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January
2008 Sermon Tip -- Over the past two months, we have explored the basic formula for creating a solid presentation. As a reminder, the formula is: • Say what
you’re going to say (aka the Introduction) But, to craft an outstanding sermon, there’s more -- you need glue to hold it all together and you need pictures to bring color to your points. First, the glue . . . Transitions as the Glue to Hold Your Talk Together Transitions ensure that your talk flows and that your congregation stays with you. They are so basic that speakers often forget them, but they can make an average sermon polished and professional. They should occur between each point within the body of your presentation. They keep the flow going and give your listeners a roadmap. Rule of thumb: Use one any time you finish a thought and are ready to move on to a new idea. Transitions are meant to be noticed – if they are too subtle, they may be missed and your listeners will be on Topic A when you have moved to Topic B. Effective transitions can be: • Bridge words – furthermore, meanwhile, in addition, nevertheless, moreover, therefore, consequently, finally. • A rhetorical question – e.g., after covering a particular teaching point, you could say, “Now, how will this idea affect your life? We’ll answer that question in just a moment.” • A Flashback – Repeat something now that you’ve already said. Using the same example, you could say, “Now that we’ve covered A, B and C, let’s examine how they will affect your life.” • A Flashforward – A transition in advance. Mention something that you will refer to later. Then do a flashback when you get there. “As I said before, ….” • Point-by-Point – Mini-summary of what already has been covered – it lets your listeners see/remember how everything fits together; don’t overuse mini-summaries – they can be monotonous. • Pause – Nonverbal transition that helps your listeners shift focus with you. Because a pause will seem eternal to you, but may not be noticed by the listeners, internally count to 5 or so. Don’t overuse pauses or your delivery may seem slow and stilted. • Physical Movement – Another effective nonverbal transition. Do the opposite of what your listeners have gotten used to. If you’ve been standing behind a lectern, move away. If you’ve been moving, suddenly stand still. Sources of Support (SOSs) To Bring Color and Aliveness To Your Talk The final ingredient to a memorable presentation is creating pictures that bring your points to life, that drive them home, and that make them stick – SOSs or “windows.” SOSs or windows keep your listeners engaged. They sustain your listeners’ interest and involvement. They make your presentation lively and interesting. Choose your SOSs with care – make certain they are relevant, and they clearly support the point. They are not meant to be the main focus of your talk, but instead they are used to support the focus. The best way to use SOSs is to mix them up – mix humor with analogies with anecdotes with quotations with questions with activities. To be more specific, SOSs can be: • Examples/Illustrations – Personal stories from you or members of your congregation (remember to get permission before sharing anyone’s personal story other than your own). • “Human Interest” Stories. • Quotations – They bring authority to a point, often with some humor or irony. • Restatement – Distill all you’ve said (within that point) to a few key words. Or, summarize by giving the listeners a list of practical tips. When you say, “Here are 5 steps you can take to eliminate this problem,” you often will see a demonstration of heightened interest as people pick up their pens/pencils to write. • Historical References – Good to bring precedent or authority to a point. • Startling Statistic or Startling Statements • Humor – Humor is a very powerful way to bring home a point. It’s also terrific for establishing rapport with your listeners and getting their attention. Humor doesn’t necessarily mean telling jokes. If you can’t tell your friends a joke and get them to laugh, then telling them during a sermon might not be your best strategy. But you can use exaggerations, see the irony in something or use a touch of self-deprecation to interject humor. Humor is extremely effective when something unexpected or embarrassing happened, such as you trip over your feet or your words, you spill your water or you lose your train of thought. When you can laugh at yourself in such a situation, you go a long way to diffuse the discomfort on the part of your listeners. • Audio Visuals – Can be very effective SOS tools. • Relevant References (e.g., current events, movies, books) – Current events are ripe sources for making your points. • Hypothetical Story or “Parable” – A good way to drive home a point. Final Thoughts on Creating an Outstanding Sermon This month and the past two months have offered you a formula for creating impactful, memorable sermons. Please take what works for you and leave the rest. And remember, while it is helpful to have a structure, to have bridges and to have anecdotes and examples, all of these ideas are as important collectively as passion for your work is singularly. When you are passionate about your message and about sharing that message with your congregation, you can’t help but motivate, inspire and call forth transformation in your congregation. Blessings! |
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