Sermon Writing Workflow (Apps)
If you're in a position where you're needing to write a script on a scheduled basis (weekly in my case), it's essential to have a predetermined workflow. Whether you start with a handwritten outline, create a detective-show caliber bulletin board with yarn and pushpins, or tell AI to write your sermon (please don't), you likely have a somewhat predictable process.
With the tools and processes we have available to us today, at some point you likely have to sit at a computer or iPad and actually input, format, design, and export your work. There are countless ways to do it, and I'd like to detail mine. My way is not the only way and it will not work for everyone. I've broken it down into categories as best I can.
File Structure
I work on a Mac, but this can be done on any device. The first thing I do is create a folder with the date I'm speaking in this format 2025-08-17. Using that structure makes it easy to sort chronologically.
This folder will be the home base for everything related to this project. Research, manuscripts, graphics, keynote, all of it.
Research
I typically create a research.txt file. This plain text format can be opened and read with almost any text editor on any system. I use the default TextEdit app that's available on every Mac. It basically works as a scratchpad for me. If I find a quote I might use, paste it in there. A scripture loosely connected to my thought, throw it in there. A link? Yep, that too.
I even can make notes to myself in there like: "Remember to add that the Zechariah from this story is not the Zechariah from the book of the Bible."
Manuscript Creation
I've used dozens of document creation apps over the years. From Microsoft Word to Apple Pages to Ulysses to iA Writer to bbedit to countless others. I've written in plain text, markdown, rich text, and every proprietary format out there. I've used applications made specifically for sermon creation like Logos. I've even tried outlining software like Bike and OmniOutliner.
At the end of the day, I simply settled on Pages. Beyond being in the Apple ecosystem, the primary reason I went with it over the admittedly excellent markdown/plain-text editors is due to the plethora of formatting options.
When I'm preaching or presenting, I want much more than headings, paragraphs, and lists. I need injections of color, highlights, and other text formatting. As many speakers will understand, this helps with, amongst other things, keeping track of where you are in your notes. They work as a sort of mile marker along the route.
With this in mind, I created my perfect 2-column (more on this later) template that has specific styling for titles, headings, quotes, scriptures, lists, highlights, headers, footers, and notes-to-self. I can fly through formatting a full multiple page manuscript in seconds now.
Slide Creation
Every location has different requirements for slides, and it can get a bit complicated if you try to do too much. In my experience, I've found this is the best method for universal compatibility:
- Create your slides in Keynote
- Use minimal amounts of text (even break up long scriptures into multiple slides)
- Use a medium to large font
- Export the presentation as images
Keep it simple, use basic backgrounds (black is fantastic), and avoid animations. Once created, these images can be imported into ProPresenter, Proclaim, or even PowerPoint (amongst many others). The more complicated you get, the more likely you'll have issues. Want an example? Here's a simple theme I created.
Some venues prefer to create and format slides for you. In my experience, they never have issues using the images from Keynote as a guide for them. I'd even go so far as to say they appreciate it.
Here is another tip: If you're using more than 1 slide per minute, that's too many. That's way too many.
Media Cues
This is a step a lot of speaker's miss. Whether you're controlling your own slides or have a team controlling them (common in churches), I highly suggest creating a manuscript with slide cues on them. This can be as simple or complex as you'd like.
Once my manuscript is created in Pages, I export it as a PDF and open it in PDF Expert on an iPad. Many people use Goodnotes or other PDF apps, and any will work. In almost all of these apps, you can annotate the document.
I prefer to use an Apple Pencil and I simply draw stars in the margins where the operator can expect slides. In some cases, I'll even write short notes when necessary. I then print out the notes with annotations and provide them to the operator. This allows them to follow along and anticipate slides as they're needed.
Presenting
I use the same iPad and the same app (PDF Expert) to present. I'll open up my fully annotated PDF in full screen. The template I designed in Pages from the beginning already has the right font size for my eyes. Everything is colored properly, I even see the media cues. A simple right-to-left swipe takes me from one page to the next.
And of course, I have a printed copy of notes stashed on stage in case the iPad fails.
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