in the Student Handbook.

Cancellation of Class

In the event the seminary has to cancel a class meeting (impending storm, professor illness, etc.),

the Registration Office will send out an email (via the GCTS email account) notification to all

students registered in the respective course. If the cancelation occurs the day of the scheduled

meeting, the Registration Office will also attempt to contact students via their primary phone

contact on record. The professor will contact the students (via GCTS account) regarding make-

up. If a weekend class is cancelled, the class will be made up during the scheduled Make-Up

weekend (see the Academic Calendar for the designated dates). For more info, consult your

Student Handbook.

Extension Policy

Arrangements for submission of late work at a date on or before the end date for the semester as

noted on the seminary’s Registration Calendar are made between the student and professor.

Formal petition to the Registration Office is not required in this case. This includes arrangements

for the rescheduling of final exams.

However, course work (reading and written) to be submitted after the publicized end date for the

semester must be approved by the Registration Office. An extension form, available online, must

be submitted to the Registration Office prior to the stated date. Requests received after this date

will either be denied or incur additional penalty. For a full discussion of this policy, please

consult the Student Handbook.

Grades

Faculty have six weeks from the course work due date to submit a final grade. Grades are posted

on-line within twenty-four hours of receipt from the professor. Students are expected to check

their CAMS student portal in order to access posted grades (unless instructed otherwise). Those

individuals who need an official grade report issued to a third party should put their request in

writing to the Registration Office.

Returned Work

Submitted hard-copy course work will be returned to the students if they provide a self-addressed

and postage- paid envelope with their final work. Work submitted without the appropriate

envelope will be destroyed after the grade has been assessed and issued.

Virtual Writing Center

Free assistance in writing papers is available to students through the Virtual Writing Center at

Gordon Conwell. The Virtual Writing Center is staffed by Gordon Conwell graduates, or writing

tutors with specialized knowledge in writing and/or ESL. Generally, this service is available to

students who have completed or are currently enrolled in one of the following three classes:

CT500 (Introduction to Theological Research)

CO501 (Introduction to Counseling Research)

IS502 (Theological Research and Writing)

If you enrolled in GCTS before Fall 2008, you were not required to take one of the three pre-

requisites above, and you may request access to the Virtual Writing Center. Also, ESL writing

tutors are available to ESL students even if they are not currently enrolled in a degree program.

If you do not meet one of these qualifications, but feel you would benefit from using the Virtual

Writing Center, contact us and we will evaluate your status.

Email [email protected] for more information.

Documents

Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary Syllabus: PR 602 ... · Enthymeme Jan. 28 Listener AnalysisReflection Paper #1 Email Wright Topical Sermon ... completed audience analysis questions