Do you know what the number one fear is for most people? Public speaking. Number two on the list, dying. Most people said speaking in front of an audience was scarier than dying. And I can sort of relate. As an executive pastor I don’t preach often, but when I do I certainly have a healthy dose of fear. Not so much as I’m preaching, but the anticipation of preaching. It’s kind of like riding a roller coaster for me; the wait is the worst part.
Now, my fear has gotten a lot better over the years as I’ve had more experience, and I’ve learned how to adequately prep to preach a sermon.
Which is a good thing because I don’t think they’d let me back on stage if I hadn’t.
And who could blame them?
A recent survey from Pew Research noted that quality of sermons was the number one factor for those looking for a church home, more important than feeling welcomed, style of service, and even location.
So, you better make sure your sermons are connecting with your audience.
With that in mind, here are four tips on how you can communicate better:
- Find Common Ground
My pastor is the absolute best at this. He has never met a stranger, and he knows connection starts in the community before it goes to the stage. This means simple stops at the bank, can turn into thirty-minute conversations. This means he’s often late for meetings because he’s busy connecting. This means more people connect with his teaching because he’s taken the time to care for them.
- Keep It Simple
I want to let you in on a little secret. No one in your audience cares how smart you are, what seminary you went to, or that you read the Bible in the original Greek. Big words and complex information aren’t helpful to them. They need clarity. What do you want them to know, what do you want them to do, and how will their life be better because of it? And it would help if you would say it in less than 40 minutes.
- Make it Fun
Think about the people you enjoy watching or listening to. How would you describe them? Funny? Entertaining? Inspirational? I bet you wouldn’t say boring. Yet, too many preachers bore their audiences to sleep. Make it your goal to capture their attention, use humor, use visuals, use stories. Say things in a way that people remember.
- Inspire People to Action
At our church we call it taking a next step, and we try to have a next step at the end of each sermon. Once you’ve told them the why, the what, the how, you need to give them a clear action step. Based on what you’ve just taught, what do they need to do? It’s the action that changes lives, not the teaching.
These four tips have helped me tremendously, and I’m continuously working to get better. You should too.
What would you add to this list? How do you make sure you’re connecting with your audience? Leave a comment and let us know, and make sure to subscribe to the blog to get tips on church growth, leadership, and more delivered to your inbox each week.
