Starting a new sermon series can feel like starting a new school year - excitement, anticipation, maybe some nerves as you find your feet. As worship leaders, we have the opportunity to come alongside pastors and leaders to shape the corporate gathering to clearly articulate the thrust of the sermon series.
One of the rhythms that have been most helpful for me is sitting down with the pastor, elders, teaching team - whoever is responsible for preparing the series and will be preaching the sermons - to walk through the entire series. Look at a 30,000-foot view of the sermon series - the number of weeks, what texts, themes, and main points for each particular Sunday. These conversations enable me to fit weekly setlists into a broader framework of the entire series. If you do not have regular meetings with your pastor and elders, here are a few questions I always when looking toward a new sermon series:
What do you hope people walk away understanding about God, the Church, themselves, etc?
Why is this the right time for this sermon series?
What are the main themes you will be drawing out throughout our time?
Are there additional resources you’re using in your preparation (books, articles, other sermon series) that you think would be helpful for me to spend time digesting?
Are there things that you would like to see incorporated into the rhythm of our gathering during this series?
Are there songs that you think would fit well for this series?
Whether or not you have a meeting with your pastor to talk through each sermon in a new series week by week, one of the most helpful practices I have found in my own preparation is spending time in the text that will be preached. If you are preaching through an entire book of the Bible, do not just take it week to week, read the book in its entirety - again and again. Be familiar with the storyline, the themes, the movement and arc of the story. Again, a broader framework will help you build from week to week in a way that will make the entire series feel connected. Read some commentaries, or study Bibles to understand a little bit more. the Bible Project’s overview videos on the books of the Bible, and certain themes and words I find very helpful in preparation as well.
Similar to asking questions of the pastor, here are questions that I always ask myself as well:
What songs will work well with these themes and texts?
Where are the holes in our song inventory? What do we need to be saying in this series that is not currently a part of our master song list?
What liturgical elements will help our people respond to the truths from God’s Word?
How do I need to equip the team’s understanding of this series so they are able to lead people, not just songs?
If you are preparing for a new sermon series, you may find these posts helpful as well: