Whether you’ve been asked to preach for the first time or you want to preach better, welcome to the ultimate beginner’s guide on how to preach a sermon.
Let me commend you for wanting to give your best behind the pulpit.
Preaching has got to be the best job in the world!
You get to communicate God’s truth to God’s people – does it get any better than that?
Today you’re going to learn the 7 best tips and techniques on how to preach a sermon with power and confidence.
But first, it’s time for a confession…
My First Sermon Was Terrible ๐ณ
Let me tell you, it was bad – like cringe-worthy bad.
I was asked to preach for the first time at a small church of about 20-30 people in my hometown of Leeds, England.
It was 18 years ago but I remember it vividly…
I walked up to the front, my trembling hands clutching my notes...
My voice broke as I struggled to get the first few sentences out…
I had a good main point but about halfway through I realised I forgot to write a conclusion. I had no way of ‘landing the plane’, no idea of how to finish!
So what did I do?
Well, I just kept repeating myself, over and over again… rambling on like a bumbling fool.
I am forever grateful for 2 saving graces that day: nobody recorded it (no evidence!) and everyone was very nice to me ๐
Since then I’ve had the amazing privilege of speaking in the US, Rwanda, Thailand, Burma, Cambodia and the Philippines.
I’d like to think I’ve improved a little since that first sermon!
Am I where I want to be in my preaching?
Not yet!
But I can certainly share with you some of the secrets I’ve learned along the way to help you avoid the mistakes I made and get the best possible start in your preaching journey.
Are you ready?
Alright, let’s get to it!
How To Preach A Sermon For Beginners
1. Invest In Yourself As A Preacher
2. Preach With Limitless Confidence
3. Your Job Is To Let God’s Word Do Its Job
4. Prepare Better & You’ll Preach Better
5. Connecting Vs. Communicating
6. Application, Application
7. Get Good, Honest Feedback
1. Invest In Yourself As A Preacher
I believe every preacher should have 1 Timothy 4:13-15 taped to their wall:
“Devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching.ย Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them so that everyone may see your progress.”
Did you catch that last phrase?
God is calling us preachers to show progress in front of the church, not perfection.
PHEW!
You don’t need to worry about being perfect – doesn’t that take the pressure off?
We’re simply called to show progress and allow people to see an improvement over time.
But how do you show progress and become the best preacher you can be? How do you learn to become an effective communicator of the gospel?
By studying preaching.
As communicators of the greatest message ever, we must be students of the craft of communication.
4 Ways To Invest In Yourself As A Preacher:
a) Take A Preaching Course
Killer Sermons Academy is the best online preaching course I’ve seen so far.
You get access to monthly training modules packed to the brim with practical step-by-step lessons put together by some of the best preachers and communicators of our time.
More than that, you join a community of 3,000+ other preachers all helping one another, asking questions and getting answers, sharing ideas and feedback.
Here are the top preaching courses we’ve reviewed…
๐ Best Preaching Courses ๐
b) Read Books On Preaching
Leaders are readers and we should be always looking to develop and grow.
One of my favourite ways to do that is through reading.
I read a lot! In fact, most Saturday mornings you’ll find me hiding out in some coffee shop somewhere with a good book.
Here’s my list of the top 5 must-read books for preaching.
But if I had to recommend just one book for newbie preachers, it would have to be Preaching Killer Sermons by Lane Sebring.
c) Listen To Great Preachers
We live in unprecedented times, never before have we had instant access to so many resources. There are 10,000’s of sermons available online.
Here’s who I’m currently listening to.
You can learn a lot by listening to podcasts, watching YouTube videos of your favourite speakers, grabbing a pen and taking notes…
How did they introduce the topic? How did they build tension? What was the basic structure of the sermon? How long did they preach for? What did you like? What worked well? What didn’t work so well?
d) Read Blogs On Preaching
It’s not just the big megachurch pastors you can learn from, you can glean a lot from the experiences of lesser well-known preachers too – people who have been faithfully sharing God’s life-giving truths for years.
Here are 3 epic blogs about preaching.
Check them out and subscribe, you’ll be glad you did!
2. Preach With Limitless Confidence
If the thought of standing up and speaking in front of people for the first time gives you that nervous jittery feeling, or you have a fear of preaching, I think what I’m about to say will really help…
When I was just starting out I heard this phrase and it’s always stuck with me:
โThe message is more important than you are.โ
When you’re worried if you’ll do a good job or not or unsure if people will like you, all of your focus is on you.
Instead, the focus should be on the incredible privilege you have to present Godโs Word to Godโs people.
It’s the message God has given you for His church thatโs the priority; it’s only ever been about what God wants to say to His children.
Remember this truth and I promise you’ll always have limitless preaching confidence.
3. Your Job Is To Let God’s Word Do Its Job
Want to be in the top 10% of preachers?
Preach the Word.
Sounds so obvious right?
Here’s the issue…
9 out of 10 preachers start with a topic in mind they want to preach about like:
- Love
- Finances
- Being a witness
- Purpose and so on…
Then they find scriptures to support what they want to say.
I call this the Chinese cracker technique…
Plucking a verse from over here and over there, then bending them way out of context trying to get them to fit your agenda.
“Some preachers use the Bible the way a drunk uses a lamppost – more for support than for illumination.”
Trust Me, There’s A Better Way
It’s called expository preaching.
It’s when the preacher makes the point of the Scripture the point of his sermon.
The point of the verse = the point of your sermon
I implore you to make a decision at the very start of your preaching life to only preach expository sermons.
Does it take a bit more work to truly understand what the scripture text is saying?
Yes, but it’s worth it.
Should you invest time digging into the scriptures to find out what it’s saying?
I hope you do.
The longer I watch pastors preaching and the more I’m around different churches, the more I’m amazed at how biblical expository preaching builds such richness and depth in their church members.
Here’s God’s promise from Isaiah 55:11 (MSG):
“Just as rain and snow descend from the skiesย and donโt go back until theyโve watered the earth, doing their work of making things grow and blossom,ย producing seed for farmers and food for the hungry, so will the words that come out of my mouthย not come back empty-handed.
Theyโll do the work I sent them to do,ย theyโll complete the assignment I gave them.“
Preach the Word, yes, but actually trust it too – it will never let you down.
Let your exposition of the pure and infallible Word of God be the lifeblood of your church week in and week out and see your members grow into maturity.
Be strong in the knowledge that the Word of God is more than enough to accomplish the work of God in the people of God.
You can be confident preaching His Word – in it is power and life, so trust it and be faithful to it.
Then and only then will you see lives truly transformed.
4. Prepare Better & You’ll Preach Better
Have you ever wondered how pastors of the fastest-growing churches get up there and preach fresh and powerful sermons week after week?
I mean, how do they do it on top of leading a huge church with all the jobs and responsibilities that come along with that?
They seem to do it so effectively and naturally – so whatโs their secret?
I’ll tell you:
They purposely follow a great sermon system that takes the stress out of sermon prep, gives them more time and makes them better preachers.
Ideas + content + preparation = a great sermon system
Here’s a brief overview of what the 3 step sermon system looks like:
An Ideas System
A lot of preachers struggle with what to preach about.
And the truth is, if your sermon starts with a mediocre idea, whatever you do the end result will always be mediocre.
That’s why the most skilled communicators of our time have a system for generating and saving ideas and they know how to spot the difference between a bad idea, a good idea and a great idea.
A Content System
The next step to effective sermon prep is fleshing out your core concept and coming up with your sermon outline, but with one major difference:
You start with the end in mind.
Have a clear picture of where you want to take your people then create your outline as the way to get them there.
Here are the 5 elements of a good sermon:
Introduction – You introduce the topic, outline the issue you’re looking to resolve or the question you’ll give an answer to.
Tension – Ever heard the saying you can’t take a horse to water? That may be true, but you can give it a salt cube and make it thirsty.
The key here is to whet their appetite – tell them why they need to hear what you have to say before you say it. Do this right and you’ll have everyone’s full attention.
Truth – Now share the answer to the problem you’ve outlined using God’s Word as the freedom-giving truth.
Application – Make it clear what they need to do with what you’ve told them (more on this in tip #6)
Conclusion – End with a memorable statement, a sticky one-liner that perfectly sums up all you’ve just shared.
A Preparation System
Ensure you have specific blocks of time marked out for the sole use of practising your sermon.
You want to rehearse it out loud enough times so you almost know it by heart.
Practice in a quiet, distraction-free zone and be ready before Friday so you can relax and Saturday and be ready to go on Sunday.
If you’re preaching regularly check out this 3 step sermon system. It could save you 16 hours a week.
Elevate Your Preaching With Killer Sermons Academy ๐๏ธ
5. Connecting Vs. Communicating
Our Bible college homiletics classes teach us how to reach the heart of the text but how then do we reach out to the hearts of our people?
I must admit, it took me a while to get my head around this one…
There’s a world of difference between communicating and connecting, between people hearing what you’re saying and actually getting it.
Here are 3 really practical things you can do to really help connect to your listeners:
Tell Stories
Want to preach like Jesus?
Then tell stories.
Jesus used stories almost every time He preached and crowds followed him around hanging on his every word.
Why?
Because everyone loves a good story!
Storytelling is an ingenious way of holding everyone’s attention and bringing your sermon points to life.
And a good emotional or dramatic story can really help illustrate your main point and connect to the hearts of your listeners. People remember them.
Try to give examples from your own life if you can or there’s a ton of real-life stories you can use.
Don’t Use Jargon
Let me be clear:
I’m not telling you to water down or dumb down your preaching in any way.
I just want your people to understand it…
Definitely preach the great theological truths from the Word, but please explain them.
If you’re going to talk about the atoning penal propitiation of Christ then, rather than impressing your listeners with your wide-ranging vocab, explain what these precious words mean.
“Simple language stands out in the midst of too much jargon. People tend to pay more attention when they can actually follow what you’re saying.”
Don’t Feel You Have To Fill The Time
Remember when Twitter first came out?
Everyone said it would the site would surely fail because of the 140-character limit, but they were wrong!
It turns out the character limit forced people to think and articulate their thoughts in a more concise way.
It’s the same with preaching – sometimes less is more.
We’ve all listened to rambling preachers who meander from one thought to the next with no real structure or direction…
People zone out, a bit like this guy…
Remember your purpose is to get a message across, not to fill time.
The stickier, more memorable your sermon the better. People will take it home with them.
So don’t worry too much about how long your sermon is – if you find you’re 20 minutes in and you’ve already got to your conclusion, feel free to say what you need to say and just finish.
I guarantee no one will complain.
6. Application, Application
Let me share this wonderful short story with you about Abraham Lincoln:
“The preacher, Dr. Gurley, allowed the president to sit in the pastorโs study with the door open to the chancel so he could listen to the sermon without having to interact with the crowd.
One Wednesday evening as Lincoln and a companion walked back to the White House after the sermon, the presidentโs companion asked,
โWhat did you think of tonightโs sermon?โ
โWell,โ Lincoln responded, โit was brilliantly conceived, biblical, relevant, and well presented.โ
โSo, it was a great sermon?โ
โNo,โ Lincoln replied.
โIt failed. It failed because Dr. Gurley did not ask us to do something great.”
Inspiring communicators always expect a lot from their listeners and a sermon fails, though it be well presented, biblical and inspiring, if it has no call to action.
Sermons from preachers right out of Bible school can sometimes be long on biblical commentary but lacking in life application…
But surely application is the whole point.
The one question we must always be asking ourselves is:
How can they apply what they’ve learned?
End your sermons with a clear call to action so those listening can be doers of the Word and not hearers only.
“If your goal is simply to educate or inform your audience so they can be more knowledgeable, then stop preaching.ย
Preaching, of necessity, requires application. Weโre preaching for life change.
Weโre preaching to make the written word become the living word in peopleโs daily lives.”
7. Get Good, Honest Feedback
Nothing will improve your preaching like good, honest feedback.
As you shake hands in the foyer of your church, it’s nice to hear “Great sermon today!” but it’s also good to get some more constructive criticism.
I’ve heard pastor Andy Stanley of Northpoint Community Church recommending preachers to watch themselves preach…
He says this will cause you to get better or get out of preaching altogether!
I’ve done this and it’s painful.
No one likes to hear the sound of their own voice or see themselves on video, but do it and you’ll know exactly what you need to do to improve.
Another great way is to ask your friends or fellow staff members for critique. Listen to what they say, take the good points and the bad and you’ll learn a lot.
Here’s a sermon evaluation form you can use.
Your First Sermon CAN Be A Great Sermon
My first sermon was a total disaster but now you’ve read this preaching guide for beginners, yours doesn’t have to be ๐
My fellow preacher, let me remind you of the incredible impact you have the privilege to make through your preaching.
Embrace this journey of growth and improvement with a genuine passion for sharing God’s truth.
Invest in yourself as a preacher, just as I have, learning from experienced voices and seeking feedback to continuously refine your skills.
Killer Sermon Academy is the best place if you want to develop your skills as a preacher.
Prepare diligently, focus on connecting on a personal level with your audience and always arm them with practical ways to apply what you’re saying and you’ll see lives transformed.
Believe in the power of God’s Word and let it guide every sermon you deliver.
Step up to that pulpit with confidence, knowing that through your words, God is going to touch hearts, inspire change and bring people closer to Him.
You got this! ๐ช
Thank you so much, this really helped me
I am Reba. A 15 year old who on the 23rd of June 2024 is expected to deliver a sermon at his local Lutheran church. I felt a little overwhelmed and started going on my phone for tips in the internet about preaching. Thankfully,I came across your website. I’ve learnt so much within this page. I know how to prepare decently and got the courage to go out there and change people’s lives. I can’t possibly thank you enough for your work. May God bless you and your loved ones ๐๐พ
Today I can go to sleep knowing very well that the following day I am going to ace that sermon.๐
Okay, thank for your lesson, it help me a lot. I was thinking about how to do this, but you have make it simple…Thank God
I’m so glad you found this helpful Jericho! I think it’s easy to overthink and overcomplicate things, but it’s always best to keep things simple! : )
I wanted to Thank you for the great information and tips. I have been an auctioneer since I was 13 now 56 years old so getting in front of a crowd doesnโt bother me at all. I have sold in front of over 500 people many times. I have always felt a calling to preach the word of God since my early 20s. I feel there is a huge need for good preaching worldwide as we are in the greatest time in history. More people are waking up and turning to the Lord now than ever before in history. Some of the greatest preachers I have ever listened to are extremely passionate about there presentation. I feel real life experiences really help deliver a passionate sermon. Iโm so glad I found your site, great advice. I will definitely be using it. Thank you God bless you
Hi Simon,
Thank you for all the great tips! I plan to give my first sermon by the end of 01/21 or early 02/21 and I want to do a good job. May God continue to bless your work and ministry.
Anthony Simpkins
I’m a Pastor of a small church here in the Philippines for more than 6 years now. I saw your ad about this Preaching Rocket and I got interested.
I’m having hard time preparing my talks every Sunday coz I am also working during weekdays. Sometimes it will take me Saturday night till Sunday midnight to finish my sermon outline and it makes me cram and rush my message.
Would this training help to suffice my concern?
I want to be efficient and effective preacher that would help me grow my church in quantity and in quality. Also, is getting the whole training in one payment an advantage for a beginner like me? Lastly, how much time will I spent in a day to be able to absorb and learn all the lessons here?
Jo Jon, I believe it would. There’s a whole section within training course about how to prepare sermons in a systematic way. It gives you a simple but powerful formula to follow that takes the guesswork out of sermon prep. This is especially useful if your time is limited…
Getting the whole Preaching Rocket course in one go can be useful, I think paying a one-time or monthly membership will depend on your personal situation and budget. Pick the option that works best for you.
The great thing about online courses like this is that you can work through them at your own pace. Not quite sure you fully understand a concept? You can watch the video again. Only have 15 minutes a day spare? Work the lessons and come back to it when you have free time.
Hope this helps! ๐
Thank you very much for the wonderful article, very good content for us that we are starting…
This is some really good information about how to get good at doing sermons. It is good to know that you should think about listening to other great preachers. That way, you can see what they do well and try to improve that in your own skills.
Exactly Penelope!
Hi group!
I want to ask question about preaching . There are some denominations/churches who do not allow anyone who have married two wives to preach the word of God to people who in need.
Can such a person preach or not?
If he preaches , is it sin before God or not?
Hey Andrew,
You talking about someone who’s been divorced?
I think if anyone who ever made mistakes wasn’t allowed to preach, we’d have a serious staff shortage ๐
I real appreciate how these illustrations will going to shape me in preaching
Hello, I am 17 and want to be a preacher when I get out of high school. I am preparing a sermon for a small group of friends and this helped a lot with how I am going to structure my sermon. I would love more advice and tips along with preaching ideas other than the ones I already have.
That’s great to hear Garrett and so encouraging to hear you stepping out in preaching in a small group setting, this really is the best way to start!
I’ve written a lot about preaching here in the blog. Feel free to check out:
That should be more than enough to keep you going for now, but as I say, I really think you’re doing the best thing by starting to share in small Bible study groups, it’s great practice to hone your prep and presentation skills.
Hi u really did a good job……I will work on it thanks sir
Thank you I appreciate that! Even if you just take 1 tip at a time and work on it in bite-size chunks. Nothing beats practice so find opportunities to start preaching anywhere you can – small home groups, in the Sunday school, it really doesn’t matter!
Preach it bro!
I am grateful for such a wonderful article, may God Bless you more!
All the best to you too as you faithfully preach God’s Word, I’m really happy you’ve found this useful. ๐
Thanks for the write-up. I will be preaching my first sermon in mid December and I’m looking around for resources on how to prepare.
This article is light, encouraging and helpful. The last tip (hidden tip) is a great reminder! Thank you and peace be with you all.
Hey Hayvern, I’m so glad you found this helpful. Yes we all need to be reminded it’s not all about us sometimes : )
Here’s the best article I put together on preparing an expository message, when you take the points from the Scripture text itself: A Surprising & Stress-Free Way to Write Sermon Outlines
The Holy Spirit be with you as you prepare and present your sermon – I know you’re going to be great!
All the best,
Simon
My first sermon was rough to say the least. Out of 4 Bible passages I left out 3 but come to find out a week later I had reached one person, she told me it was exactly what she needed to hear. Since then I have preached about 2 more subjects by God.
He is simply amazing. Never ever thought about giving a sermon or sharing his words but now it takes up most of my time. Thank you Jesus.
Wow that’s great Michael! I guess it’s better to over prepare than not enough ๐
Personally I find sticking with 1 main point and hammering that point home with supporting points the best way to communicate a message. I know a lot of preachers like the 3 or 5 point sermons, (I remember once sitting through a 10 point sermon!) but I think this is too much too remember and people just won’t ‘take the message home’ with them.
That must be great encouragement to hear someone was impacted by the message you shared. God’s promise to us is this: that His Word will never come back void!
I feel the same way as you do. Who am I that God would use me, an earthen vessel, but the truth is He does! All glory to His name, not that we ourselves can boast.
Thank you so much. You have helped me a great deal.
I am tired of seeing and hearing preachers try to “stir up” the congregation with their preaching style. At my church if you are not moving the congregation to run around the church, dance in the Spirit and clap, then you have not really said a good sermon to them.
As a preacher, I have been found guilty of this numerous times because I thought this is what the people want. Now I know better. Thanks ever so much again. I will put into practice everything you said.
God bless.
That’s so great to hear Brenda. You make writing this article worthwhile.
I’ve been in churches like that too – all emotional froth. For me people can shout and cheer, sure, but how I really grade my preaching is by what I said in point 5: application, application. I want to see real life change, I want to see people taking God at His word and applying it to their lives.
At the end of the day, that’s what it’s all about!
I have been practicing sermons by myself. Now I realize now that it would be a good idea to get the opinions of the congregation or mentors. I will keep your articles in mind while looking for resources for preaching.
Absolutely right. Too many preachers struggle preparing sermons alone unnecessarily. Whether it’s pride or they think it’s something they need to manage on their own I don’t know.
I know you’ll find these two posts extra helpful:
– Sermon Evaluation Form โ Get Fast Feedback (Free Download)
– How to Prepare a Sermon in a Team
Shalom i am Marcelle
I came across this profile and I am really bless. May the Good God grant you and your team wisdom to teach others as we patently wait on Him.
Thank you for your words of encouragement…. I would be sharing the word with my friends but I don’t know what to preach about as a beginner…
Please help me. Thank you
Hi George, apologies for my delayed response.
Start with what you know bro. It could be as easy as sharing your favourite scripture and telling them why it it’s your favourite. If they’re you’re friends they’re going to be completely supporting and encouraging anyways ๐
Hope this helps.
Hello! Thanks for the help! I’m a high school student who’s trying to become the chaplain at a high school government event, and I’d have to give a sermon on Sunday morning for those who wish to attend, as much as I am excited, I’m also intimidated! Many of the kids going may not step into a church at all, so it’s quite the opportunity to get to speak to them! Can anyone give me advice? I don’t exactly have experience from divinity school to lean on, and I don’t know where to start!
Hi Davis,
That sounds really exciting and I think it’s great that you’re bold and brave enough to step out and represent Him. Your comment reminded me of when I was in high school in the UK and I set up a weekly Christian Union meeting. I think I was the only Christian in my school and students only came for the food to begin with but we had different drama groups and visitors come in and we drew a good little group.
You could try the free online preaching course to give you the basics of preaching effectively. I’d say it’s not just about communicating but connecting. People always love stories, so whether you tell a Bible story or one of your own and can weave it in somehow, even if you start the story… make you point and then go back and finish the story – even better.
I talk about this in How to start a sermon strong where I list some of the different ways to use your first 90 seconds to help get everyone’s attention.
I hope this helps Davis and I’d love to hear how you go on!
Simon
you r divinity school is Christ he will lead you; God will be please with you it is most needed. amongst the Youth; The Lord put it in you; know just go give what the Lord is guiding you to give; God bless
Hi Simon I have preached already without using your method but I just need a little more practice so that is why I am here but anyway. They asked me to preach again so I pray that God will help me do better and I hope that what I read will help me.
Hi, I think whether you’re an experiences preacher or just getting started, we all still need more practice! ๐
We’re always growing nd developing and should always be striving to get better. If they’ve asked you to preach again, you must’ve done something right the first time! Glad you found this useful.
Bless you!
Hi, I am a lay and a liturgist at our church and my Minister has offered me to preach a sermon. I love your post”you don’t have to be great to start, You have to start to be great. I practice preaching alone at home pretending I have audience, in the shower I pretend I am preaching and then I stop and pray to God to forgive for babbling on to no-one. So I love your tips and I will start the crash course so I can preach for real. Amen….
That’s a great tip Joanne, thanks for sharing!
I would recommend anyone (even more experienced preachers) to practice out loud. I think it helps you with your ‘thought-flow’ and you’ll think of other relevant things to say naturally as you’re going through it.
You’ll love the preaching crash course Joanne, I think it’ll help you out a lot to get the foundation stones for preaching in place.
What a great opportunity to have to share God’s Word with God’s people! Go for it, would love to hear how you get on! ๐
Hello Simon,
I have been asked by my Church to preach which l do but always l lack confidence in myself by asking myself and sometimes my Child if l did it to the people, BUT now l have learn a lot from your tips that what l was lacking was forgetting who l am and preach the word of God by asking HIM what to tell the people and also to have faith in the word. The tips are very helpful really.
stay blessed
Yasinta – Malawi
That’s brilliant Yasinta! I’m so glad! I know it’s easy to look at ourselves sometimes and focus on our inadequacies but thank God he makes us look good! ๐ Put your focus on God and his Word and you’re already a better preacher!
Thanks for sharing, bless you too.
Hello Simon,
God has done it through me, l preached this last sunday at my Church, l could not believe how l felt the presence of God throughout, the words were just flowing, l could notice the smile on the people”s face listening so anxiously, at the end of the church a couple and other people approached me just to tell me that, we have been blessed that was great sermon, l felt great which encouraged me, BUT all was because l had the 7 tips in me which l practiced and l asked GOD to give me Authority over His word that l give to his people, Thank you for the tips, Keep on giving us more. My wish is to reach more lives in preaching not only in Malawi but even Worldwide help me in prayers
Stay blessed
Yasinta
God is so good! That’s wonderful! Thanks so much for sharing I really appreciate it!
Preaching God’s Word to God’s people – the greatest privilege of all! And God clearly used you and the Word of God touched lives – it’s all about people connecting with God and it’s all about life change!
The first of many great sermons I am sure, bless you sister Yasinta in Malawi and beyond!
Simon
This is such an awesome read and point on. I love how you’ve really put it out there that it’s all about the word of God, which it is! It really is. It makes the message more powerful too I believe. Thanks for all the great content. God bless you.
Keep the main thing the main thing! Bless you!
Hello Simon,
I am from Vadodara, a small city in Gujarat, India. I have been asked to share the word (preach) at our church on the Sunday after the next and, this being my very first chance of preaching, I was really looking forward for some tips on effectively sharing the Word. That is when I came across your post/blog and I thank God for it. The best part is โThe message is more important than you are.โ! That just hit me. Most of the time, we are conscious on our outward appearance and how we get along with people, to be politically correct, not to offend anyone. But in doing so, many a times, the core of the message gets diluted. That reminds me of the verse in Jeremiah 23:29 where God equates His word with fire and hammer. It is bound to consume and shatter. At the same time, also to bind up and heal. Please do pray for me that I share His message and don’t make a mess. Thanks again. ๐
Santosh that is great to hear, thank you for sharing your story. I can see even through a comment that you have the fire of God burning in your belly! You will do well for sure, I would love to hear how you get on!
Yes I remember writing this post, finishing it and then I had to add this on the end – the message is more important than you are! It’s so true for sure, and liberating don’t you think? ๐
God bless, you, yes the Word of God is a hammer! It’s powerful, indestructible and always makes an impact!
“Being an expository preacher puts you in the top 10% of preachers.”
I love it!
These were some good tips… Trust that the Word will do It’s work and that you don’t have to fluff it up.
And I love what you said about shorter sermons. Sadly so many guys think that if you don’t preach 45-60 minutes then you don’t revere the Bible. Wrong, because usually those same preachers fill the time with stories and junk anyways!
Tweeting this,
Steve
It’s so true Steve, thanks for sharing. Not only that, shorter sermons are easier to remember. As I say it forces you to say what you want to say succinctly and directly.
I once heard a quote that goes something like this..
“Intelligent people can teach complex concepts in a simple and easy to understand way.” Non-intellgent people do the opposite and need to confuse everyone with their ramblings! Here’s to great preaching!
Hey Mate,
Jonny from NZ here, helping to build a teaching training program for our speakers here in New Zealand so we can continue to improve and better serve our congregation. Found this extremely helpful, so that you for taking the time to write it! Blessings.
Thanks Jonny for investing into leaders, I know it’s not always easy. I’m really glad you found this helpful, there are probably lots of other tips you could give also but I think these cover the main things a beginner needs to know to begin their preaching journey.
All the best!
Hi, My name is Lise and I live in Australia. I was looking for somewhere that I can go and study the word of God but instead I came across your profile. I am a person that would love to preach the word but I absolutely don’t know where to start. I guess what I’m trying to say is, if I download this would it definitely help me get started or is this for someone that has experiences. Thanks
Hi Lise, it’s good to meet you and I love your heart to make Jesus famous!
Honestly the Preaching Rocket Core Coaching is designed specifically with beginners in mind. It’s perfect for preachers with little or no experience with preaching because it will help you build the right habits for preparing sermons. It will be easier for you ebcause you haven’t had years of bad habits so you can implement the teaching right away.
I believe you will find the training, resources and community super helpful. As soon as you get enrolled in the preaching training you’ll be gven access to a private Preaching Rocket group where you can get feedback, share ideas and help one another become the best preacher you can possibly be.
I wish you every success and if there’s anythign at all I can help you with, I’m always more than happy to help. All the best, hopefully see you inside the member’s area : )
i am so happy having read this piece and it hasboosted my confidence to preach.
Thanks Emmanuel, glad to hear it, I think you’ve made my day! All the best to you bro.
Thanks Pastor., I am a new preacher and sometimes I record myself and when I listen I just don’t want to share it with other people. thanks, I found the secret. You are indeed God sent. thank you Jesus.
I don’t like to watch my own preaching too, it’s painful sometimes isn’t it? : ) But you know what? In the long term it’s one of the best things you can do to improve your preaching. It will force you to improve.
When we start something new, it’s inevitable that we might be a little shaky at first, but the key is to never give up getting better, looking for ways to improve and grow as a preacher.
Hi I’m a teacher in govt. School in Arunachal pradesh a part of india border to China I would like preach God sermon in church but I have no idea please guide me
Hi Jordan, this article should give you a good start. If you’re serious about developing your skills as a preach, check out my FULL Preaching Rocket Core Coaching review here.
It’s a monthly training course and online community of preachers, leaders and pastors. I’ve been a member myself for 2 years and highly recommend it.
Hello Simon
I don’t want to lie this has helped me grow my confidence. Especially since I was ticking what I’m doing which I thought was not good enough, like having a short sermon like 25-30 minutes. I needed someone to tell me that its the best duration for beginners. Now that I see that I’m on track, I will just polish here and there to grow not to be perfect. Thanks a lot, I pray that God may richly Bless you as you teach more newbies and help send the message accross the world in Jesus mighty name Amen Brother.
Hey George! Go for it man! You’ll be great : )
Thank you for what you have across the net to help we the beginners to start from I am really bless about this GOD bless you Simon.
Go and preach the boldness brother! Bless you, may lives be changed by the Words of God you speak.
Thank you very much for the tips. I think am good to go now.
Be preaching first in a small congregation On Tuesday Nxt week.. I have posponed this teaching twice and want to give it a shot even if It requires me crying..lol.. Last i tried giving testimony in front of a congregation I almost fell the mic that was shivering in my hands..
Love your tips, am aware am not the only one in this.. May God help me… Wants to Speak about Nehemais Revival. Don’t know how it sounds.
I’m really blessed with these tips as I was one time fall into the same trauma my colleagues passed through. Thank GOD now that i can make it but still need improvement to make the message understandable & effective.
Thanks Gabriel, glad you found them useful.
I have been greatly inspired by your message. It is high time for me to take a step
Go for it James, bless you as you learn to become a preacher of the Word. Preaching Rocket will help you learn how to structure and present your messages in the best possible way. Here’s my full preaching rocket review.
Wow thank you so much sir. I preached my first (and only )sermon 6 years ago. I spent 2 weeks planning and preached it in 10 minutes, my legs were shaking and I was sweating. Thanks to your tips I am ready to improve. I learned a valuable lesson from your last tip: It is not about me. Thank you sir.
I think the last tip is probably the most important of all, thanks Mike. I think all of us experienced the first time trauma though we try to put it behind us as soon as we can! Great to know this helped, many thanks!
i have being blessed by this great knowledge,
God bless u
LOVE GOD from the HEART – demonstrate your love in ALL your work, regardless of who you are serving (rich/poor, young/old)
Be transparent – Be authentic
Glorify Jesus and God the Father
Don’t conform to the expectations of the WORLD
Live Holy, you are representing the Holy of Holies
Service to God should be a PASSION and NOT a JOB!
Do good unto the poor, the lonely, the suffering, etc.
Brilliant advice – I love this! Preaching should be a passion and not a job – presenting the Word of God to God’s people is not something we’ve ‘got’ to do, it’s something we ‘get’ to do. What an honour!
When we preach or teach Bible, we need to look at :
1. who is speaking,
2 who are the speaking to.
3 What is the occasion.
4. What is the subject.
5 What did it MEAN THEN.
6. What does it MEAN NOW.
7 What is it ETERNAL MEANING.
Preach ABOUT GOD!! and about 30 minutes.
This outline first came to me from a man that spent 50+years in the ministry.
In my 50 of preaching years I have found it to work well.
This is great advice Rev. Steven, thank you for sharing! It’s a great outline to use, especially for beginners preaching for the first time. I think having a clear structure, whichever it may be, definitely helps you preach better.
Hi Simon lam a prophetic interssor lam a begginer l just don’t know what to say in front of people like next week l have to preach in our branch housecell but love your 7 sreps big up ?โ
Hey thanks for this. If you follow these steps you’ll be just fine I’m sure! Don’t forget you can also take advantage of the free 10-day preaching crash course here.
Bless you as you take time to invest and develop yourself as a preacher of God’s Word.
I have tried dat before and it worked. Since i have a call in dat area. Ur tips are really good to follew up with as a beinginer.
I am really blessed to. Come across this powerful teachings.I again a lot from this and it will help me in ministration tomorrow friday.sir I am very grateful for this,thanks.
your tips tell me that you’re indeed a seasoned preacher…seasoned not because of time but because of open-mindedness and being a constant learner…thank you very much for the tips…it’ll surely help my class…
That’s great news, really encouraging. Thanks for sharing and for teaching and equipping others for the work of the ministry! Bless you.
Hi Simon –
I have a question. I was called to be a preacher. I’m 18 years old and currently going to college for Religious Studies. It’s not a Bible College, though. Do you have to go to Bible College in order to be a preacher?
Hi Carly, it’s a great question and one I get asked a lot. My answer is no, but it can definitely help. There are some brilliant, practical based, missions orientated Bible colleges out there like Victory Asia Bible College in Thailand (This is the one I went to) and I couldn’t recommend highly enough. Nothing beats the full experience, equipping and training you get from spending time specifically to invest into your future.
For preaching specifically, if Bible college is not an option then the next best thing is to access the rich treasure trove of resources and training available to you online. The Preaching Rocket offers a free core coaching program, see my full and honest review of it here => The FULL Preaching Rocket Review: Can It Really Help You Preach Better Sermons?
SO here are a few options for you to think about if you’re serious about becoming a good preacher of the Word. Bless you as God directs you into His plan and destiny for your life.
Thank you Simon.
This has been very helpful.
I was searching the web for preaching tips, and
I believe God has led me to it.
May God add to your wisdom.
Shalom
Chris
Thanks Chris, so glad you’ve found the resources and training resourses here so helpful. Let us equip ourselves and one another for even greater works than we have seen so far!
Bless you.
Simon
Hi mate
A great preacher gives people an experience of God, by drawing out what they already deeply know to be true, and reminding them of the profundity of the relationship God has with them, right there and then in the moment.
Cheers
Jeremy
Thanks Jeremy, I couldn’t agree more. Preachers need to connect with the hearts of their audience- no connection, no impact.
I also see many preachers offer up inspiring and moving, motivational sermons without giving a concise and clear call to action. We must preach what is practical and applicable. We want to train our people to be doers of the Word, right?
Thanks again Jeremy, bless you.
Simon
help preach better,thanks for your wonderful guidance
…what helped me when I was starting out?… The fact that I can do all things through Christ and the knowledge that God has prepared me for such a time as this and so, I was going to go out there and make God proud of me and I hope I achieved that the first time I preached which was on the 25th of February, 2014…I’m still learning!
Very good to know.
Hi simon,
am so happy about this article,
its my first sermon on sunday i trust God’s word will get to His people.
More grace!
Wendy
i am really excited reading this tips.preaching tmrw and i know it is well already.i have the confidence now
Four more tips:
1) Find some way to involve the congregation. Give examples that are directly relevant to them. Ask for a show of hands on an issue. Take the mic out into the pews and randomly ask members of the congregation a question relating to your theme. We live in an interactive world. Make your sermon more interactive.
2) Make your sermon more like 15 to 20 minutes. This forces you to concentrate your message. Modern audiences cannot focus on anything for very long.
3) Do not overwhelm people with lots of key points. Limit yourself to just one main point and maybe two subsidiary ones.
4) Find ways to make your message more memorable. Use props, show a few slides, hand out some cards and ask people to read them out. The fact is people do not take in very much of a sermon. If you don’t believe me, ask people who attended last Sunday to tell you what last week’s sermon was about. I doubt many will be able to answer.
WOOOOW AM SO HAPPY TO COME BY THIS POWERFUL MESSAGE BY YOU, THIS HAS GIVING ME WISDOM TO STAND FIRM WITHOUT BEEN AFRAID.
Go for it Jordan, God is in you, let Him shine through!
Nobody likes to be preached at. They like to hear what you have to say through the “word” and take away what they can from what you are saying. Each individual has their own way of learning. Not one person is alike. You have loads of information on this site and I am intrigued by what you have to say to the world. Your approach is very easy going and very personable.
Love it. Preach on! ๐
This is a great post and I can tell you are very good at it by your writing, very clear and easy going. People don’t want to be preached at they want to hear the story and everyone will take away from that story what they need. Thanks for sharing your experience.
Donna
Thanks Donna you’re too kind! And yes, you’re absolutely right, people want sermons preached that are relevant and useful to their everyday lives. if we get this right then people in our churches (whether they be first time guests or long-term members) will keep coming back for more.
Jesus always preached about things that people cared about: relationships, marriage sex, money – real life issues.
Glad you found this helpful!
A beautiful article indeed. I always admired preacher and religious teacher and how they talk with so much wisdom. I’ve always had trouble with speaking in front of a large crowd, shyness and anxiety really kick in, also the adrenaline. I’ll check the preaching course out and even recommend it to my friends! Thanks for sharing!
Hi Dustin, don’t worry you’re definitely not the only one to be nervous about the prospect of preaching, especially if you’ve never done it before!
Yes the Preaching Rocket Core Coaching will definitely help you with – not only will you learn from the best (the likes of Andy Stanley and many more), but the video, audio and reading materials cover all aspects of sermon preparation and delivery which will give you the confidence to be the best preacher you can be.
For me though, what I like most about Preaching Rocket is the community of preachers where you can ask questions, get answers and learn from each other.
Thanks again Dustin, let me know how you get on.
All the best,
Simon
Hi Simon,
Obviously you know exactly how to teach beginners how to preach with conviction and real authority. I like who you listen to for motivation. You are doing a phenomenal work in getting the word or God across the nations. Continue getting the word out and may you find blessings in all you do.
Best,
Jason.
I’ve seen many new preaching just starting out at our Bible College here in Thailand and most of them have to overcome similar hurdles, plus we’ve all been there ourselves as we learn how to preach so it’s easy to relate and understand where they’re coming from!
Blessings to you Jason ๐
Progress not perfection – I liked that ๐
This is a really good post, it’s so easy to see that you’re passing on your own learnings and experiences rather than just, well, preaching (for want of a better word!) I really liked your use of humour, especially the Mr Bean photo. We had a priest when I was young who always told a joke during his homily, but it was always intertwined into the meaning of the scripture, which guaranteed that we’d all listen ๐
Very well written and a great website. Well done ๐
Thank you, I’m glad you found this helpful. “Progress not perfection” – it just really takes the pressure of doesn’t it? We’re all learning and we should never stop!
God bless you.
I`ll try this Brother! thanks
That’s great to hear, let us know how you get on!
to really get better at preaching is study and practice, put chairs in a room, put dolls or full objects in chairs talk to them like theyre your people youre speaking to, before you preach your sermon you would have preached it 3 times before thats practice, key note, never, i say never let it be the 1st time you preach your sermon when you preach it
Great advice! Practice what you preach! ๐