Expressiveness in preaching

[FenderPriest]

Hey folks,

I'm in a preaching class at my church, and last night I had the great privilege of preaching. God really seemed to use it, and people were encouraged in Christ. One of the feed back areas for improvement that I consistently got was in the area of presentation and expressiveness. Several observed that my content was great, but I didn't have a wide vocal or expressive range... if that makes sense. (I understand in some ways this is difficult to communicate to those who were not there.)

So, I was wondering what you guy's experience has been in the area of expressiveness in preaching. If you struggle to be expressive in an engaging way in your preaching, how do you address that? Any thoughts on this subject are greatly appreciated guys! Thanks!

 

[Jared]

I knonw that some of the other guys might disagree with me here, but I would recommend listening to some of the following preachers, not necessarily for their doctrine, but their style of preaching:

Tony Evans
Johnny Hunt
Mark Driscoll
Rick Warren
Crawford Loritts
Louie Giglio
Jentezen Franklin
Mark Rutland

 

[Andres]

Hey folks,

I'm in a preaching class at my church, and last night I had the great privilege of preaching. God really seemed to use it, and people were encouraged in Christ. One of the feed back areas for improvement that I consistently got was in the area of presentation and expressiveness. Several observed that my content was great, but I didn't have a wide vocal or expressive range... if that makes sense. (I understand in some ways this is difficult to communicate to those who were not there.)

So, I was wondering what you guy's experience has been in the area of expressiveness in preaching. If you struggle to be expressive in an engaging way in your preaching, how do you address that? Any thoughts on this subject are greatly appreciated guys! Thanks!

I see you're an MAR student. Why not an MDiv if you want to preach? Maybe you could still take a homiletics course.

 

[FenderPriest]

I see you're an MAR student. Why not an MDiv if you want to preach? Maybe you could still take a homiletics course.

Er, well, that's a little bit of an involved answer. Needless to say, the short answer is that WTS is not set up for part-time students. While I would love to do the course work for an MDiv, I don't want to accrue the dept involved in such an endeavor... and I'm not a Presbyterian, which limits my financial options with them. I probably need to update that note on my sig since the first reason given here is why I'm no longer an MAR student... alas.

 

[Jack K]

It's tricky for me to give tips because vocal range and expression came relatively easily to me. Better to learn from others who really struggled. But I have some thoughts anyway...

1. Good speaking is an auditory function, not just a thinking one. Train your ear to help your voice speak expressively by listening to great, expressive preachers. I would add Art Azurdia to the list Jared suggested, if only because he also has fantasic content. You don't have to try to copy these guys. Just listen. Lots. Daily if you can. Learn to appreciate their cadence and inflection, the way you would great music. Only once you appreciate the speaking itself can you do it.

2. Rehearse your delivery of favorite parts of your upcoming sermons. Not to memorize the words. Rehearse the delivery, to speak them powerfully. Rehearse, rehearse and rehearse again, until you're excited about delivering certain lines in certain ways. Then do it when you preach, and feel the thrill. You have to become a bit of a performer, getting a rush every time you speak well. In time, it'll become natural.

3. It isn't only about inflection and expressiveness. Also practice pacing—slow down, speed up, pause, don't pause. And practice volume—get louder, get softer, whisper. These are things to try in rehearsal when you're planning your delivery and aren't sure how best to bring a point home.

That's about all I can say. I commend you for wanting to hone the delivery part of preaching. It's sometimes negected amid our legitimate concern for good content.

 

[FenderPriest]

Jack,

Thanks so much! That's very helpful. Listening to good preaching produces good preaching. And I have listened to Azurdia before - the whole of his Revelation series - and absolutely love him! Thanks for the reminder!

 

[Scott1]

Perhaps this is oversimplified.

But I would make a heart's prayer that the people God has given you to preach to would see and hear a whole lot of the Word, and of our Lord, and very little of you.

That means minimizing the distraction of self, maximizing the clear presentation of God's truth, trusting Him for result.

Whatever might be distracting, seek out some seasoned teaching elders and ask them to listen and critique.

 

[LawrenceU]

Appropriate expressiveness, in my opinion, is a very subjective issue. Frankly, some of what is done in preaching style, while it grabs the attention is more memorable than the content. That is a big problem. When I was a young preacher I did listen to other preachers quite a bit, but I made a mistake. I was listening for their 'style'. That will lead to imitation many times. (How many SBC preachers remind you of Adrian Rogers for some reason?) Imitation, conscious or not, is a mistake. When listening to other sermons in order to develop one's own preaching ability what should be listened for is the text, how the text was developed, and what took place to enable you to remember the text, its application, and whether or not you remember the wrapping more than the meal.

Another must to bring preaching to effectiveness is prayer. If a sermon is not the product of prayer, prayer, and study it may be a good speech, homiletically balanced, and nuanced, but it will not be an effective sermon. Never forget the role of the Holy Spirit in preaching. This can be tough to do in a homiletics class.

I'll be praying for you as you develop your preaching skills.

 

[goodnews]

Hey folks,

I'm in a preaching class at my church, and last night I had the great privilege of preaching. God really seemed to use it, and people were encouraged in Christ. One of the feed back areas for improvement that I consistently got was in the area of presentation and expressiveness. Several observed that my content was great, but I didn't have a wide vocal or expressive range... if that makes sense. (I understand in some ways this is difficult to communicate to those who were not there.)

So, I was wondering what you guy's experience has been in the area of expressiveness in preaching. If you struggle to be expressive in an engaging way in your preaching, how do you address that? Any thoughts on this subject are greatly appreciated guys! Thanks!

Jacob,

I'm a big Believer in working on all facets of preaching. And i agree with all that has been said above. But, Ultimately God chose you to preach b/c He wants to speak through you (the Apostle's all had differing personalities). SOme preachers are effectively flamboyant and some are effectively subdued. The real question is, "who are you in the pulpit?" Now granted, you will change as a preacher for the rest of your life, just as people change in general (I didn't really know who I was as a preacher until my 5th year of preaching). The best advice I ever received, from a minister that was very well respected in my circles, was to first, believe in what your doing. Then, your preaching style will flow naturally. It's always very distracting for me to listen to a sermon when it's obvious the preacher is trying to be someone he's not. And secondly, you must figure out who you're preaching to. I remember preaching on the preaching circuit in seminary. One week I'd preach a sermon to one church and seemingly have them hanging on every word. The next week I'd preach the same sermon (yea, I know that's slack) at a different church and wonder if anyone listened. Not every preacher will be beloved at every church. We're called to be faithful in preparation, prayer, and to be ourselves in the pulpit. God Bless you in your calling.

 

[SemperEruditio]

Jacob,
I would advocate listening to Reformed preachers who are passionate. I love Arzurdia. My pastor is also very good and I am privileged to listen to him every week. So listen to men who are passionate about God and His Word and you become passionate about God and His word and all the expressiveness well come.

 

[dannyhyde]

The short answer: be yourself. As Paul says, "For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake" (2 Cor. 4:5) . . . "But we have this treasure in jars of clay" (2 Cor. 4:7). God uses us—with our personalities, affections, etc.—in the ministry of Word as we seek to proclaim Christ. As I tell my Seminary students here, however you express passion, love, concern, etc., for the Word and for the flock, find that way and use it to God's glory. Don't copy someone else.

 

[Contra_Mundum]

Don't cultivate an alien "style."

Do make your presentation a part of your long-term preparation, and maintenance if you are called to a pulpit. Should you work on your languages, on Bible-comprehension, etc., all through you ministry? OK, then make your work on a helpful delivery of the truth-content of Christ some of your aim every week.

But style is (as already well-put) subjective. There have been powerful preachers who were not given to rhetorical flair. And there have been exceptional orators whose pulpit-skills only hardened hearts.

Christ will make you effective to a particular set of people and their needs. Be willing to be molded by him.

 

[Michael Baun]

As someone who has heard many sermons from different preachers I have this advice. Focus completely on the content of the sermon and your duty as a preacher before God. A sermon without content is not worth listening to. A sermon without good content, no matter how well presented, is not worth listening to even though some may think the world of it. A sermon presented by a minister without an understanding of his duty before God is equally worthless. A sermon prepared by prayer and diligently searching the Word of God is easily recognized.

Psalms 19:7 The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.

 

[Jared]

Don't cultivate an alien "style."

Do make your presentation a part of your long-term preparation, and maintenance if you are called to a pulpit. Should you work on your languages, on Bible-comprehension, etc., all through you ministry? OK, then make your work on a helpful delivery of the truth-content of Christ some of your aim every week.

But style is (as already well-put) subjective. There have been powerful preachers who were not given to rhetorical flair. And there have been exceptional orators whose pulpit-skills only hardened hearts.

Christ will make you effective to a particular set of people and their needs. Be willing to be molded by him.

This is true. For instance, Leonard Ravenhill was a terrible preacher as far as style is concerned, but his sermons are very convicting. Also, Jonathan Edwards is said to have preached in a monotone voice.

On the other hand, I can think of people that have really bad theology like T.D. Jakes and Rod Parsley that are masters of oratory skill.

The most important thing is doctrine. I should have emphasized that in my first post. I do think it's best to mostly listen to reformed preachers.

I've been listening to a series of lectures by Tim Keller and Edmund Clowney that they gave at RTS on preaching Christ in all of scripture. There is so much content there that can be used for sermons. But, since they're giving lectures and not preaching, there's not much to be learned as far as oratorical craft, at least for me. I for one don't want to sound like I'm giving a lecture when I preach.

Be blessed.

 

[Jack K]

I've been listening to a series of lectures by Tim Keller and Edmund Clowney that they gave at RTS on preaching Christ in all of scripture. There is so much content there that can be used for sermons. But, since they're giving lectures and not preaching, there's not much to be learned as far as oratorical craft, at least for me. I for one don't want to sound like I'm giving a lecture when I preach.

I would say, though, that those lectures actually prove the point about any particular style being overrated. Neither Keller nor Clowney sound that much different in those lectures than they do when they preach. Neither has a preaching style with great flair. But they (1) have mastered their content and (2) are able to deliver it in such a way that the listener easily takes it in and gets the point.

Developing a traditional preacher's style is not necessarily the same as becoming a good speaker. I wouldn't urge anyone to imitate another's style. And of course I believe content comes first. But I do see value in a preacher honing the craft of effective oral communication, which demands attention to cadence, inflection and the like even for those using a more lecture style of preaching. Without attention to how you speak you're not a preacher. You're just a reader, and a poor one at that.

A faithful preacher is not ordained merely to convey information about the word of God. He is charged to preach the word itself. His sermon is God's word to those who listen. Go ahead and make it sound that way. Work on speaking effectively to human ears.

 

[FenderPriest]

For me, I'm beginning to wonder if a lack of passion and expressiveness in preaching is rooted more in a sinful disposition of self-righteousness in lacking commitment than it is in any sort of personality thing. Just a thought that's stewed today.

 

[JML]

If we look at 1 Timothy 3. The only requirement for an elder as far as a speaking gift is "able to teach." If a man is able to teach, it does not matter how expressive he is or is not. Otherwise, we are putting the requirements and desires of man on a preacher where God does not. It is our flesh that wants to be entertained, that wants the preacher to be as the great orator. If you are an expressive person, be yourself. If you are not, don't try to be one because that is what the people want. The only requirement is that you are "able to teach." From your original post, it seems as though the people were taught. Therefore you have met the requirements of God. In my opinion, if we put the requirement of expressiveness, or whatever term we wish to call it, on the preacher we are becoming as the Pharisees who added to God's commands that which He did not require Himself (see Mark 7).

1 Corinthians 2:1-5
"And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God."