FREE Preaching Calendar Download: Plan 2024

Looking to get a head start on the year ahead?

I’ve got just the solution:

The free 2024 Preaching Calendar.

You can download the PDF version here.

Or opt for the editable Google Sheets version here. Make a copy and adjust it as you like.

This preaching calendar template is designed to inject intentionality into your preaching, take the stress out of sermon prep and help you reclaim your Saturdays.

Here are 12 sermon series ideas you can use for the year.

Say goodbye to stressing out week after week over what you’re going to preach about and say hello to a more organised and efficient way of planning your sermons.

You’re welcome! 🤗

What Is A Preaching Calendar?

A preaching calendar (also known as a sermon calendar) is a scheduling tool used by pastors and preachers to plan and organise their sermon topics and themes over a specific period, typically a year, so they know what they are preaching and when.

5 Reasons Why You Need One

Once you start using a preaching calendar you’ll never go back. Here’s why:

1. You Cover The Whole Bible

Let’s do a little experiment…

Take a stroll down memory lane through your last year of messages. Jot down the topic of each one and the scripture references you used. Chances are, you’ll notice what your go-to topics are.

Maybe you lean towards diving deep into passages about faith and hope, but discussions about responsibility and diligence don’t get as much airtime.

Now, here’s where the preaching calendar swoops in and ensures you’re not just circling your comfort zones, but taking a journey through the entire landscape of the Bible.

2. Stress-Free Sermon Prep

Sundays loom on the horizon like clockwork. The pressure is on and your congregation expects nothing less than a home run every single week.

We’ve all been there – a week jam-packed with meetings, appointments, and unexpected crises. Suddenly, it’s Friday (or worse, Saturday), and you’re in a mad scramble for a message.

Sure, you might have pulled it off this time, but just imagine how much smoother it would be knowing your sermon topics a year from now.

Picture writing a sermon with ease knowing you’ll be delving into the profound topic of gratitude in three months instead of just three days.

Whenever you come across a YouTube video, news article, or blog post about gratitude, you can seamlessly add it to your sermon folder for that date, building a treasure trove of sermon inspiration and ideas.

3. More Time To Plan

With room to breathe, you can infuse a touch of creativity into your preaching.

You can plan any special performances, craft compelling slides, and weave impactful sermon illustrations or stories to help bolster your message.

Yet, a preaching calendar offers more than just fine-tuning your Sunday service…

You have the luxury of time to ensure your messages resonate across every facet of your ministry – from Sunday school to youth programs and home groups so your whole church is going in the same direction.

4. You Preach Better

Preachers who use a preaching calendar end up preaching better sermons because the better you prepare, the better you’ll preach.

And when you know well in advance what you’ll be speaking about, you have the invaluable gift of time.

This extra time allows for thorough research, deeper contemplation, and a more profound understanding of your chosen topic.

You have more time to:

This deliberate approach ensures that each sermon is a polished, well-structured masterpiece that leaves a lasting impact on your listeners.

3 Top Tips On How To Use A Preaching Calendar

I written a whole other post on 23 Preaching Tips That’ll Actually Help You Preach Better but these tips here are specifically for getting the most out of your sermon calendar.

1. Talk To God

Begin by asking God what He wants to say to your congregation in the upcoming year.

Trust that if the Holy Spirit can tell you what to preach about a day before, he can tell you a year before.

2. Prepare Sermons In A Team

Preparing sermons as a team will make a world of difference.

Create a preaching team if you don’t have one already and they’ll each bring fresh perspectives and insights to the table. Together, you can refine ideas, craft outlines and bounce ideas around to get the best result.

You can also use your preaching calendar to schedule when others are going to take turns in the pulpit and help take the load off.

3. Start With Monthly Sermon Series

Personally, I usually spend time around New Year to seek God’s face and plan the preaching for the year ahead.

I like to start by breaking down the preaching year into 12 monthly sermon series.

Here are 12 compelling sermon series ideas to get you started.

The key is to think about what’s happening around that time…

For example, January might be best to talk about vision and mission.

February is good for talking about marriage, family and relationships.

In the run-up to Easter, it makes sense to talk about sin, salvation, the cross of Christ and so on…

Once your monthly series are set, you can focus on working on the weekly message titles and go from there.

Pro Tip: Rather than preaching 3-point sermons each week, take 1 point and preach on that for the week for more powerful and memorable sermons.

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Preaching Calendars: The Bottom Line

This comprehensive guide, along with your free 2024 Preaching Calendar, is your ticket to a more organised and impactful ministry.

Download it here now if you haven’t already and get ready to free up more time for other areas of ministry.

If you’re looking to take your preaching game next level then be sure to check out some of our best articles on preaching:

And if you have any pointers about how you use a preaching calendar to help you plan out your preaching – tell us about it – we’d love to hear what you have to say! 🙌