EP 309 – Finalizing Your Sermon Calendar with Chris Snider and Matt MacNaughton
In this episode, we continue our monthly focus on the bi-vocational pastor. The “Bi-Vo Bros”—Chris Snider and Matt MacNaughton—join JimBo to walk through the practical steps of building a sermon calendar once you’ve carved out dedicated planning time.
We move from the “why” of sermon planning (covered last month) into the hands-on process of how to actually build a yearlong preaching plan.
1. Start with Scripture, Prayer, and a Blank Page
Matt explains why he begins with nothing more than his Bible, a blank sheet of paper, and prayer. He writes out themes the Lord is impressing on him, reflects on where the church is spiritually, and reads through the book he’s considering at a surface level before consulting any outside resources.
2. Read the Book Before You Plan the Book
All three hosts emphasize reading the book devotionally ahead of time. Early exposure—months before planning day—builds intuition for pacing, themes, and structure.
3. Break the Text Down Thoughtfully
Each pastor outlines the book based on natural units of thought, often comparing their outline with trusted preachers and commentary series. They stress not copying another preacher’s outline but treating those resources as a conversation partner to sharpen your own discernment.
4. After You Outline, Lay It on the Calendar
Once the text is divided, they lay the plan over the year’s Sundays and make small adjustments for pastoral wisdom (e.g., avoiding awkward texts on Mother’s Day). The biblical text drives the plan, but the calendar helps fine-tune pacing.
5. Build Systems That Serve You All Year
Chris and Matt both use tools like spreadsheets and Notion to store sermon outlines, themes, theological and anthropological ideas, illustrations, and quotes. These databases grow richer every year and streamline week-to-week preparation.
6. Use Technology, But Don’t Outsource Spiritual Discernment
AI can help with repetitive tasks such as mapping dates or generating headings, but the hosts warn against letting it replace exegetical work or dependence on the Holy Spirit. Technology assists; it doesn’t direct the sermon.
7. Sermon Planning Is Hard Work, but It Becomes a Joy
If planning feels overwhelming at first, that’s normal. Over time, pastors develop a rhythm and start looking forward to the focused, prayerful work of shaping a year of preaching.
What’s Coming Next
In the next bi-vocational episode, we’ll shift from building the sermon calendar to exploring the weekly rhythm of writing and preparing sermons once the yearly plan is in place.
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