Sermon Introduction: 6 Ways to Open Your Message and Keep People Listening

A sermon introduction is the first two to four minutes of your message, and its purpose is to raise a need or a question that the passage will answer. A strong opening earns attention, connects with real life and points straight to the text. A weak one wanders, apologizes or tells a joke that has nothing to do with the sermon. Below are six ways to open a message, with examples, so you can choose the right one for this Sunday.

Think of the introduction as a door. People are walking in from a busy week, a tense car ride or a hard conversation in the parking lot. Your opening words invite them to set those things down for a few minutes and listen to God's word. That is why how to start a sermon deserves real thought, even though it takes up only a small part of the time.

What should a sermon introduction do?

Every good introduction does four things, usually in this order. It catches attention, it surfaces a need the listeners actually feel, it connects that need to the passage, and it gives a sense of where the sermon is going. You do not need to announce each part. You simply move through them naturally.

1. Attention: a first sentence that makes people look up.
2. Need: a question, tension or problem they recognize from their own lives.
3. Text: the bridge to the passage, showing that Scripture speaks to this need.
4. Direction: a hint or a clear statement of the main idea so people can follow you.

Jesus often opened with a question or an image from daily life: a sower in a field, a lost coin, a man going down to Jericho. He met people where they were and then led them somewhere new.

And he taught them many things by parables, and said unto them in his doctrine, Hearken; Behold, there went out a sower to sow:

Mark 4:2-3 (KJV)

6 ways to start a sermon (with examples)

1. Ask a real question

A question invites the congregation to think along with you. It works best when it is honest and specific. For a sermon on Psalm 13: Have you ever prayed the same prayer for so long that you stopped expecting an answer? Pause after it. Let people answer silently before you continue.

2. Tell a short story

A brief story from everyday life, history or your own experience can open a sermon well, as long as it connects clearly to the main idea. Keep it under ninety seconds. If the story is about you, make sure you are not the hero. For a sermon on forgiveness, the moment a child finally says sorry to a sibling can carry more weight than a dramatic tale.

3. Name a problem people face

Describe a struggle the room knows well: worry about the future, loneliness, a marriage under strain, doubt. Then show that the passage speaks directly to it. This approach is especially helpful for visitors, because it tells them the Bible is not distant from their lives.

4. Start with a surprising line from the text

Sometimes the passage itself is the best hook. Read a phrase that should stop people in their tracks. For a sermon on 1 Corinthians 1, you might begin with Paul's claim that God chose the foolish things of the world to confound the wise, and then ask what kind of God works that way.

But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: That no flesh should glory in his presence.

1 Corinthians 1:27-29 (KJV)

5. Paint the scene

For narrative passages, take the listeners into the moment. Describe the sound, the setting and the people. For Luke 15, help them picture a father who keeps watching the road day after day. When you then read the parable, they are already standing in it.

6. Make a direct statement

Some Sundays the best opening is simple and bold: This morning we are going to see that God is not tired of you. A clear statement of the main idea, said with conviction, gives people a handle to hold throughout the sermon. This works well in expository series, where the congregation already knows the book you are walking through.

Sermon introduction examples on one passage

To see how the approaches differ, here are three ways to open the same sermon on Matthew 11:28-30, where Jesus invites the weary to come to Him.

Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

Matthew 11:28-30 (KJV)

Each of these leads to the same text and the same main idea. The choice depends on your congregation, the season and your own voice as a preacher. Try one you have not used in a while.

How long should an introduction be?

For a thirty-minute sermon, aim for two to four minutes. For a shorter message, such as a 15-minute sermon, one minute is often enough. A long introduction usually means the preacher has not yet decided what the sermon is about. If your opening keeps growing, go back and sharpen the main idea.

A simple template for opening a sermon

When the week is tight and nothing comes to mind, a fill-in structure can get you started. It is not meant to replace creativity, only to give you a first draft you can improve. Here is a template that works for almost any passage:

1. 1
   Hook

   One sentence that catches attention: a question, an image or a line from the text.

2. 2
   Shared experience

   Two or three sentences describing a moment your listeners know from their own lives.

3. 3
   Tension

   Name the question or struggle that moment raises. Why does it matter?

4. 4
   Turn to the text

   Tell them where the passage is and why it speaks to this tension. Then read it.

5. 5
   Main idea

   State in one sentence where the sermon is headed, or hint at it if you want to build suspense.

Here is the template applied to Psalm 46. What do you hold on to when the ground shifts under you? Maybe it was a phone call you never expected, a layoff notice or a child who stopped talking to you. In moments like that, we find out what our confidence really rests on. Psalm 46 was written for people whose world was shaking. This morning we will see that God is a refuge who stays when everything else moves. That is under a minute, and it leads straight into the reading.

What mistakes should you avoid when opening a sermon?

• Apologizing. Phrases like I did not have much time this week lower expectations before you begin.
• Unrelated jokes. Humor is welcome when it serves the point. A joke that leads nowhere wastes the room's best attention.
• Long announcements. Keep logistics out of the opening. Once you start, start.
• Promising too much. Do not claim the sermon will change everything. Let the word do its work.
• Reading the introduction. If there is one part of the sermon to memorize, it is the first few sentences. Look people in the eye.

How do you make a sermon introduction that fits your church?

Know who will be there. A rural congregation, a college group and a nursing home chapel all respond to different openings. Ask yourself what they were thinking about on the drive in. Then speak to that, gently and honestly, and lead them into the passage. When you finish preparing, pair your opening with an ending that answers it; our guide on how to end a sermon shows how to tie the two together.

Above all, remember that the goal of the introduction is not to impress. It is to open a door so that people hear the word of God. Paul told the Corinthians he came not with excellency of speech, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power. A plain, honest opening that leads to the text is enough.

And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.

1 Corinthians 2:1-2 (KJV)