Necessary Skills for preaching

The following are a list of skills necessary for effective preaching:

1. Walk with God.
2. Pray
3. Understand the text.
1. Determine the main point of the text.
   
2. Determine the structure of the text that contributes to the main point.
4. Determine points of connection between your text and your audience.
5. Be specific in application.
6. Contemporize your outline.
7. Develop an effective powerpoint.
8. Choose illustrations that shed light and apply.
9. Effectively transition between points.
10. Give auditory cues to audience so they can keep up with you.

Preaching Tips - How to Prepare the Sermon

Six steps to more effective sermon preparation byFred G. Zaspel.

Preaching Tips - How to Prepare the Sermon

Baxter on Urgency

Preach as never to preach again;
As a dying man to dying men.
-- Richard Baxter

I had such great intentions. . .

I meant to write in here frequently about preaching. But I haven't.

I learn, almost every week, that the Holy Spirit is in charge of preaching. The impact of a message depends on whether the Holy Spirit is having his way in me and in the listener. And, while words matter and structure and content and clarity. Nothing compensates for the lack of the Holy Spirit.

In fact, the goal of preaching is for the Word to be a tool in the hands of the Spirit. He creates a spiritual clarity that an eloquent preacher is unable to bring. He alone can open the spiritual treasure chest. He alone can give blind people spiritual eyes and make spiritually deaf people hear.

That is the joy and the frustration of standing in front of the same people week after week. The pleading with God for the sermon is the most important part of the preparation.

Expository Preaching and the Recovery of Christian Worship

Dr. Mohler has a series on preaching that is very encouraging.

Expository Preaching and the Recovery of Christian Worship (Part One)

Expository Preaching and the Recovery of Christian Worship (Part Two)

Expository Preaching and the Recovery of Christian Worship (Part Three)

A Preacher's Prayer -- A. W. Tozer

A Preacher's Prayer -- A. W. Tozer

The Urgency of Preaching

The Urgency of Preaching

Economy

Preachers are famous for talking. If there is a stereotype of preachers it is that they preach too long. This isn't necessary.

Economy of words is a critical skill in the pulpit. Say more with less. Use powerful words for the greatest punch. The fewer clear, vivid, alive words, the greater the punch.

Then when you've finished -- stop.

Preaching the Text

It may be insultingly self-evident that one of the keys to Biblical preaching is to preach the text.

Most preachers claims to preach the Bible. What that normally means is that some Bible verses are sprinkled throughout the sermon. It may mean that a central text is chosen and printed in the bulletin that Sunday.

Preaching the text means letting the text of the Bible drive the sermon. I know of no better way to do that than to let the text dictate the STRUCTURE of the message.

I heard a very good message this weekend that did exactly that. The text was Ephesians 5:15-18 Be very careful, then, how you live-- not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is. 18 Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit.

The speaker's outline was:

1. Examine how you live. v. 15
2. Make the most of your time. v.16
3. Know God's will. v.17
4. Rely on God's Spirit. v.18

Because his outline mirrored the text so closely he was free to spend the bulk of the sermon on application, not on explanation. The sermon clearly reflected the weight of the text and relevant for life. Better yet, it was evident to everyone who listened that he was "not making this up."