How to Give a Sermon in Church

Pray effectually. Nothing is better than having a conversation with God to know what exactly the audience want to hear or want in their lives. It is better, if you ask God for guidance, than to take any random topic, and speak anything and everything. Be it a five minute sermon or a sermon that goes beyond an hour, you need to be specific about the topic (unless the Holy Spirit guides you in a different way).

Decided on your topic and go ahead and make small notes on some of the references you might want to quote while giving the sermon. Sticky notes help a lot, especially if you have a tendency to become nervous and blank at the pulpit or lectern. You can use a reference Bible for this preparation.

Revise your sermon. Once you are done preparing your sermon, go through it many times. Check and re-check whether your sermon is to-the-point and whether the Bible verses match your points.

Practice. That does not mean you mug up the speech that you have prepared, but practice so that you know where you stand. Use a mirror, if possible and watch your gestures, actions, facial expressions and listen to your voice modulation. These are very important while giving sermons.

Make sure that you have enough examples to keep the crowd active and attentive. The examples should be relevant to the topic. Not everyone likes listening to a preachy person. Bring in some humor, plan stories before-hand instead of making personal references or situational jokes on the stage.

Pray again once you are ready to give your sermon. A short word of prayer before starting is essential - that God uses you, that the crowd receives what they really need.

Be confident. No matter how terribly nervous you are, you must look and sound experienced. Be firm, being sure of what you say. In the Bible, Satan seeks to instill fear, to cause timidity, tempt, snare, injure and generally cause problems (No, he can not kill the soul.) -- as he does go around "as a roaring lion seeking whom He 'may' devour" -- such as lead off astray into a wasted life, for example. Avoid letting simple embarrassment, timidity, or fear limit your effort and keep you from your success. Minor and even major difficulties shall be overcome. You can succeed in all kinds of things.

Start with a brief introduction. Do not over-do the intro part. That could be boring. You can also pray while on the stage.

Start the sermon reading a verse from the Bible or a small story or a joke (positive, surprising twist) and move on to your topic. Make sure you add some humor here and there. Don't overdo it either. Your aim is not to make them laugh, but to make them think while they laugh.

Sound genuine: though none of us are perfect, remembering all have flaws, we must accept each other. Do not sound bossy or rude, giving Bible verses for your inspirations. Do not sound judgmental or proud. This is a huge turn-off. Do not boast of your knowledge or wisdom. Boast in the Lord, admit that you are not the judge or final authority. You might be one of the most sought-after persons out there, but people won't like your claiming it. Speak rather simply, being humble.

Quote several references from the Bible, make sure you speak something about each one. Simply quoting or reading verses won't help the understanding.

Move! You don't want to be standing there stiff and preaching. Move around the area you are giving your sermon in (not too much either). Use actions appropriately. Engage in some voice modulation. These things should happen spontaneously and should not look like acting or made up.

Look! No matter whether its your first time or second time, make sure you look at the audience while speaking. You are not standing there to preach to the walls or air. Make unobtrusive eye-contact with the audience, not staring, or look briefly at hair or foreheads, just over the heads. Smile occasionally.

Check the time. If you have been given a specific amount of time to give a sermon, make sure you make concluding statements at least 3-5 minutes prior to the dead-line. Do not stop too early or too late. Keep a regular check on the time. Do not use too many or long stories, if you have very limited time.

Be to the point and correct. Whatever you say should come inspired by the Holy Spirit -- and not your intellectual lecture or rambling. If you are unsure about something then don't say it. Try not to use fantasy/imaginations while speaking. Sound genuine. Sound real. Avoid much slang, but don't sound too formal either. Your dressing should be appropriate too. Standing there on the stage wearing tee shirt and bluejeans or shorts looks awkward and not everyone can digest it.