With practice, we can become better preachers, but only with better practice. Here are a few ways experienced preachers can improve sermon delivery:
Study the text rather than assuming it.
After a few years and a number of encounters with a particular passage of Scripture, we can assume we know all there is to know about it. That is not a good assumption. Bring your experience with you, but approach the text as an eager learner.
Pray the text into your heart.
In the rush of sermon preparation, I often find myself so focused on being faithful to the text that I miss what God wants to do in my life. So as you give attention to accuracy, also invite the Holy Spirit to arrest your heart.
Craft the sermon in print before taking it to the pulpit.
This is a debated piece of advice, but writing a full manuscript does much to discipline your preparation and crystallize the sermon in your mind before attempting to share it with others. You don’t have to preach from the manuscript, but words matter. So crafting the language of your sermon in writing will help you deliver your sermon with greater precision.
Preach the sermon to the mirror.
Tenured preachers are pretty comfortable on the platform, sometimes too comfortable. It’s easy to develop bad habits that distract from the message. And because we preach so often, we may even think we are more prepared than we are. So before going live, preach the sermon to a mirror. The prescreening will help you and your congregation.
Open with great expectations.
Just because the congregation expects you to preach, do not assume everyone is ready to listen. Make your first words good words. Avoid perfunctory and predictable “hellos.” Instead, begin with a well-prepared and relevant introduction. Use a well-told story, use humor, or use a bold question. But whatever you do, begin in a way that invites people to listen and creates a holy expectation in their hearts.
Pay attention and then pivot.
You have prepared to say a lot of important things, but better preaching pays attention during the delivery and makes adjustments along the way. This is one important distinction between delivering a speech and preaching a sermon. Preachers engage the congregation, listen to the Holy Spirit, and then move away from the notes when it means communicating with greater impact.
Wax on and wax off.
That phrase from The Karate Kid reminds me of the need for rhythm in sermon delivery. Good sermons have movements that help the congregation to stay more engaged. Tone and volume of voice and speed of speech make a difference. Body language helps cue the listeners for what’s coming. Good transitions, well-placed stories, and punchy phrases also help the wandering minds return to the sermon. Better preachers bring energy to the pulpit, but that energy is not uncontrolled. It is well allocated with a rhythm that brings the congregation along throughout the sermon.
Finish and be quiet.
Avoid recapping every point you have made. And avoid introducing new information. Instead, give a clear conclusion that drives home the main idea of the text, and then be quiet. The congregation knows when you’re finished. It’s important that you know it too. So prepare the conclusion well. Use a simple story, a good question, or a clear call to action, then deliver it trusting the Holy Spirit to change lives. If He doesn’t work, your ramblings won’t either.
Good preaching is good. Better preaching is better. For the glory of God, for the sake of the Gospel, and for the good of our congregations, let’s all work at getting better.
