The Art of Alliterated Sermons
The Consideration of Alliteration!
Identified—Simplified—Magnified
by
Donald L. Cantrell
Database © 2009 WORDsearch Corp.
Contents
The Consideration of Alliteration
The Definition of Alliteration
The Delight of Alliteration
The Details of Alliteration
The Danger of Alliteration
The Draw of Alliteration
The Disappointment of Alliteration
The Dedication of Alliteration
The Dawning of Alliteration
The Developing of Alliteration
The Consideration of Alliteration
I dare say that many of us have tried to prepare alliterated sermons. In many cases the flow of the alliteration came with ease and required little effort on your behalf. In many other cases it seemed as if you were using meaningless words and it required more effort that you wanted to put forth. We may ask ourselves how this can be possible. In this chapter we will look at various steps in alliterated sermon preparation and hopefully clarify your concerns.
The Definition of Alliteration
“The repetition of the same sounds or of the same kinds of sounds at the beginning of words or in stressed syllables.” Alliteration is the repeated occurrence of a consonant sound at the beginning of several words in the same phrase. Consonance is the repetition of the same consonant in a string of words, not the sound as is in alliteration. Alliteration may also include the use of different consonants with similar properties (labials, dentals, etc.) I personally use consonance as much as I use alliteration. I find this necessary to be successful in my outlines.
The Delight of Alliteration
In preparing sermon outlines I personally find it very fulfilling and challenging to use alliteration. I believe that a person can develop their skills in learning how to affectively use alliteration.
1. The Journey and your Drive
In constructing an alliterated sermon the builder will embark upon a journey that challenges his skills to the highest level possible. The road will proceed down paths that seem dark and dreary, but you must proceed on until the light begins to brightly shine. The path will go down one way streets that lead to dead ends. If this happens you must turn around and head down another road.
2. The Joy and your Design
In the beginning the sermon may look meager and meaningless, but the skilled alliterator will build word upon word. As the words are joined together, the sermon will begin to look like it has been constructed with a specific design in mind. The designer can feel the inner joy of knowing that his persistence and patience has paid off in the form of a sermon that is presentable and preachable. In this a man can find great joy.
The Details of Alliteration
In preparing alliterated sermons a person must decide the path that his alliteration will take. I often allow much time in making this decision. In making this decision the sermon will begin to take form.
1. Consider the Options
A person has many options in constructing his sermon outline. The use of alliteration is varied and numerous:
Explore, Explode, Explain, Export
Attention, Attraction, Admonition
Conduct, Construct
Desirable, Affordable, Vulnerable
Emotion, Devotion, Commotion
The Man’s Mandate
The Marvelous Moment
The Majestic Method
The Meager Material
2. Consider The Obstacles
In constructing your sermon outlines you may encounter obstacles. A word must never be forced just to preserve the alliteration. A word must never be fraudulent in your outline. I will scrape the entire outline if I must force the use of a word. “The flow must be fluid and free, it must never be forced.”
The Danger of Alliteration
The person that chooses to use alliteration will face various dangers along the way. The best way to avoid these dangers is too clearly identify them. I have observed many people fail in using alliteration because they disregarded the common pitfalls along the way.
1. The Alliteration must be Personable
In discussing the meaning of personable, I mean it has to fit your style. It will seem odd for a man to try and pronounce words that he does not even know the meaning of. A person must be true to themselves in designing alliterated sermons.
2. The Alliteration must be Presentable
It will be a waste of time for a person to design a sermon that he cannot present to the people. Do not alliterate for the sake of alliterating; it must be based upon your text. A sermon must not rhyme just to make it sound good.
3. The Alliteration must be Preachable
The ultimate goal of the alliteration will be for the man of God to take it to the pulpit. In doing this, he will boldly present his work in the form of preaching. If the alliteration is not preachable, it is not worthy to be called a sermon.
The Draw of Alliteration
In developing alliterated sermons a person can find satisfaction in knowing that his work can payback many dividends. An alliterated outline in the hands of a skill designer can bring much comfort and counsel to his audience.
1. The Alluring Appeal
The presentable product of the process is the finished alliterated sermon. In delivering this alliteration it can have an alluring appeal upon those sitting in the audience. The preacher can begin to lay out his design before his audience. If designed properly and poetically the orator will see the anxious look of the hearer as he desires more.
2. The Assuring Aim
The designer will not only build his words in the sight of his hearers, he has envisioned the appropriate objective of his design. I look at alliterated sermons as if I were ascending a flight of stairs; each step brings me nearer to the door that opens up so that I can have a view that takes my breath away. The design has an assuring aim and the end will be breathtaking and beneficial to every hearer in the audience.
The Disappointment of Alliteration
I will be completely honest with the reader concerning the ability to design alliterated sermons; you either have it or you don’t have it. I believe that a person can perfect their skills in designing alliterated messages; but if the skills are not there it will be difficult and disappointing.
1. The Given Skills
I personally believe that God has given some people the ability to write. I think that this is one of the many gifts that God has dispensed upon his children. If you talk to various ministers some of them would give anything to be able to alliterate effectively. In talking to others; many of these men can do alliteration with much ease and minimal effort. It has nothing to do with education or effort.
2. The Gifted Student
I absolutely believe that once God has given a man these skills to write and design alliterated sermons, he can perfect these skills to the point of excellence. In designing and developing his messages, the dedicated student can hone and honor his skills. I spend great amounts of time trying to enhance my alliteration skills. I do not take this gift for granted.
The Dedication of Alliteration
The student of alliteration must have deep dedication in perfecting his skills. In designing your sermons there will be times when the process seems to be dry and dark. It is in these troublesome times that a man must dig in for the long haul. I have noticed that during these times one must remain focused; because he may have a diamond in the rough if he will remain true to his skills and devoted to his strategies.
1. The Proven Process
If you will remain true to this proven process you can become a successful alliterator. In preparing sermons I go through two distinct steps. “I design the sermon and then I destroy the sermon”. I then redesign the alliterated sermon and if needful, I go through the two steps over and over again.
2. The Perfected Product
In delivering the perfected product, none of the hearers knows the great pains that were taken to give them this sermon. The skilled alliterator will design his sermon outline as if he were building a house. It will all be built upon a firm foundation, and then he will construct the framework, and ultimately place the furniture inside.
The Dawning of Alliteration
In these days it seems as if alliteration has caught on throughout our land. The fire of alliteration seems to be burning brightly and boldly in many preachers and places. In this transformation, alliteration will have its triumphs and travails. It will have its proponents and its dissenters.
1. The Experiments of Some
In this day and age of alliteration we will see many a preacher dabble in and out. The preacher that does not possess the given skill will probably fail in this experiment. In no way does this cast a bad light upon alliteration, it is not for everyone. We are not all alike in our skills, nor should we be.
2. The Excitement of Some
In trying to discern if alliteration is for you, the answer will not be hard to discern. The man that has been given this skill will find much satisfaction and fulfillment in designing alliterated sermons. I find more satisfaction in designing alliterated sermons than any other thing that I could be doing. I absolutely love the challenge of designing a message that is alliterated. It is exciting to see others step into this arena.
The Developing of Alliteration
If a person realizes that he may have the given skills to design alliterated sermons he must allow himself the time to develop these skills. The given skills are not enough to adequately perform the task; it takes much time and practice. The skilled alliterator will begin his sermon with the people sitting back in the pew; but hopefully he will end his sermon with the people attentively sitting on the edge of their pew hanging on his every word.
1. It Takes Practice
The man that fails to practice is a man that has no desire to better himself or his given skills. The greatest athletes to ever play the game have spent much time in practice to perfect their natural skills. The man of God must not allow himself to become complacent.
2. It Takes Patience
If you allow the time for practice, you will ultimately become a great alliterator. Patience is a friend to any man that is willing to learn, willing to get better. I challenge you to design, then destroy, and redesign and keep on until you know it is finished. In doing this you must develop skills that require patience.
Title: “The Path of the Prodigal”
Theme: “The Perplexing Journey”
Thrust: “A Prodigal Can Find Hope & Help”
Text: “Luke 15:11–24”
I. The Prodigal & His Selfish Demand
II. The Prodigal & His Sinful Departure
III. The Prodigal & His Shameful Desire
IV. The Prodigal & His Strategic Decision
V. The Prodigal & His Sure Direction
VI. The Prodigal & His Sublime Delight
VII. The Prodigal & His Spiritual Depiction
I. The Prodigal & His Selfish Demand (12)
A. The Undesirable Proposal of the Son
B. The Unthinkable Pain of the Father
II. The Prodigal & His Sinful Departure (13)
A. The Willfulness of his Heart
B. The Wastefulness of his Heritage
III. The Prodigal & His Shameful Desire (14/16)
A. The Famine that he Faced
B. The Food that he Fathomed
C. The Failure that he Felt
IV. The Prodigal & His Strategic Decision (17/19)
A. The Pigpen Maneuvered Him—his life
B. The Pigpen Motivated Him—his longing
C. The Pigpen Moved Him—his leave
V. The Prodigal & His Sure Direction (20)
A. The Crushing of his Heart
B. The Craving for his Home
C. The Caressing of his Hope
VI. The Prodigal & His Sublime Delight (21/24)
A. His Prayer was Denied
B. His Pardon was Deliberate
C. His Party was Divine
VII. The Prodigal & His Spiritual Depiction
A. The Modern Day Prodigal—Help
B. The Modern Day Prodigal—Hope
C. The Modern Day Prodigal—Healing
I actually designed this sermon as I typed it for this chapter. I use the above process in designing this sermon; I promise you that it truly works.
Donald L. Cantrell, The Art of Alliterated Sermons (WORDsearch, 2009).
For more on the above topic, see the pdf file link below:
http://sermons.pastorlife.com/members/UploadedSermons/Sermon%20Preparation%20final.pdf
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