8-Hour Weekly Sermon Prep

Sunday comes every seven days… without fail! And between Sundays, you’re leading staff, counseling members, attending meetings, responding to crisis, and trying to show up for your family. The sermon gets pushed to Thursday… then Friday… then Saturday. Just like last week.

Or maybe you’re spending 18+ hours on sermon prep because you believe that’s what excellence requires — but you’re exhausted, wondering if all that extra time is really worth it. Is it making a difference?

Is there a path to faithful sermon prep without locking yourself away half the week or pushing it all to the last minute?

This Training Day gives preachers a practical, repeatable framework for preparing excellent sermons in about 8 hours — without sacrificing quality and without neglecting everything else demanding your attention.

Do the math: If you save just 3 hours per week on sermon prep, that’s 150+ hours back in your year. Hours you can invest in leadership, pastoral care, your family, or simply rest.

Yes, it is possible to plan, prepare, and preach a faithful sermon and pastor a church and show up for your family.

In this training, you’ll discover:

• The “Sunday Sermon Cooking Recipe” that brings clarity to every stage of sermon prep
• Why the “Thursday Midnight Rule” changes everything (and how to actually finish your sermon before Friday)
• How to know when your sermon is “good enough to move on” without constant second-guessing
• A realistic timeline that accounts for study, writing, illustration, and practice — without bleeding into your weekend
• The role of commentaries, collaboration, and “killing your darlings” in creating cohesive messages
• Small adjustments (1-2% improvements) in key areas that compound over time

This isn’t a seminary course or a complete overhaul.

It’s is one hour of practical insight that will help you preach your first 5, 50, or 500 sermons without burning out. Take what works, leave what doesn’t, and find the 1-2 things that make your sermon prep more predictable and productive.

Your sermon matters. Your people matter. Your family matters. And you don’t have to choose.

Simple. Actionable. Strategic. Designed for lead pastors preaching every week who want sustainable sermon preparation that actually works.