Make a sermon come alive by telling a story from world missions history
Global Evangelism sermon illustration assignment instructions
"One of the things that impacted me most in this course was researching a missionary
for the sermon illustration assignment." -- John Holz, youth minister
Simplified grading rubric for this assignment. Use it as a checklist before submitting your story to Scribe.
The object is not to come up with a story around which a missions sermon would be
constructed This is to come up with a story or analogy from missions history which could be used in a sermon on another topic.
Was the assignment submitted on time?
Does the submission meet the minimum length requirement?
Is it a story from the past history of global evangelism as opposed to being something
from the Bible or else a relatively current happening?
Is there enough detail for the story to "stick" in people's memories even after only one hearing of it?
Is the story told with little or no "here's the point" material?
Is the story told mostly in the student's own words with all direct quotes from other sources
in quotation marks and the source identified?
Are three subjects or topics listed for sermons in which this story or illustration could be used?
Most stories will need to be fleshed out with a little more detail than is given in the textbook
or lecture. Is there a listing of all sources consulted?
Is the submission relatively free of grammar, spelling, punctuation, and word usage mistakes?
In terms of achieving assignment goals, is this work exceptional, excellent, good, acceptable, minimal, or inadequate?
Note: The course web pages on the official Nazarene Bible College site will contain
expanded written instructions for this sermon illustration assignment.
A good sermon illustration is one that captures the attention of the congregation and vividly communicates the message of the sermon. Here's a description of what makes a good sermon
illustration:
Relevance: Sermon illustrations should directly connect with the sermon theme or topic. They should help illuminate and apply the biblical passages or spiritual principles in the sermon.
Clarity: Illustrations should be clear and easy to understand. If they are overly complex or convoluted, the preacher may have to wind up
explaining the illustrations. Illustrations are supposed to simplify and clarify the main points of the sermon rather than making them muddier.
Engagement: A good illustration engages the
congregation on an emotional or intellectual level. Depending on the tone and direction of the
sermon, it could evoke empathy, curiosity, humor, or reflection. Engaging illustrations hold
listeners' attention and keep them invested in the sermon.
Visual Imagery: The best illustrations paint vivid mental images in the minds
of listeners. Whether through storytelling, anecdotes, metaphors, or examples from everyday
life, visual imagery helps to make abstract concepts concrete and memorable.
What kind of online student are you? Do others think of you as Busy or
Wordy or Disconnected Dan? Do you sometimes come off to others as Oblivious or Trite-ly or
even End-times Edith? . . [ more
]
"This is a great course that opened my eyes to the struggles Christians face around the globe. It gave me an understanding of the real need for missionaries around the world. It's still hard to fathom that there are over two billion people who have not heard about Jesus.+ --
student on course evaluation
