Heuristic combinatorial optimization in the design for expository preaching

Abstract

This research presents a systematic and iterative procedure, as well as theoretical study, on expository sermon construction. The basic approach to sermon design involves the treatment of this subject matter as a design problem, utilizing advanced methodology in engineering design. This includes the modeling technique, the flow-chart method, and the optimization theory. In addition, we use heuristics as the search engine for seeking intelligent and efficient optimum design solutions. The heuristics can best be compared to the "artificial intelligence" or the "wisdom bank," involving six sources of wisdom; these include: talents, gifts, creativity, knowledge, experience and spiritual insights. The results represented in this thesis are believed to have demonstrated original findings in the following areas. First, the subject matter is found to be of a design nature, sharing the common characteristics of a general class of the design discipline, namely, having a 3-stage iterative procedure of the ABA' model. Secondly, a mathematical as well as physical model of the sermon design problem is developed in this study, using both homiletic and hermeneutic principles. The human body is used as the physical model, making it possible for simple visualization of the sermon structure and for performance evaluation. A mathematical model is found to be the "Heuristic Combinatorial Optimization Problem" and consists of eight design variables. Although it is not yet possible to develop a computer-aided protocol to seek solutions, an alternative approach called the "Web-Chart Method" can potentially be adaptable to an interactive computer system in the future. It serves as a two-dimensional "design chart" on paper, in which iterative procedures can be performed manually. The advantage is that the designer can direct his or her heuristic search for optimum solutions with the help of a number of design tools, including the "Insight-Recording Sheet" and the "Analogical Analysis Chart." With these tools, the designer has, at his or her disposal, the ability to search for solutions in sermon design, while still maintaining a global view with all the design variables controlled for. In this research, the principles of combinatorial heuristics applicable to the field of optimum design of expository sermons have been described. They are based on heuristic combinatorial optimization methods in the engineering design field with refinements geared to the homiletic as well as hermeneutic nature of the problem. The approaches represented here would allow a designer to utilize resources that are not otherwise available and/or are not easily manageable. With these research results, one would be able to design sermons innovatively and optimally in a systematic and heuristic-guided manner. Further extension of this work would lead to a new field of research and development in the computer-aided design of expository sermons. Key words: preaching; homiletics; expository preaching; design for preaching; sermon construction; computer-aided sermon design; sermon design optimization; heuristic sermon design; heuristic sermon optimization; heuristic combinatorial optimization.