In a recent article at the Preaching Today website, Aaron Damiani shares several tips he’s learned for more effective preaching. Among them:
Be intentional about transitions. Slow down when you’re turning a corner in your sermon by explaining terms, telling people what’s ahead, and reminding them why they need to listen. (Tommy Hinson at Church of the Advent is a master at this.)
Walk people through the movement of the text in a passionate way. Animate the arc of the text. Light up the logic of the Scripture. It’s not the dry part; it’s the best part! Show how personally invested you are in the words of the Bible, and invite people to share that passion and interest. If you are preaching from narrative, re-tell the story using your own words. (See John Piper and Martin Lloyd-Jones, “Preachers & Preaching.”)
Use ONE main point (or Big Idea) that is memorable. People can remember one point, but they usually cannot remember two, three, or four big ideas. Find one main point that you can introduce, teach, illustrate, and apply. Even if the sermon is too short because you only had one point, no one will get mad. Build contrast, rhyme, echo, alliteration, or metaphor to craft a memorable main point. (See Haddon Robinson’s The Big Idea in Biblical Preaching.)