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| Credit: Thomas Hawk (Creative Commons) |
1. Trust God with the delivery. You'll notice this is just about the same place I started in part one. Trust the Holy Spirit to guide you as you speak. If you feel prompted to add something that you hadn't prepared, do so. If you feel like something that you had planned to say just isn't right, listen to that nudging if it's from God. I've found that I'm able to be more open to God as I speak if I 1) have prepared well enough that I'm not freaking out, and 2) if I spend some time in prayer before I speak.
2. Don't apologize or say you're nervous. People know that you're not perfect. I have a speech impediment that I was treated for when I was young but is kind enough to reveal itself and make me sound silly at least once every time I speak. If something slightly embarrassing happens or you say something silly, acknowledge it, laugh about it if appropriate, and move on. And don't say you're nervous. If you're really that nervous, the audience will be able to know without you telling them. Just press on and do your best, remembering tip #1 above.
3. Record yourself and ask for feedback. Probably my least favorite part of seminary was preaching class where we had to be videotaped preaching in front of our classmates, then take the tape home and watch it. But I learned so much just watching myself. If you can video yourself preaching, that's best, because you have no idea what you look and sound like until you experience it for yourself. In addition, honest feedback from others is priceless, although it can be tough to find people who are willing to be honest and constructive. My wife is my best preaching coach, but I can see how for some, having a spouse critique one's sermon may not be the best for their relationship.
4. Practice your sermon or talk. In seminary, we were required to memorize our sermons that we preached in class. It was a great exercise, because it guaranteed we would practice. In addition, the professor said that he wanted everyone to at least try memorizing a sermon to see how freeing it could be. It's not for everyone, but my advice is to know your sermon well enough that you don't have to be tied to the podium. I use notes (I keep them to one page, unless I have extensive quotes I need to read), but also memorize the whole sermon from time to time. Whatever you decide, don't get behind the podium without having run through your sermon at least once out loud. Some people are gifted enough speakers that they don't have to do this, but remember, these tips are from a guy who has stage fright. The final word on this: make sure that as you practice, you are striving for excellence, not perfection, as fellow YM blogger Chris Wesley has put it.
5. Interact with your audience, have them interact with one another, and give a tangible way for them to respond. Remember, if you're someone who loves listening to a 30-60 minute lecture, you're in the minority. I've always done this when I speak to teenagers, but it's only been in the past three years or so that I've tried to do it more when I speak to the whole congregation in the worship service. You might introduce a sermon on generosity by having the audience share with a neighbor the most meaningful gift they've ever received. To give an example from our church, Roy (our lead pastor) finished a sermon on worry a few weeks ago with a "worry offering" where the audience wrote a worry they will trust God with on a card, then walked up and put it in a bowl up front.
Bonus: I know I said there would be five, but I had to add this one in: Be who God created you to be. It's good to work on the craft of preaching by watching and listening to others, but whatever you do, don't try to be someone else. You are who God created you to be, he has gifted you to serve his Church in a particular way. Trust him that he knows what he's doing when he works through you. Confession: I wish I was funnier. I wish I made people laugh. But I went to Math Camp, and I preach like it. But that's okay. Be who God made you to be. Matt Chandler has spoken on this in a hilarious way.
What tips would you add to this list?
