| name | sermon-to-blog |
| description | Turn a sermon transcript into a readable 800-1200 word blog post. Not a transcript. A standalone article. SEO-friendly title, meta description, and web-formatted body. |
Sermon to Blog Post
Preach it once, publish it forever.
Requires: pastor-foundation skill
What This Skill Does
You preached a sermon. Maybe it was great. Maybe it was the best thing you've said from the pulpit all year. And now it's sitting in a folder somewhere as a transcript or a set of notes, doing nothing for the people who weren't in the room.
This skill turns that sermon into a standalone, web-ready blog post that works for someone who has never heard you preach. Not a transcript dump. Not a summary. A real article, structured for reading, optimized for search, and written in your voice.
Input
Provide one of the following:
- Full sermon transcript (preferred)
- Recording notes or detailed outline with key points and illustrations
- Bullet points covering the main ideas, scripture references, and any stories you told
Optional but helpful: A target keyword or topic angle for SEO (e.g., "how to overcome anxiety as a Christian" or "what the Bible says about forgiveness").
If you don't provide a keyword, one will be identified from the sermon content.
Workflow
Step 1: Extract the Core Message
Before writing a single word of the post, identify:
- The big idea. One sentence. What is this sermon actually about? Not the title, not the passage. The transferable truth.
- The strongest illustration. One story, analogy, or real-world example from the sermon that will translate well to reading (not all illustrations work the same way in print).
- The 3-4 most practical takeaways. What can someone actually do, think differently about, or believe differently because of this content?
- The primary scripture. The passage the whole message hangs on.
This step determines the structure. A blog post is not a transcript. It is a distilled, restructured version of the sermon's best content, rebuilt for a reader who is skimming on a phone at 7am.
Step 2: Write the Blog Post
Produce all three components below. No placeholders. Complete, polished output.
Title
- SEO-friendly and compelling
- Under 60 characters
- Functions as both a search result and a social share
- Includes the primary keyword naturally
- Generate 2-3 options and recommend one
Examples of strong titles:
- "How to Stop Worrying When Life Falls Apart"
- "What Jesus Actually Said About Anxiety"
- "3 Things the Bible Says About Trusting God in Hard Times"
Avoid:
- Vague sermon titles that mean nothing outside the church walls ("The Anchor Holds," "Week 3: Going Deeper")
- Clickbait that overpromises
- Titles over 60 characters
Meta Description
- 140-160 characters
- Summarizes the value of the article for someone seeing it in a search result
- Includes the primary keyword naturally, not forced
- Reads like a human wrote it, not a checklist item
Body: 800-1200 words
Structure the article as follows:
Opening Hook (no heading, 2-3 sentences)
Draw in a reader who did NOT hear the sermon. Use relatable tension, a pointed question, or a surprising statement. Meet them where they actually are.
Do not open with:
- "Last Sunday I preached about..."
- "In this blog post, we will explore..."
- A block of scripture
- The sermon title
The hook earns the right to be read. It should make a reader think: "Yes. That's exactly where I am."
Body Sections (3-4 sections, each with an H2 subheading)
Each section covers one key point from the sermon. The subheadings should be scannable and meaningful, not decorators.
Guidelines for each section:
- 150-250 words
- Weave in scripture naturally. Do not block-quote every other paragraph. Reference it, quote a phrase, let it breathe.
- Use the sermon's language and illustrations, adapted for reading. A story told out loud has different pacing than one told on the page. Tighten it. Cut the setup. Lead with what matters.
- Keep paragraphs short: 2-3 sentences. White space is your friend.
- Bold only what is genuinely worth emphasizing. Not every sentence. Sparingly.
- Use bullet points only for actual lists, not to fake structure.
Closing (no "In Conclusion" or "As We Wrap Up")
- 100-150 words
- Clear single takeaway: what should the reader walk away believing or doing?
- One concrete action step. Specific. Not "spend time in prayer this week." Something they can actually do today.
- End with strength. Not a fade. Not a hedge. A statement or a question that lands.
Anti-Patterns
These are hard stops. None of these belong in a published blog post:
- "In this blog post, we'll explore..." -- Never. Cut it.
- Altar-call language -- "If you're ready to give your life to Jesus tonight..." belongs in a sermon, not a blog post. Adapt it or cut it.
- Transcript sections -- Do not paste long chunks of what was said verbatim. Restructure for reading.
- Keyword stuffing -- One primary keyword. Use it 3-5 times naturally. Do not force it into every paragraph or subheading.
- Exceeding 1200 words -- If you are over 1200 words, cut. Tighter is better. A reader who makes it to the end is worth more than one who gets halfway.
- Weak openings -- If the first line would not stop a scroll, rewrite it.
- Em dashes -- Do not use em dashes. Use a period, comma, or colon instead.
Output Format
Deliver the following, in order:
- Recommended title (with 2 alternatives below it)
- Meta description
- Full article body (formatted with H2 subheadings, ready to paste into WordPress or any CMS)
- SEO notes: primary keyword identified, estimated keyword density, any secondary keywords naturally present
Quality Check
Before presenting the output, verify:
If the output fails any of these checks, revise before presenting.
