Note: This article was originally written as an oral presentation for a preaching class during my doctoral studies. It retains some of the conversational tone of a spoken piece. It’s not intended to represent all preaching styles or offer a complete overview of preaching. Instead, it’s a brief look at the craft of preaching through a playful metaphor I’ve found helpful.
Before I say anything else, I need to make this perfectly clear…
I have never played golf. Having been in ministry for over thirty years, I’ve been invited to play many times, but somehow I’ve managed to avoid the sport, save for a few altercations with windmills on the putt-putt course. So please read with that in mind and be gentle. I’m sure I need some corrections on the finer points of the game, but no, I won’t be playing with you.
Having said all that, I maintain that golf is an excellent way to understand the process of sermon delivery. Of course, by that, I mean I don’t have a keen grasp on either (hold for laughter). Golf is the process of getting a ball from the tee to the hole in as few strokes as possible. Preaching is the process of delivering the word of God to an audience in such a way that you address their need, recognize their difficulties, and drive home a point that should connect with them. In that process are structures and challenges that are very much in line with the game of golf.
Golf and preaching: deceptively simple, dangerously precise.
Preaching the gospel is much more difficult than it looks. It’s like hitting a straight drive on a golf course. We try to hit it straight, but the ball is always hooking to the rough of legalism or disappearing into the pond of powerless, feel-good license (as John Bunyan might have said if he’d ever played golf).
Gary Millar and Phil CampbellSaving Eutychus: How to Preach God’s Word and Keep People Awake
Step One: Address the Ball ("Hello, Ball.")
Golfers speak of the fundamentals of the game: the grip they use, their swing, and the way they align their bodies to the goal. These are matters of consistency for the golfer to be practiced and performed in much the same way, no matter how challenging the hole might be. In much the same way, the preacher approaches the text in question with fundamentals. One key in those fundamentals is determining the central thought of the text and sermon.
I have a conviction that no sermon is ready for preaching, not ready for writing out until we can express its theme in a short, pregnant sentence as clear as crystal.
J. H. Jowett
Champion Golfer, Ralph Kramden
Before the sermon writing process can begin, we have to know what we aim for. The dominant thought, thesis, golden takeaway, or whatever else you might call it, points us in that direction. If the preacher does not know where the sermon is going, there is no chance the hearers will either.
Ask Yourself:
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What makes a sermon thesis stick in people’s minds?
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How long should it be?
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Can your audience repeat it in one sentence?
For Further Review:
Check out my article, “The Tiny Dog Now Is Mine: A Preacher’s Best Friend.”
All seasoned players know, or at least have felt, that when you are playing your best, you are much the same as in a state of meditation. You are free of tension and chatter. You are concentrating on one thing. It is the ideal condition for good golf.
Harvey Penick
Preaching on Par: How Many Whacks Does It Take to Get There?
In golfing terms, “par” is the number of strokes it takes to move the ball from the tee to the hole. The par on most holes falls anywhere from 3-6, though there may be more. The point of par is that each stroke should get you closer to your goal. A skilled golfer will not overshoot the hole or undershoot and require more strokes to sink the ball. Similarly, a sermon should get the preacher to the thesis in as few steps as possible.
While we often think of those steps in terms of points, it is helpful to begin seeing them instead as moves toward the thesis.
In this respect, the preaching we address is much more conversational than we might think of in the traditional three-point sermon. When having a conversation with someone, you do not begin, “My first point is that it is a beautiful day. I’m reminded of a poem I once heard.” Instead, conversations move naturally, shifting from general discussion to more pointed and personal thoughts.
Golfers take mulligans. Preachers . . . well, sometimes we wish we could.
Any human speaking involves sequence . . . Sermons are similarly constructed: They will involve a series of moves—language modules—strung together in some sort of logical movement.
Dave ButtrickHomiletic
As you plot the sermon, think about what steps you will have to take to deliver the dominant thought to the hearers. In golf, there might be a dogleg in the fairway, a left or right bend that must be navigated before moving straight to the goal. There may be particular bends to navigate with your hearers as well—left or right, for that matter. Recognizing the challenges between the hearers and the text will enable you to make smoother and more meaningful transitions.
Ask Yourself:
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What obstacles might stand between your sermon text and your audience’s understanding?
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Are there cultural gaps, theological misunderstandings, or emotional barriers you’ll need to address?
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What “doglegs” in the fairway do you need to navigate so your listeners can clearly reach the sermon’s main point?
If you focus only on the target you’ll play darn good golf.
Dr. Bob Rotella
Getting Out of the Roughs – Knowing When to Illustrate
Preachers know the power of a good illustration. Still, we would have to confess there are times when the story is so good we allow it to drive the sermon rather than keep us on course. For example, golfers recognize that every course has obstacles: waterways, sand traps (bunkers), and the roughs around the edges of the course. Tools are available to get out of these obstacles, but it would not be productive for a golfer to use a pitching wedge for every stroke. In the same way, knowing when to offer an illustration can enable the preacher to clarify the move and reach the thesis in a way that is clearer to the audience.
“Mr. Burns: Quit cogitating, Steinmetz, and use an open-faced club . . . a sand wedge!
Homer: Mmm . . . open-faced club sandwich.”
Homer Simpson, avid sandwich eater, occasional golfer
While in the bunker in golf, the rule is to keep your eye on the goal, not the obstacle. We can see this in illustrating our sermons as well. The goal is not to so concentrate on the illustration that it takes over the power of the message itself. Instead, the illustration gets you through rough points that may not connect with the audience. Illustrate to clarify, not simply to add more material.
Illustrate the obvious, and the complex ideas will take care of themselves, because your listeners will be fresh and focused enough to stay with you.
Gary Millar and Phil CampbellSaving Eutychus
Ask Yourself:
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What makes a sermon illustration memorable for you?
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Do you prefer stories that are brief, emotional, funny, or deeply connected to your text?
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How can you ensure your illustrations serve your sermon rather than steal the spotlight?
For Further Review:
Check out my article, “Sermon Illustrations: Nine Dos and Don’ts for Preachers.”
Mistakes are part of the game. It’s how well you recover from them, that’s the mark of a great player.
Alice Cooper
Sinking the Putt – In Conclusion
As someone who does not even qualify as a novice in golf, it seems to me that by the time you get to the hole, all the hard work should have been done already. You’re now lined up and simply have to tap the ball to send it in the right direction and drop it in the hole. How hard could that be? Based on the response I received when I shared that observation with my golfing friends, it must be a lot harder than that.
The purpose of the conclusion is to conclude—not merely stop.
Haddon RobinsonBiblical Preaching: The Development and Delivery of Expository Messages
Sure, I’ve never golfed, but I’ve probably seen Happy Gilmore a dozen times!
There may be a point of decision for the audience, a call to change, or a recognition of a need. Still, the sermon needs to conclude by sinking the point we began aiming at in our thesis statement. If the moves have been made with purpose, the audience will arrive there with you.
Ask Yourself:
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What kinds of responses do you hope for when you preach?
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Are you aiming for conviction, comfort, practical action, or deeper reflection?
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Which responses do you tend to focus on the most in your sermons, and is there another you might need to emphasize more?
I'll See You in the Clubhouse
I think I’ve made it pretty clear by now, I’ve never played golf. And that’s no accident. I’ve purposefully stayed away from the game, not because I’d hate it, but because I’m afraid I’d love it! What if I got hooked and never wanted to quit?
Maybe preaching is like that, too. What if your next sermon is the one that makes someone lean in, hungry for more? What if it’s the moment they realize this life of faith isn’t just worth exploring—it’s worth everything?
That’s why we keep working on our craft—aiming carefully, navigating the rough, and trusting that, by God’s grace, we’ll sink the putt when it matters most.
So as you step up to the tee this week, swing with confidence. Preach as though eternity hangs in the balance, because it does! And if your next sermon were the only one someone ever heard, make it the one they’ll never forget.
