What should a sermon outline include?

A Scripture text, a clearly stated problem, a glimpse of hope, the causes of the problem, a section that intensifies it, a second glimpse of hope, the solution in Jesus, two to four application steps, and a call to action. Wrap it with an introduction and a conclusion that comes full circle.

Should I write a full sermon manuscript or an outline?

An outline. Use memory triggers, not paragraphs. The exception is illustrations and personal stories: write those out in full so you can reread them before you preach.

How many points should a sermon have?

Instead of three points, this template follows nine steps that build and release tension. For application, two to four specific steps is enough. People who leave with ten things to do usually do none of them.

Can I use this sermon outline template for a Bible study or devotional?

Yes. The book says the same framework works for Sunday school, small groups, YouTube videos, and even writing a book, any time you need to move people from where they are to where God wants them to be.

Free template

Sermon Outline Template

A free fill-in outline you can copy for this Sunday

A sermon outline template built on the nine-step framework in The Sermon That Holds the Room. Copy it, fill in the blanks, and you will have a message with tension, a clear answer in Jesus, and a call people can act on.

Most sermon outline templates you find online look the same: Scripture, introduction, point one, point two, point three, conclusion. That outline is neat and easy to fill in. It is also why so many sermons transfer information without ever giving people a reason to care about it.

The template on this page is different. It follows the order a listener actually needs: feel the problem, see why it keeps happening, catch a glimpse of hope, then receive the answer and a clear next step. Every blank exists to build tension, deepen it, or release it with the power of God's Word.

Outline, not a script

Before the template, one rule from the book: this is an outline, not a script. You are writing memory triggers, not paragraphs. A full manuscript tempts you to read to people instead of preaching to them.

There is one exception. Write your illustrations and personal stories out in full, so you can reread them before you preach and tell them cleanly.

The nine-step sermon outline template

Copy this into a notebook, a document, or the back of your bulletin. Fill in each line in a few words.

Introduction: a story, a question, a startling statement, or a personal experience that pulls people in. ____________
Scripture: main text ____________. Two or three supporting texts ____________.
The Problem: what is broken, in one sentence ____________. One question that makes them feel it ____________.
A Glimpse of Hope: "You don't have to stay here, but before I show you the answer..." (no solution yet) ____________
The Causes: two or three roots of the problem, each said with "you" ____________
Intensify: the same problem from a new angle. What happens if nothing changes? ____________
Another Glimpse of Hope: a bigger breath. An identity statement or your testimony ____________
The Solution: how Jesus Himself is the answer to this exact problem ____________
Application: hook ("Here are three things I want you to do this week") plus two to four specific steps ____________
The Call to Action and Full Circle: invite a response that calls them away from the problem you opened with ____________

That is the whole skeleton. The nine steps from the book run from Scripture to the Call to Action; the introduction and the full-circle ending wrap around them.

A filled-in example: "I can do all things through Christ"

Here is how the template looks when you fill it in with the example the book walks through, Philippians 4:13.

Scripture: Philippians 4:13. Every positive Scripture has a problem hiding underneath it, and the problem is the opposite of the promise. The opposite of can is can't.
The Problem: Too many Christians live in the can't. They can't witness, can't overcome their past, can't be used by God. Question: "What has the can't cost you?"
A Glimpse of Hope: "That is not God's plan for your life. In a few minutes I'm going to show you a Scripture that will change the way you see yourself. But first I need to show you something."
The Causes: Fear of failure. Past failure that still talks. Self-reliance: you have been trying in your own strength, and your own strength keeps running out.
Intensify: Paint both pictures. A calling that sits unused for years, or a life that finally says yes.
Another Glimpse of Hope: An identity statement: you were not created to live in the can't.
The Solution: Not "try harder." Christ is the one who strengthens. Take it to the cross and the resurrection.
Application: (1) Start doing what you can, however small. (2) Name the fear behind your can't, write it down, and pray over it every day this week. (3) Put your hand to the plow and do it afraid.
Call to Action: "If you're ready to leave the can't at this altar, come." Then wait. Don't fill the silence.

Notice the full circle. The message opened with the can't and ends by calling people away from that exact thing.

How to use the template well

Fill it in after you have studied, not before

The book's preparation process puts the outline fifth: start with the Scripture, do a brain dump, read a commentary, picture one person who needs this message, and only then build the outline. If you start with blanks, you will fill them with whatever comes first. For the full process, see How to Prepare a Sermon.

Add the toolbox last

Once the nine steps are filled in, go back and add supporting Scriptures, word meanings, illustrations, questions, and one-liners where they strengthen a point. Doing it during the outline pulls you off course. The full list is in Sermon Illustrations and 22 Tools.

Do not hand out the solution early

The most common mistake on this template is answering the problem at step three. A glimpse of hope is a promise that an answer exists, not the answer. If you give it away early, the solution at step seven lands flat.

Keep application small enough to do

Two to four steps is enough. Every step should pass a simple test: could a twelve-year-old know exactly what to do after hearing it? More on that in How to End a Sermon.

Preaching a Bible story instead?

When your text is a narrative, such as the woman with the issue of blood or David and Goliath, the story can carry the problem, tension, and hope. The book pairs the nine steps with an eight-step Hero's Journey for those messages. See How to Preach a Bible Story.

If this template helps, the book walks through every step in detail, with examples, the full preacher's toolbox, and a funeral resource. See the book and order a copy.

More free sermon guides

How to Prepare a Sermon — The nine sermon preparation steps, from Scripture to a clear call.
How to Write a Sermon Step by Step — Blank page to pulpit, one step at a time, even your first sermon.
How to Preach a Funeral Sermon — A chaplain's complete funeral order of service and four-truth sermon.
Sermon Introduction Ideas — Four ways to open a sermon so people lean in.
How to End a Sermon — Application people can do, a clear call, and a full-circle close.
How Long Should a Sermon Be? — Why structure matters more than the clock, and how to cut.
How to Preach a Bible Story — The eight-step Hero's Journey for narrative sermons.
Sermon Illustrations and 22 Preaching Tools — The 22-tool preacher's toolbox and where each tool fits.