Practice: Delivery

The delivery can be one of the most underdeveloped parts of the sermon, and yet a good delivery makes all the difference in whether the congregation actually receives the word from the Lord. Are they going to miss half the sermon because their minds wander off, or do they get on their phones? A word from the Lord isn’t a word from the Lord if it isn’t heard because of boredom. Why would we want to make it a challenge for our people to receive what God has for them?

Rev. Ingersoll gives three key points again for good delivery:

• Pray that we will have that burden for this message.
• Practice the sermon.
• Preach it. Release it to the church.

Pray

Rev. Ingersoll returns to the importance of having a burden for this sermon in relation to this congregation. A sense of urgency to the sermon will make a huge difference in how well you deliver it. Your passion will inspire their passion.

Pray also that they will be able to receive it. Pray that their eyes will see and their ears will hear. Pray that you do not get in the way of the Holy Spirit. Pray that the words that come out of your mouth will indeed be words from God and not words of your own making. 

Practice

It is incomprehensible to Rev. Ingersoll that a person would never practice a sermon before delivering it. If the first time you go through a sermon is when you deliver it, it is likely to be rough going. Having a manuscript doesn’t remove this need. Indeed, if you are only looking down at something you have written, the congregation will not feel like you are preaching to them. Preaching from a manuscript requires double or triple the effort to be engaging in delivery.

If you are preaching from an outline or from memory, practice is also essential. Nothing will kill the flow of your sermon more than a dead spot when you lose your place or can’t remember what you were going to say next. Practice is what prevents this from happening.

You can practice in all sorts of places. You can practice in the car, preaching while you are driving (pay attention to the road too, please). You can practice the night before then let sleep build those memory connections. Rev. Ingersoll comes to the church a couple or more hours early to run through the sermon. Practice makes perfect… or at least much better.

Preach

The moment comes. You release the sermon. God anoints you. God speaks to the congregation both through, around, and despite you. You may say things you never planned, but the Holy Spirit did. You have done your preparation. Now it is in the Lord’s hands.

Practice

Evaluate a sermon. This can be a sermon you witness in person or one that is recorded online. Answer the following questions about the sermon:

• Does the preacher have a burden for what he or she is preaching? Can you sense the urgency of the subject?
• Does the sermon have a clear destination and purpose? Is the ride smooth to get to the destination? Can you sense the steps? Do you know what you are supposed to do with the message in your life?
• How was the delivery? Does it seem like the pastor probably practiced the sermon? Did it hold your attention and inspire you?

Write up your observations and submit them below.