I was reminded again of the power of using a great sermon planning software like SermonBase Message Planning Software. Here’s why:
I just came across a very nice outline study of Acts 16:6-12 on developing a God-given vision. So the question was, How do I file this in such a way as to ever be able to locate it when I want it again? Do I file it under “Acts 16:6-12″? Or do I file it under “Vision”? Or do I make two copies of it, and file one under each one (and bloat my file cabinet with extra paper?)
What’s cool about using something like SermonBase is that I created a sermon called “How to seek a God-given Vision” for the Title. Then under the Scripture reference in SermonBase, I entered “Acts 16:6-12″, and under the Topic category I entered “Vision” (which was already available in the drop-down list of selections, since I had filed a Vision sermon in the past. Then I filled in the “Body” section with a quick list of the three main points of that message, so that I could quickly scan it in the future, to see if I would need it, without having to dig through my file cabinets and find the actual article. Then, to be certain I could locate the actual article, I went over to the dialogue box entitled, “Hard-copy location”, and entered where I had physically filed the piece of paper.
Now whether I look up that sermon under “Vision” or “Acts 16″ or even “God-given Vision” in the title, I will be able to locate the entire article in my files.
What’s more, just to be certain that I do not forget, and think that the sermon points I listed in the Body dialogue of SermonBase, are somehow mine, I go over to the “Belongs to” dialogue menu selector and choose “Someone else” so that I know I am not the owner of the idea, just to be considerate of other people’s copyrights.
So, I was reminded once again what a cool tool is SermonBase® Message Planning Software. That little tidbit – with all the others I have filed over the years – is waiting for me the next time I need to speak to that Topic or Scripture Text. Thank you SermonBase!
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For better preaching,
Dr. Bill Miller
