Most preachers are terrible communicators. There, I said it. You know it's true. That's why it sounds offensive. The truth has always offended people! I wish it weren't the case. I wish that God-fearing, Gospel-preaching Pastors were the standard for excellence in communication, but sadly, this is not the case. This is also among the primary reasons why an unbelieving world finds the message of Jesus so unbelievable...they've never heard it communicated with clarity, excellence and passion. As a student of preaching and a teacher of the mechanics of public speaking, I've put together a checklist that I use and I believe these simple steps can be effective tools for other preachers as well:
1. Watch Yourself. You can't possibly know how you sound or look while you're preaching unless you go through the awkward process of self-evaluation. Record every sermon you preach and then meticulously watch and listen for ways you can improve.
2. Study Communicators other than preachers. Most preachers learn to communicate by watching other preachers who are also awful communicators which leads to a form of "Intellectual Inbreeding". Watch stellar preaching, but also intentionally seek out communicators outside the ministry who have mastered the art of timing and delivery. The best in the world tend to be stand-up comics, politicians, and actors who play lawyers on TV and in movies.
3. REHEARSE! Most preachers don't rehearse their sermons and it shows. People are entrusting you with their most valuable resource, their time, and if you don't put in the time to study, prepare and rehearse your message, you aren't worthy to stand before them. I don't always get this much time, but my best sermons are the result of 15-20 hours of preparation including 3-5 full run-throughs before I ever preach it to an actual audience. If you say, "How can the Holy Spirit move if it's rehearsed?" Then you obviously have no real understanding of either the Holy Spirit's power or your own responsibility as a messenger of the Gospel. Sorry, somebody had to say it.
4. Pray. If the first prayer you say about the message happens when you're in the pulpit before the congregation, you might as well just sit back down and let everybody go home early. Never underestimate the power of prayer and never overestimate your own ability. God will sometimes use ability, but God will always use prayer.
5. Give it your all. There is no higher calling than the calling to preach and teach so do it with all your heart, mind, soul and strength and God will do mighty things through you!
"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving." Colossians 3:23-24 (NIV)
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I like your list. For preachers, teachers, or anyone trying to hold an audience and share a message they hope will stick, I can't recommend enough Chip and Dan Heath's "Made to Stick." Great, great insights and good stories about why some ideas stick and others were born waiting to pass in one ear and out the other.
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