5 Questions on Preaching with Franklin Kirksey

Dr. Franklin L. Kirksey has been pastor of the First Baptist Church of Spanish Fort, Alabama, for

11 years, has been preaching for 29 years and is author of Sound Biblical Preaching: Giving the

and Discover Unclaimed Treasure: Secrets from the Psalter.

Q1: How long does it typically take you to prepare a sermon?

Preaching is a passion, therefore, it is difficult to determine a certain amount of time for

sermon preparation. I think in terms of stages of sermon preparation. Sometimes it takes

more time to prepare the Introduction or the Conclusion and at other times development of

the outline takes longer. There is a tremendous amount of research in sermon preparation to

“rightly divide the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15).

Q2: What do you ultimately want a sermon to accomplish?

As Paul confesses, “For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves

your bondservants for Jesus’ sake” (2 Corinthians 4:5). My ultimate desire is to “Preach the

Word!” (2 Timothy 4:2) as Paul exhorted Timothy.

Q3: What are one or two big mistakes people often make in preaching?

One big mistake people often make in preaching relates to focus. It is easy to get out of focus

and miss the opportunity to properly deal with the matter at hand. We must say with D. L.

Moody, “This one thing I do, not these forty things I dabble in.”

Another big mistake people often make in preaching relates to force. It is easy to forget that

God does not do His deepest work in the shallowest part of our being. The message must be

delivered in the power of the Holy Spirit if it is to have a spiritual impact.

Q4: How do you handle the gospel invitation and preach toward it?

Preaching calls for a decision. An invitation is an opportunity to respond to God’s Word. Since

the gospel is the ultimate purpose of God’s revelation to man, we should provide a clear

opportunity to respond. The gospel is clearly spelled out in 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 as the death,

burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sin. Repentance and faith is the

only acceptable response to the gospel message. It is critically important to communicate the

terms of God’s plan of salvation.

Q5: What advice would you give to preachers doing pulpit supply?

Lay aside your needs and hurts and help others. Remember you can’t do everything in one

sermon but you can do something that will make an eternal difference in the life of another.