5 Ways to Improve Your Preaching
Preaching is a vital aspect of pastoral ministry, shepherding congregations while also exhorting them in their faith journeys. To be an effective preacher, it’s essential to continually grow and develop both spiritually and practically. Here are five practical ways to enhance your preaching and make a greater impact on your audience.
- Pray. Cultivating a strong prayer life is the foundation of powerful preaching. When you pray, you open your heart to God, seek His guidance, wisdom, and clarity. Pray before preparing your sermons, asking for divine inspiration. Pray during your preparation, ask God to give you the right words to say and the right way to say them. And pray after delivering your message, seek His help in applying it effectively. Prayer keeps you spiritually connected and ensures your preaching remains rooted in God’s power rather than your own abilities. This may seem obvious to some, but to others it may serve as a much needed reminder – you can do nothing without the help of the Spirit!
- Read the Bible. To effectively communicate God’s Word, you must be deeply rooted in it. Regular Bible reading enriches your understanding of Scripture, allowing you to share the truths of the Gospel with conviction and clarity. By immersing yourself in God’s Word daily, you develop a richer knowledge base that will naturally influence your sermons. Remember, the quality of your preaching is often directly related to how much of the Bible you internalize and apply. Again, if your sermon isn’t swimming in the pool of biblical text you are missing it. But this is more of a reminder of filling your mind with biblical truth on an ongoing basis – cherish the thing you are preaching from.
- Obey God. Authenticity is key to credible preaching. When your life aligns with the message you preach, your words carry more weight. Obeying God’s commands strengthens your integrity and demonstrates that your faith is genuine. It also helps you avoid hypocrisy, which can undermine your credibility. As you walk in obedience you speak with authority and compassion. Your life becomes a living testimony to the message you share, inspiring others to follow Christ sincerely.
- Rest. Preaching can be mentally, emotionally, and physically demanding. To maintain effectiveness, it’s crucial to prioritize rest and renewal. Regularly taking time to rest helps prevent burnout and keeps your mind sharp. Adequate sleep, leisure activities, and sabbath rest allow you to recharge spiritually and physically. When you’re well-rested, your delivery becomes more confident, your message clearer, and your overall presence more engaging. A rested preacher is a more impactful preacher.
- Take Care of Your Health. Your physical well-being directly influences your ability to preach effectively. Maintaining good health through nutritious eating, regular exercise, and staying hydrated boosts your energy levels and mental clarity. Specifically consider what you eat and drink on Sunday morning and even on Saturday nights. When you prioritize your health, you also demonstrate stewardship over the body God has given you, setting a positive example for your congregation.
Improving your preaching encompasses spiritual discipline, personal integrity, and self-care. Prayer, Bible reading, obedience, rest, and health are interconnected elements that will help you grow as a preacher. Allow the Lord to do what only He can while you submit yourself to all of these efforts in obedience to Him.
Author: Chad Hunsberger is the Lead Pastor of Colonial Heights Baptist Church in Ridgeland, MS.
