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Clear Preaching
The Clear Preaching
Self-Assessment Discover Where Your Preaching Is Losing Clarity — and Where to Focus Your Growth A four-domain diagnostic tool developed by Dr. Jonathan McClintock  ·  ClearPreaching.com

Welcome

Every preacher wants to be understood. But clarity in preaching is not something that happens automatically — it is a discipline that must be developed deliberately, at every stage of the preaching process.

This assessment helps you step back from your preaching and evaluate it honestly and systematically across the four domains where clarity is either built or broken.

This is not a test. There are no passing or failing scores. What this assessment offers is something more valuable than a grade — an accurate picture of where your preaching is strong, where it is costing you comprehension, and where your most meaningful growth opportunity lies.

How to Use This Assessment

Read each statement carefully and rate yourself honestly using the 1–4 scale shown below.

Rate each statement based on your typical preaching — not how you preach at your best, but how you preach on a normal Sunday.

At the end of each domain, your score will calculate automatically. When all four domains are complete, scroll to the Scoring and Results section to see your complete Clarity Profile.

Work through each section as honestly as you can. The more accurate your responses, the more useful your results will be.

Rating Scale

1
Rarely or NeverNot something I do consistently or intentionally
2
SometimesI do this occasionally but not as a regular practice
3
UsuallyI do this most of the time but not always deliberately
4
ConsistentlyA deliberate and regular part of how I preach
—/ 24
Domain One Clarity of Thought Does your thinking produce a clear, transmittable idea before preparation begins? Clarity of Thought addresses what happens in the preacher's mind before a single outline point is written. It asks whether you have achieved the kind of singular, crystallized understanding of your text and purpose that can actually be transmitted to another person.
Statement 1Before I begin building my sermon outline, I can state my central idea in a single, precise sentence.
Statement 2I clearly distinguish between what the text says, what it means, and what it requires of my congregation — and I work through all three questions before I begin constructing my sermon.
Statement 3I actively consider what my congregation already knows, believes, and feels about this text or topic before I begin preparing to communicate it.
Statement 4I know not only what my sermon is about but what I want it to accomplish — I can clearly identify the specific response or understanding I am aiming for before I begin building the message.
Statement 5I resolve my interpretive questions and theological ambiguities before I move from study to sermon construction — I do not carry unresolved confusion into the building of the message.
Statement 6I can state my central idea in plain language that a thoughtful person with no theological background could immediately understand.
Domain One Total— / 24
—/ 24
Domain Two Clarity of Structure Can your congregation follow your sermon in real time — without your notes? Clarity of Structure addresses the difference between a sermon that has structure and a sermon whose structure the congregation can actually perceive and follow as it unfolds. A well-organized outline the congregation never discovers is not structural clarity — it is structural invisibility.
Statement 1My sermon has a clear and intentional structure that moves progressively and purposefully toward a single destination.
Statement 2A first-time visitor to my church could follow the movement of my sermon without access to my notes, an outline, or a bulletin insert.
Statement 3I make the transitions between major sections of my sermon explicit — the congregation knows when one section is ending and another is beginning.
Statement 4Each major section of my sermon has a clear entry that orients the listener to what is coming and a clear exit that signals the section is complete.
Statement 5Every major point or movement in my sermon contributes directly to the central idea — I do not include material that is interesting but unconnected to where the sermon is going.
Statement 6After hearing my sermon, a listener could describe its basic shape and movement — not just individual moments, but the overall flow from beginning to end.
Domain Two Total— / 24
—/ 24
Domain Three Clarity of Language Are your words illuminating your idea — or quietly obscuring it? Clarity of Language addresses the precision, concreteness, and consistency of the language you use at the word and sentence level. It is where abstract ideas either become tangible and graspable or remain just out of reach — and where many sermons quietly lose the congregation without the preacher ever knowing it.
Statement 1I consistently translate abstract theological concepts into concrete, specific language my congregation can grasp immediately — I do not leave abstract ideas abstract.
Statement 2I am intentional about the theological and technical vocabulary I use — I define terms that need definition, and I replace terms that will produce confusion rather than comprehension.
Statement 3I am careful with the use of Hebrew and Greek words — I use original language insights when they genuinely illuminate the text for the listener, and I avoid using them in ways that impress rather than instruct.
Statement 4I use the same key language and phrasing for my central idea and key concepts consistently throughout the sermon — I do not refer to the same concept by different names across the message.
Statement 5My illustrations illuminate exactly the idea they are attached to — I do not use illustrations that almost fit or that are more interesting than they are precise.
Statement 6My central idea — my take-home truth — is stated in language that is plain, memorable, and immediately understandable to my congregation.
Domain Three Total— / 24
—/ 24
Domain Four Clarity of Delivery In the moment of preaching, are you serving your listener's comprehension? Clarity of Delivery addresses what is said and how it is said in real time — the vocal, verbal, and physical disciplines that either support or undermine the listener's ability to comprehend in the moment of preaching. It is the most under-addressed domain in homiletical literature, and the domain where all prior preparation either lands or falls apart.
Statement 1I restate my central idea and key points multiple times throughout the sermon — both in the exact same words and in different words — giving listeners multiple opportunities to grasp and retain the message.
Statement 2I make deliberate choices about whether to present ideas deductively or inductively based on what will best serve my listener's comprehension — not simply out of habit or personal preference.
Statement 3I preview scripture passages before reading them — I orient the congregation to what they are about to hear and what to listen for before the text is read.
Statement 4I use intentional oral transitions — including rhetorical questions and other transitional devices — that clearly signal movement from one section to the next and keep the listener oriented within the sermon's structure.
Statement 5I use pause and pace deliberately — I slow down and pause at moments of significance to give the listener time to process, and I vary my pace intentionally rather than speaking at a single speed throughout.
Statement 6My physical movement and gestures are intentional — I use them to reinforce and clarify the message rather than as nervous habit, random movement, or decoration.
Domain Four Total— / 24
Scoring & Results

Scoring and Results

Your Clarity Profile
Domain OneClarity of Thought
— / 24
Domain TwoClarity of Structure
— / 24
Domain ThreeClarity of Language
— / 24
Domain FourClarity of Delivery
— / 24
Overall Total
— / 96
20–24: Strong ClarityThis is an area of genuine strength in your preaching. You are approaching this domain with intentionality and consistency. Continue developing and refining — and consider how the habits you have built here might inform your work in lower-scoring domains.
13–19: Developing ClarityYou are doing some things well in this domain but not yet with full consistency or intentionality. There are identifiable growth opportunities here. Focused attention on this domain will produce meaningful improvement in your overall preaching clarity.
6–12: Significant Growth OpportunityThis domain represents your most immediate and impactful growth edge. A low score here does not mean you are a poor preacher — it means you have identified a specific area where deliberate development will make a significant difference in how clearly your congregation hears and understands your message.

A Word About Honest Assessment

The most common mistake preachers make when completing a self-assessment is rating themselves based on their best preaching rather than their typical preaching. If a particular practice is something you do occasionally — when you remember, when the sermon feels right, when you have extra preparation time — it is a 2, not a 4.

Clarity that only shows up at your best is not yet a discipline. The goal of this assessment is an accurate picture, not a flattering one. An accurate picture is the only kind that leads to real growth.

Your lowest-scoring domain is your starting point. It is where a focused investment of attention and effort will produce the greatest return in preaching clarity. Your highest-scoring domain is your foundation — and it is worth understanding why, so you can apply that same intentionality to the domains where you are still developing.

Your Next Steps

Knowing where your clarity is breaking down is the beginning — not the end. Here are three ways to take what you have discovered and turn it into real, measurable growth.
1

Go Deeper on Your Lowest-Scoring Domain

Visit ClearPreaching.com/resources to find articles, podcast episodes, and video teaching organized by domain. Start with whichever domain scored lowest.

2

Use the Sermon Clarity Checklist Every Week

The Sermon Clarity Checklist is a one-page weekly preparation tool organized around all four domains. Download it free at ClearPreaching.com/resources.

3

Get Personalized Feedback on Your Preaching

A Clarity Audit gives you thorough, personalized feedback on your specific preaching across all four domains. Learn more at ClearPreaching.com/workwithme.

© 2026 Clear Preaching  ·  ClearPreaching.com

Developed by Dr. Jonathan McClintock  ·  This resource is for personal and ministry use. Please do not reproduce or distribute without permission.