Use a piercing question. This engages people in processing and applying the message.
Use surprise. The best conclusions sneak up on congregations rather than being obvious and expected.
Avoid common mistakes:
Don't introduce anything new in your conclusion. Don't add a point that you forgot in the sermon. You'll just confuse people.
Don't just summarize your message. Conclusions are more than summaries. It's where you challenge your church to apply the message.
Don't blame the clock when it's time to wrap things up.
Don't say "now in conclusion" unless you mean it.
Think through your closing prayer. My closing prayer of commitment always applies the points of the message. Remember to say this closing prayer slowly.
Rewrite your conclusion after the first service to make it better. This is an advantage of having multiple services. You know how the sermon feels after preaching it so you can write a stronger conclusion if needed. I don't change the message, but I often rewrite the conclusion.
Remember, good conclusions lead people to the point of true repentance - to changed lives. That should be ample motivation to work hard on them.
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Rick Warren is the founding pastor of Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, Calif., one of America's largest and best-known churches. In addition, Rick is author of the New York Times bestseller The Purpose-Driven Life and The Purpose-Driven Church, which was named one of the 100 Christian books that changed the 20th Century. He is also founder of Pastors.com, a global Internet community for ministers. Copyright 2005 Pastors.com, Inc. Used with permission. All rights reserved.
