Topical Sermon: How to Preach a Theme Without Leaving the Text

A topical sermon is a message built around a theme rather than a single passage. Instead of preaching through a book verse by verse, you choose a subject, such as forgiveness, prayer or worry, and gather what the Bible teaches about it into a clear outline. Done well, topical preaching helps a church think biblically about real questions. Done poorly, it becomes the preacher's opinion with a few verses attached. The difference lies in how closely you stay with the text.

What is topical preaching, and how is it different from expository?

In expository preaching, the passage sets the agenda. You take a text, explain what it means in context and let its main idea become the main idea of the sermon. In topical preaching, the subject sets the agenda, and you bring several passages to bear on it.

Both approaches have a long history in the church, and faithful preachers use both. Many pastors preach mostly expository series and add topical sermons for holidays, church events or a question the congregation is facing. You do not have to choose a side; you have to use each one honestly.

All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

2 Timothy 3:16-17 (KJV)

What is the biggest danger in a topical sermon?

The danger is proof-texting: deciding what you want to say, then searching for verses that seem to agree. A verse ripped from its setting can be made to say almost anything. Listeners who know their Bibles notice, and those who do not are taught a bad habit of reading.

The Bereans are a good model. They received the word gladly, then searched the Scriptures daily to see whether what they heard was so. Every topical sermon should be able to stand that kind of checking.

These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.

Acts 17:11 (KJV)

How to outline a topical sermon step by step

This method keeps a topical sermon anchored in Scripture from beginning to end. It works for any theme.

1. 1
   Choose a theme your people need

   Think about the questions your congregation is actually asking. A topic chosen because it is on their hearts will be heard differently from one chosen because it is interesting to you.

2. 2
   Gather the key passages

   Use a concordance or a topical index to find where Scripture addresses the theme. Read each passage in context. Write down what each one actually teaches.

3. 3
   Pick one central text

   Choose the passage that speaks most fully to the theme. This becomes your base text, the passage you read aloud and return to throughout the sermon.

4. 4
   Write the main idea in one sentence

   State what the Bible teaches about the theme in a sentence your listeners can remember. Everything in the sermon must serve this sentence.

5. 5
   Build two to four points

   Each point should come from Scripture, ideally from your central text, with one or two supporting verses that teach the same thing in their own context.

6. 6
   Add illustration and application

   Show what each point looks like in daily life. Our guide to sermon illustrations can help you choose examples that serve the text.

Topical sermon example 1: Forgiveness

Forgiveness is one of the most requested themes in any congregation, and one of the most misunderstood. This outline uses Matthew 18 as its central text, with supporting verses that teach the same truth in their own setting.

Topical sermon example 2: Worry

Worry touches everyone, from teenagers to retirees. This outline is built on Philippians 4, a passage that speaks directly to the anxious heart, and is supported by Jesus' teaching in the Sermon on the Mount.

Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:6-7 (KJV)

How do you open and close a topical sermon?

Because a topical sermon starts from a theme, the introduction has a special job: it must show why the theme matters before it moves to the text. Begin with the question people already carry. How do I forgive someone who never said sorry? Why can I not stop worrying at night? Name it honestly, then turn quickly to Scripture: this morning, let us hear what God says about it in Matthew 18.

Get to the central passage within the first few minutes. A long introduction full of personal thoughts on the topic sends the message that the sermon is about your ideas. Reading the base text early sends the opposite message, and it gives every later point a home to return to.

The conclusion should gather the points back into the one-sentence main idea and call for a specific response. For the forgiveness outline, that might be naming one person before God. For the worry outline, it might be writing down one concern and praying over it with thanksgiving before going to bed. A clear, small step is easier to take than a vague call to do better. For more on landing the plane, see our guide to the sermon conclusion.

One more practical habit: when you finish your draft, read it once while asking a single question. Could someone in the pews open their Bible to each verse I used and find that it says what I said it says? If the answer is yes for every point, your topical sermon is standing on solid ground.

When should you preach a topical sermon?

Topical sermons are especially useful in a few situations. They fit special occasions like Thanksgiving, Mother's Day or a church anniversary, when a theme is already set. They help when a congregation faces a shared question, such as how to handle conflict or how to pray. And they work well as short series, three or four weeks on one theme, between longer book studies. Our list of sermon series ideas includes several topical options.

• Use them as a supplement. A steady diet of topical sermons can leave a church knowing verses but not books. Balance them with expository series.
• Let the text correct the topic. If your study shows Scripture says something different from what you expected, preach what Scripture says.
• Keep the verse count low. Five well-explained passages teach more than fifteen verses flashed on a screen.