The Sermon in a Sentence?

Should the preacher be able to say his entire sermon in one sentence? 

Opinions vary. 

On the one hand, I’ve heard proponents argue, “If you can’t say it in a sentence, you can’t say it in a sermon.” 

On the other, however, I’ve heard opponents suggest, “If you can say it in a sentence, why do you need to preach an entire sermon?”

Honestly? I agree with both opinions. I strongly believe the tighter you can make the sermon, the better. If there is one main truth or reality you can aim at communicating, do it. The clearer and more concise the better. Forcing yourself to sum up your sermon in a sentence will bring clarity and simplicity to your mind and message better than any other discipline. 

But I also believe there are times it is just impossible to do it. There are times when the preacher needs to communicate more than one main thing to a congregation. There are times when the truth of the passage and application needed for the congregation takes more than one sentence. 

My recommendation? Work vigorously to write down the entire thrust of the sermon in one sentence. You may be the only one who ever sees it. You may never say it to anyone. But you will know what you need to communicate on Sunday morning. Doing this will immensely benefit you when you go to the pulpit. 

But know there are times when one sentence simply will not suffice, and that’s okay. Don’t use this as an excuse not to do the hard work of getting the sermon down to a sentence. But do know there are times when pastoral discernment demands more than just one primary thought. 

If you can’t say it in a sentence, you can’t say it in a sermon. True. But there are times one sentence simply cannot capture an entire sermon. 

What’s your opinion? What are you learning about this discipline?