More Fun with Sermon Templates

This week we are featuring a series of articles by Pastor Jamie Hart on using technology in ministry.

By Jamie Hart

In a previous post, I showed you how to create a sermon template by modifying the heading styles in a Word document. As I mentioned, using the heading styles unlocks some amazing functionality. Let me show you what you can do! I need to mention that I’m again assuming you are using Office 2007. Some of these features are available in previous versions, but not all . . . just so you know.

PowerPoint in a Click

Chances are you will want your sermon in PowerPoint. If you used styles, this can be done in a single click. To add this functionality, however, we need to add a button to our Quick Access toolbar. Here’s how you do it.

1. Open Word, and click the “Customize Quick Access Toolbar.” Then click “More Commands.” (Just move to the right of the Office button and you will see the button at the end of the quick access toolbar. If you can’t find it there, click the Office button, then choose “Word Options” and click the “Customize” button.)
2. As you can see, you can add any command in Word to the quick access toolbar. The command we need is “Send to Microsoft Office PowerPoint.” To find it, click the drop-down arrow under “Choose commands from:” (next to “Popular Commands”) and pick “All Commands.” Then scroll through the alphabetical listing to “Send to Microsoft Office PowerPoint” and click it.
3. Click “Add >>” and it will be added to the toolbar. Click “OK.”
4. Now open your sermon with the heading styles applied, and click the new button. Every heading 1 style becomes a new slide and the heading 2 styles become bullets. Choose the theme you want from the “Design” tab, and you have your PowerPoint done for the week!

Move That Point

Another benefit to using styles is the ability to quickly move content around in your document. Maybe you think point 1 would be a better point 2, but you’re afraid of all the cutting and pasting. Let me show you how to quickly move points around using the Outline View.

1. Open your sermon with the heading styles applied.
2. Click View on the Ribbon, then click Outline.
3. You will see your document organized in the styles. Now let’s make it easier to manage. Click the drop-down arrow next to the “Show level” and choose level 2. This will hide all other styles except your heading 1 and heading 2 styles.
4. You will see a plus icon next to your headings. Click and drag the first main heading under the second main heading. All the text under the heading moved along with it. You have now rearranged your sermon!

Quick Modifications

Perhaps all your heading1 styles are Times New Roman, but you are in an Arial mood today. Simply right-click the style and choose “Modify . . .” Change the font, and presto—everywhere you applied the Heading 1 style will change to the Arial font.

If you have any questions, please feel free to e-mail me at pastorjamie@honoringhim.com. Also, post in the comments any helpful tips you use!

Jamie Hart is the pastor of Cornerstone Baptist Church in Elkhart, Ind., and is an MCAS certified software instructor.