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Passing along a good article about what makes for a “good” preacher.  Enjoy! ********************************* You probably have noticed that preachers come in all shapes and sizes. There are big, gregarious, sweaty-foreheaded preachers. There are short, slim, soft-spoken preachers. There are creative preachers who always have a slick gadget or a clever object of illustration. There [...]

I grew up in a tradition that talked about “gospel preaching.”  In fact, we had “gospel meetings” instead of revivals, even though the intended outcome was the same.  Although I have slid to the other side of the keyboard, I still believe in gospel preaching.  In fact, it’s a shame we don’t talk more about [...]

I’ve heard it said that preachers are interested in preparing messages while God is interested in preparing messengers.  Or, you might think of it like this: “What is God saying to me?” “What does God want to say through me?” “What does God want me to say to them?”

Every good message has two things: an effective beginning and a well-defined ending. Too many speakers and presenters just wander into a message.  A little bit of this, a little bit of that.  Or worse, they stick an irrelevant introduction onto their speech or sermon because they like it, not because it fits.  The introduction [...]

Back in college, I was amazed at guys who in private were warm and engaging but who clammed up when given a microphone.  The most common mistake was to read their speech (or sermon) in a flat, monotone voice.  No movement.  No color or emotion. The human voice is God’s most creative instrument.  Use it [...]

In 1960 when Adlai Stevenson introduced John F. Kennedy, who was then a candidate for president, he said: “In classical times when Cicero had finished speaking, the people said, ‘How well he spoke’ — but when Demosthenes had finished speaking, the people said, ‘Let us march’!” If you had to pick between praise or marchers, [...]

This quote will change your perspective on sermon preparation: “Preaching is not so much preparing a sermon and delivering it as it is preparing a preacher and delivering him,” wrote Bishop William Quayle.

Love your audience. “Some singers want the audience to love them.  I love the audience.” – Luciano Pavarotti Motivation makes a big difference.

Use the right language. “If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart. ” – Nelson Mandela When trying to bridge the world of the Bible and the world of an audience, it’s important to [...]

Know what you’re not saying. “A man does not know what he is saying until he knows what he is not saying.” – G. K. Chesterton One of the hardest disciplines in preaching is knowing what to eliminate from your outline.  Too many times we have two or three really good sermons packed into one [...]