Sample Sermon: The Parable of the Good Shepherd

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today we reflect on the Gospel of John, where Jesus say he is the Good Shepherd who care for his sheep. This parable show us the love of God, who never abandon his people. The Good Shepherd know each sheep by name, and he lead them to green pastures. He protect them from wolfs and guide them safe.

In our life, we are like sheeps, sometimes lost, sometimes afraid. But Jesus, our Shepherd, call us to follow him. We must to listen his voice and trust his path, even when it seem difficult. Let us pray to be faithful sheeps, always close to our Shepherd.

Analysis: Common Errors and Pronunciation Tips

The sermon above contains several common errors made by non-native English speakers, particularly those new to preaching in English. Below, we highlight these errors and provide corrections, along with pronunciation tips to improve clarity.

• Error: "Jesus say he is the Good Shepherd who care for his sheep"
  • Correction: "Jesus says he is the Good Shepherd who cares for his sheep."
  • Explanation: The third-person singular requires "says" (not "say") and "cares" (not "care") to agree with the subject "Jesus."
  • Pronunciation Tip: The word "says" is pronounced /sɛz/, not /seɪz/. Practice the short vowel sound /ɛ/ as in "bed." Tip: Record yourself saying "says" and compare it to a native speaker on a tool like the Grok app.
• Error: "This parable show us the love of God"
  • Correction: "This parable shows us the love of God."
  • Explanation: The singular subject "parable" requires the verb "shows" (not "show") for subject-verb agreement.
  • Pronunciation Tip: The word "shows" is pronounced /ʃoʊz/, with a long /oʊ/ sound. Avoid pronouncing it as /ʃɔːz/ (like "shores"). Tip: Practice with minimal pairs like "show" (/ʃoʊ/) vs. "shore" (/ʃɔːr/) to distinguish vowel sounds.
• Error: "He protect them from wolfs"
  • Correction: "He protects them from wolves."
  • Explanation: The verb "protects" needs an "s" for third-person singular, and the plural of "wolf" is "wolves" (not "wolfs").
  • Pronunciation Tip: The word "wolves" is pronounced /wʊlvz/, with a short /ʊ/ sound as in "book." Non-native speakers may confuse it with /woʊlvz/. Tip: Practice the /ʊ/ sound by contrasting "pull" and "pool."
• Error: "We must to listen his voice"
  • Correction: "We must listen to his voice."
  • Explanation: The verb "listen" is followed by the preposition "to" in English, and "must" does not take "to" before another verb.
  • Pronunciation Tip: The phrase "listen to" requires stress on "listen" (/ˈlɪsən tu/). Non-native speakers may overemphasize "to," making it sound unnatural. Tip: Practice stress patterns in phrases like "listen to," "look at," and "talk to."

General Pronunciation Advice: Non-native speakers often struggle with English intonation in sermons, which can sound flat or overly formal. Practice rising and falling intonation to emphasize key theological points (e.g., "Jesus *is* the Good Shepherd" with a rise on "is"). Use pauses strategically to let important ideas resonate with the congregation.