Preachers are teachers (Eph 4:11-12; 1Tim 2:7; 2 Tim 2:24), all teachers know the value of a clear curriculum.
Now is a good time to be working on your preaching curriculum for 2026.
There are 52 weeks in our teaching year, 4 terms of 9 weeks each; pre-Christmas Advent 4 weeks; post-Christmas holiday period 6 weeks; school term breaks March /April 2 weeks, June/July 2 weeks, September/October 2 weeks. Total 52 weeks.
The low season for church is usually the Sunday after Christmas through to the last Sunday in January. Make a feature of this time by preaching a 6 week series on Bible texts to live by!
Mostly, during the year, passages of Scripture are dealt with, this is a time for something different, ‘variety is the spice of life’, good for the preacher and the people to begin the year with a series of texts (Job 28:28;Mark 8:36; John 3:16; 2Cor 5:14-15).
First Sunday in February start off the church year in a big way with a Weekend In and perhaps a guest speaker, this year the first series may be on the Book of Signs in John’s gospel, chs 1-11.
First holiday period leading up to Easter, a series on a servant song from Isaiah.
Term 2 a series on Wisdom literature, ‘Wisdom to live by’, on Proverbs.
Refreshing to deal with Proverbs not according to themes, as Derek Kidner does so well in his commentary but dealing with the book by chapter, taking in its miscellaneous nature.
Term 2 break, a short series on Christian hope and future expectation, always good for us as we live for the Day.
Term 3 a series on 1and 2 Thessalonians, a uniquely persecuted church and how the Apostle Paul urges them to keep perspective in the midst of suffering, a good way to continue on the theme of Hope.
Term 3 break, a brief series on family. The options here are many, marriage, singleness, children, gender, sexuality.
Term 4 a series through a history book, Genesis or Exodus, continuing a series following Israel’s journey from the Patriarchs to the settled Kingship of David, good for us to grow in our knowledge of God’s character and purpose and the foreshadowing of His coming perfect ruler, the Lord Jesus.
Advent, the Anglican prayer book suggests readings for each Sunday of Advent choose one for each Sunday.
Most people appreciate structure and planning, it shows respect for God’s people and for the task of pastoring/ teaching that it is being taken seriously.
Why not produce a calendar so that everyone knows what to expect and can pre-read.
This gives the preacher the ability to choose commentaries well and know what to ask for for Christmas gifts!
The preaching plan can easily be adjusted if big events take place, September 11th for example, would require special attention.
Everyone plans in their own way, I like to plan 12 months ahead; at Moore College, Dudley Foord urged us to have 52 folders set up for each Sunday of the year, marked with the passage to be covered and to accumulate material all year for all those Sundays.
Benjamin Franklin said, ‘By failing to prepare you are preparing to fail’. Perhaps a surer word comes from Proverbs 16:3, ‘Commit to the Lord whatever you do and He will establish your plans’.
David Cook.