How to Improve Your Preaching

Discouraged with Your Preaching?

Even the best preacher can improve their preaching with effort prayer and attention. Though the effectiveness of the preaching event is not primarily up to us, we do want to be faithful representatives to the gospel. Here are some very practical ways to improve your preaching in the short term and over the long haul.

Instructions

1. LISTEN TO AND WATCH YOUR OWN SERMONS.

   This is a painful process. However, there is no better way to improve as a preacher in your delivery, style, pacing, expression, and pulpit presence. As you watch look for any distracting mannerisms. One way to do this is to watch the sermon in fast forward (2x) and look for repeated gestures and motions. Listen to see if you use enough vocal variety. Watch for facial expressions or gestures that don't match content. For example saying "you are forgiven" with a clenched fist and furrowed brow.

2. GIVE SPECIFIC SERMON QUESTIONS TO TRUSTED LISTENERS.

   There is no replacement for critical reflection by another person. If you have listened to your own preaching you can guide feedback to give you the best help. Here are some potential questions:
   1. What would you think was the main point about God in this sermon?
   2. Did I give you enough direction for life without giving cookie cutter answers?
   3. Count how many times my hands touch my face.
   4. Does the flow of the sermon feel natural and organic?
   5. Do I stay close enough to the text, or are my stories too long and distracting?
   6. Is my emotion in the sermon helpful or distracting?

   You think up your own questions. These are just individualized ideas. The key is to regularly have someone answering specific guided questions on your sermons.

3. PRACTICE YOUR PREACHING.

   You have heard it said practice what you preach, I say to you practice before you preach. In other words, never let someone hear you preach for the first time. If you really want to improve your preaching you will preach the sermon in private at least once all the way through before delivering it in public. This isn't just to aid memory and flow of presentation, although this is a huge help. It also helps you find gaps in your logic, depth in your theological reflections, and to preach to yourself so that you come under the conviction and inspiration you hope for others. After all, if it doesn't challenge you yet, why preach it?

4. LISTEN TO MASTER PREACHERS.

   The first person we know of to write on learning to preach, St. Augustine, told us that you can only learn to preach by preaching and listening to preaching. You have to add critical reflection in community to that list, but listening to sermons is key. Reading sermons can be interesting, but usually does not improve preaching. Go to online video hosting sites and search for sermons. Look up pastors both within and outside of your preaching tradition and take notes on things that work well. Soak up their technique as well as their theological insights. Some of your best sermon ideas will come while listening to another's sermon. This doesn't mean you steal sermons, their ideas will inspire completely unique ones for you. Listen to GREAT preaching, not just average.

5. GET PROFESSIONAL PREACHING COACHING.

   A good preaching coach will help you determine and understand your own preaching style, reflect on your theological insights, analyze the form and function of your sermons, address issues of delivery and presentation, and offer concrete practical suggestions for future improvement in your sermon work. Find someone who not only knows how to preach, they now how to teach people to preach better. There is a key difference.

Tips & Warnings

• Many young preachers find it helpful to practice in front of a mirror until gestures become more confident and natural.

• Get a list of preaching books to read that will increase the number of forms and techniques that you know.

• Remember that God makes preaching effective. Even our worst sermons can be the most helpful word to someone on a particular day. The Spirit may speak a word while we are speaking that is completely irrelevant to the sermon. So breathe easier, do you your job well, but allow God the responsibility for the Word.

Resources

• Sermon Ideas
• More Practical Articles from this eHow Authority
• The Saturday Morning Post
• Increase Your Ehow Earnings