The Anatomy of a Sermon

Darrell Johnson, building on an analogy used by Pitt-Watson (A Primer for Preachers [Grand Rapids: Baker, 1986], 10) compares a sermon to the human body. In this analogy, a sermon consists of:

-a heart (the theme and purpose statement)
-a skeleton (its main points, conceptual structure)
-a backbone (a natural harmony) -joints (smooth transitions) -lifeblood (emotional, passion, conviction)
-flesh (illustrations, everyday examples)
-muscle (application that requires and enables action)
-Spirit (the breath and breathing of the living God) (Johnson’s addition)

Darrell W. Johnson, The Glory of Preaching: Participating in God's Transformation of the World (Downers Grove: InterVarsity, 2009), 105.