10 Preaching Tips

Project Management Source has created a list of 27 tips to help you improve your public speaking. Here are 10 that can help you preach better:

1. Know your audience.
“Prepare [a sermon] that is understood and appreciated by those listening.”

4. Personalize your sermon.
“Most people will relate and respond better to your [sermon] when you combine the facts with a collection of interesting tales and examples.”

6. Stick to time limits.
“If you find yourself running late, know beforehand what you can afford to omit. In case you run short, be prepared with additional material that goes with the flow of your [sermon].”

9. Make a strong start.
“Start off on the right foot with your very first words and you’ll find that it’s easy to hold on to your audience’s attention for the rest of the [sermon].”

10. Watch your body language.
“It’s what you don’t say that tells the most about you.”

11. Maintain eye contact.
“Look at your audience, not through or beyond them when you talk.”

12. Pace yourself.
“Speak slowly and steadily so that you are understood.”

20. A few moments of silence are not a crime.
“You don’t have to fill every second with words. It’s acceptable to pause and gather your thoughts or sip water before you resume speaking.”

22. Work on your tone and delivery.
“Know when to raise and lower your tone as well as which words to stress. Your energy is infectious and your audience will react to it. Use the tone of your voice to grab their attention and hold it.”

25. Finish well.
“A perfect finish should not be abrupt or leave the audience wondering if there’s more to come.”

(HT: Church Relevance)

It Shouldn’t Matter, But…

Craig Groeschel has a great series of posts going under the title “It Shouldn’t Matter, But…” He says,

In the church world, there are a bunch of things that shouldn’t matter, but they often do.

Check them out.

Part 1 – The Church’s Environment
Part 2 – How the Pastor Dresses

A Question

Why do I look forward to putting the kids down to sleep at night only to miss them once they are dreaming?

God Owes Me Nothing

Last night I listened to a couple of extremely powerful messages by Matt Chandler. He is going through a series on the cross and he sets up the series with a few weeks discussing the glory of God and the passion of God for his name. I can’t remember which message it was, but in one of the first two Chandler states emphatically that “God owes you nothing!” I have been internally rocked by that phrase all day.

I would never say that God owes me something out loud, but I sure live like it. Too much the unsaid driving force in my live is the belief that God owes me financial security, good health, a nice home, easy parenting, healthy and safe children, success in my business and ministry endeavors.

Why does he owe me these things? Because I said a prayer to ask him into my heart. Honestly, that is what it boils down to at the most basic level. Because I am a Christian I think that God is supposed to make my life nice and that all my needs will be met. I live like God is supposed to make much of me instead of me making much of him in all circumstances. And to his praise I am learning that this is totally false.

God owes me nothing. Everything that I have is a gift of his grace; my very faith is a gift. There is nothing that I can bring to God that would make him indebted to me. Because without his grace, there is nothing purely good that I can bring to a holy God such as he. Even my best intentions are marked with sin.

That is just the truth of the sinful nature that makes its home in my soul. Where there is a kind word from my mouth, there is manipulation in my mind. Where there is an act of service, there is a desire to be recognized and seen. Where there is a compliment accepted from another, there is false humility and a sense of entitlement. Where there is preaching and teaching, there is arrogance and pride.

Thank God for the graces of God!