Why You Should Visit Churches in Advance

Whenever I’m invited to preach by a church I’m not familiar with, I try my best to attend one of their Sunday services prior to the engagement. There are plenty of good reasons for doing so and here are some of them:

(1) You get to worship with them.

One of the best things about visiting churches is that you get to worship with other believers in the Kingdom. It’s so much fun to meet other Christians and get to know them. In the end, we’re all family here.

(2) You can build rapport.

Visiting a church in advance allows you to enter their community as a believer and not just somebody who’s there to do them a service. You get to converse with them and build friendship. The congregation will become more at ease when you preach since a positive relationship has already been established.

(3) You get a sense of their needs.

One of the marks of a good sermon is its relevancy. You want to show people that the Word of God is ultimately relevant to whatever they’re going through. And so getting to know the audience is crucial for understanding what their needs and struggles are. You can best show how God’s message applies to them if you’ve been in their community and have heard their stories.

(4) You can gather important information.

As you worship with them, you’ll be observing important things that will be helpful for when you preach there. You can observe how many people are in attendance and what the demographic is. This might help shape how you deliver your sermon. You can also see what equipment they have. Do they have microphones? Do they have a computer and a projector to display visual presentations? Is there a lectern or a pulpit? You can also find out what attire is appropriate in their setting and dress accordingly.

(5) You get to ask questions and make requests.

Don’t be afraid to ask questions or make requests (like moving the lectern forward so that you can stand closer to the audience). I find that most churches are quite accommodating especially if you ask nicely.

Whenever possible, I highly recommend visiting churches in advance. Such a practice can only help make your sermons much clearer, more relevant, and more memorable in the end.

Join the discussion: What other good reasons are there for visiting churches prior to a preaching engagement?

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EDITED: This article has been edited (01/17/2014). In the second subtitle, the word repertoire was replaced with the correct term rapport. Thank you to Pastor Jon for pointing this out.

See other preaching ideas here: Thoughts on Preaching

Start Strong: Purposes of an Introduction

Almost every good sermon delivered at the pulpit begins with a strong introduction. Sometimes, for seemingly practical reasons, some preachers cut out the introduction to save themselves a few minutes. In my experience, however, I find that skipping the introduction is oftentimes a mistake. A strong introduction accomplishes several important things which will affect the overall presentation of a sermon.

(1) It introduces the subject.

The primary purpose of an introduction is to creatively present the subject matter to be discussed that day. The introduction should clearly lay out to the audience the big idea of the sermon (remember, the big idea is the sum of all the key points). This will enhance the clarity of your message. The congregation should end up with a glimpse (not necessarily the whole picture) of where you’ll be taking them on this homiletical journey.

(2) It introduces the speaker.

Generally, another person introduces the speaker to the audience highlighting their credentials and accomplishments (a practice which I am not a fan of). But a sermon’s own introduction also introduces the preacher to the congregation—in very subtle ways. A strong introduction subconsciously shows the audience your distinct speaking style, your language and grammatical preferences, and your own character and personality. The congregation will get to know who you are in an indirect manner. And the more the audience knows about you, the more likely they’ll be at ease as you preach.

(3) It introduces the tone.

Lastly, a strong introduction sets the tone for the rest of the sermon. A serious introduction will set the stage for a serious conversation. A hearty introduction will set the stage for a hearty message. Of course, as a preacher, you want to vary the tone of the sermon depending on the subject matter and the circumstances. An introduction will help set whatever tone you need for that Sunday morning.

A strong introduction also sets the tone for the preacher. Starting off on the right foot with a good introduction can affect your personal disposition. A well-presented introduction can increase your overall confidence which will help you deliver the rest of the sermon better. On the other hand, if you start off on the wrong foot, you’ll have to find ways to adjust and recover mid-sermon. In my experience, skipping the introduction is almost always akin to starting on the wrong foot. Therefore, I always recommend beginning your sermon with a strong introduction.

In the next article, we’ll look at what you need to do to start strong.

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Next Article: Start Strong: What You Need to Do | Series: Start Strong

Manuscript Madness: Tips for Manuscript Writing

Every preacher will most likely begin their career writing manuscripts. It’s one of the basic practices of preaching. For those of you who are starting out (and for those brushing up), here are some things to keep in mind when writing manuscripts:

(1) Start with an outline.

A good outline is essential to writing a logical and coherent manuscript. The outline shows the flow of thought of your message from one logical point to another. Your manuscript should embody that flow of thought. So even before you begin writing your manuscript, you should have an outline ready. If you find that your outlines are on the flimsy side, see the series, Skeleton, for ways to beef them up.

(2) Collect ideas early on.

It’ll be helpful to collect ideas all throughout your sermon preparation. Start gathering illustrations and support material as early as you can so that you’ll have a good pool of ideas as you work on your manuscript. Jot every idea that comes to mind. You can weed out poor ideas later on.

(3) Be precise when it matters.

One of the reasons I stopped writing manuscripts was because I became obsessed with creating perfect ones. Every word, phrase, and sentence had to be just the way I wanted them. Creating the perfect manuscript proved to be incredibly time consuming and exhausting. What I didn’t realize was that you didn’t have to be precise all the time. You can say a statement half a dozen ways and still get the same point across. However, there are times when you do need to be precise like when explaining a complex theological concept. Save your precision for times like those.

(4) Write out your transitions.

Transitions are statements that make connections. They show the relationship between ideas and concepts. Well-thought out transitions are essential to a logical and coherent sermon. Major transitions that you should write out include: the transition between the introduction and the first key point; between two key points; and between the last key point and the conclusion. Put some thought into your transition statements. Good transitions can make the difference between a coherent sermon and confusing one. I’ll do a whole series on transitions later on in this blog.

(5) Write over a stretch of time.

I find that it’s more productive and less taxing to write the manuscript over a period of several days rather than cramming it all into one. Writing a full manuscript in a single day gets old pretty quickly. What I tend to do now is write the manuscript in portions. I’ll write the introduction on one day, the first key point on another, and so on. For you to be able to do this, you will need to plan ahead and set aside time every day to work on the manuscript. In the end, however, I believe the process will be less stressful and less taxing on you.

(6) Watch the number of pages.

Figure out how long it will take you to preach a page that is single-spaced. Personally, I’ve figured out that a single-spaced page is equivalent to about 5 minutes of preaching time. So a 6-page manuscript would roughly yield a 30-minute sermon. Having a larger number of pages will mean that you need to speak faster in order to get through all of it. Unfortunately, speaking faster is not a very good idea for the clarity of your message. Watch the number of pages so that you don’t go excessively overtime on Sunday morning.

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Series: Manuscript Madness

Types of Microphones

In the years that I’ve been preaching, I’ve come across various types of microphones used on stage. I’ve found that there are four main types which you will encounter. I’ll outline them here and point out the advantages and disadvantages of each one. Do note, however, that the choice of which type of microphone to use is not always within your control. Oftentimes, it depends on what a church has available. Here are the four types:

(1) Hand-held Microphone

This is the most common type of microphone for public speaking. They’re relatively cheap (although there are expensive varieties) and quite durable. In my experience, hand-held microphones that use a cable (or wire) seem to be the least susceptible to technical issues. You can always rely on a good hand-held mic.

There are obvious limitations with using hand-held microphones. You won’t be able to make use of both hands for gesturing. If you’re using a wired hand-held mic, your movement on stage is also limited. You can only move as far as the length of the cable. And although I haven’t witnessed it yet, it seems possible to trip on the cable if you’re clumsy.

(2) Lapel Microphone

This is a tiny microphone that is clipped to the shirt or coat in the upper chest area. They come wired to a transmitter that you can place on your belt or in your pocket. They’re relatively expensive because they use more complex technology and they’re quite susceptible to technical issues.

Lapel microphones are great for those who need lots of flexibility on stage. You have the free use of both hands for gesturing. You can move about the stage with ease. Additionally, lapels are the most concealed type of microphone. The only portion that is visible to the audience is the tiny receiver on your shirt.

The one big issue with lapel microphones is that your voice tends to be unevenly amplified. This happens when you turn your head in different directions. Since the microphone is steady in place, a loss of volume occurs whenever you move your mouth away from the receiver.

(3) Headset Microphone

This microphone is worn on the head with a receiver protruding towards the mouth. (I like to call these “Britney mics” since Britney Spears popularized them while singing on stage.) They’re wired to a transmitter that you can place on your belt or in your pocket. Like the lapel variety, they’re relatively expensive and quite susceptible to technical issues.

Headsets give the same amount of flexibility on stage as lapel microphones. Both your hands are free for gesturing and movement on stage is unrestricted. The advantage of headsets over lapels is that your voice is evenly amplified. Since the microphone is worn on your head, it doesn’t matter if you turn in various directions. The receiver will always stay close to your mouth.

However, there are a few annoyances of using headsets. Firstly, they’re a little more tedious to put on. Several adjustments need to be made to ensure that the microphone fits well on a speaker’s head. Secondly, they’re the most visually distracting. It’s clear to anybody that you’re wearing a headset. Lastly, it’s a lot less comfortable than using a lapel microphone. However, it is slightly more comfortable than holding a microphone in your hand.

(4) Lectern Microphone

Occasionally, a microphone will be attached to a lectern or pulpit. This may be a hand-held microphone placed on a mic stand or a specially designed microphone for the lectern. The one advantage of lectern mics over hand-held ones is that you have free use of both hands for gesturing. However, the freedom to use both arms comes at a cost. Movement on stage is severely restricted because you can no longer walk away from the lectern or pulpit without complete loss of volume.

Join the discussion: Which type of microphone do you prefer while preaching?

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See other preaching ideas here: Thoughts on Preaching

Currently Reading: Desiring God

I was scavenging around our Manila home (where I’m currently on vacation) looking for something to read when I spotted my copy of John Piper’s, Desiring God¹. The pages of the book have started to brown—a sign of its old age. I don’t remember much about the book except for its excellent discussion on the sovereignty of God.

If I’m not mistaken, this is Piper’s most well-known work which was written in the mid-80s and has now spun off into websites and conferences. It’ll be good to re-read the book in light of the learnings and experiences I’ve had since I first read it years ago.

¹Piper, John. Desiring God: Meditations of a Christian Hedonist. Sisters, Oregon: Multnomah Publishers, Inc., 2003.

What good books have you read lately?

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See other books here: Currently Reading

Manuscript Madness: Going without a Manuscript

Once again, I highly recommend that new preachers write full manuscripts. There are plenty of benefits for doing so and I don’t want you to miss out on any of them. At a certain point in time, however, you might decide to experiment without one. Going manuscript-less does have its own advantages. Here are two of them:

(1) It will teach you to think on your feet.

If there’s one huge benefit of going manuscript-less, it would be its ability to train you to become quick-minded. Foregoing a manuscript forces you to think on your feet and be more spontaneous. You will learn to expound further on the spot instead of being so tied to what you have written down. Being able to think on your feet is a great asset even off the stage. People ask questions all the time and having a quick mind will help you get through those inquiries better.

Do note that thinking on your feet doesn’t mean you will prepare less than your manuscript writing counterparts. As the next point will show, you still need to prepare well. You simply prepare in different ways.

(2) It will enable you to cope in other ways.

If you don’t write full manuscripts, you will need to replace it with something else. You probably can’t go on stage with the content you’ve gathered and the outline you’ve built and somehow come across as coherent to your audience. Since you won’t be writing a manuscript, you will need to prepare by different means. Going manuscript-less will force you to adapt to a new method.

In the four years that I’ve gone without a full manuscript, I developed my own method of coping. The method included writing partial manuscripts for teaching points, using simple words as a trigger for illustrations, and lots of practice time. As I rehearsed a sermon over and over again, I would constantly make adjustments to say things better or make the message more coherent. Although this method allowed me to forego writing full manuscripts, I had to replace it with something else—namely, more practice time. Going without a manuscript will force you to think outside the box and experiment with other methods.

A word of caution. If you plan on going manuscript-less, I recommend that you do so cautiously. For instance, you might begin by writing full manuscripts except for the illustrations. During the illustrations, give yourself space to think on the spot and tell a story spontaneously. This will allow you to partially experience what it feels like to have no manuscript without having to risk it all. You can then gradually forego larger portions of the manuscript when you become more comfortable.

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Next Article: Manuscript Madness: Tips for Manuscript Writing | Series: Manuscript Madness

The Sunday Project: Refer back to the passage

The Sunday Project is a series of tasks that are designed to improve your preaching skills by focusing on just one particular idea of preaching.

This project will target: CLARITY

As I’ve mentioned several times in this blog, the main task of the preacher is to declare to people what God has already revealed to us in His Word.

The best way to show that what you’re saying comes from the Bible is by referring back to the passage—literally re-reading portions of the assigned text. I’m constantly astounded by how many preachers stop short at reviewing verses believing that reading the entire passage at the beginning of the sermon is enough. As a preacher, you want to explicitly show your congregation that your points are coming from the Word of God. There’s no better way to do that than by constantly referring back to your passage.

I use a simple formula to convey to people that what I’m saying comes from the Bible:

(1) I begin by stating a key point.

(2) I read the Biblical verses that are related to the key point.

(3) I explain how I arrived at the key point from those verses.

(4) I state the key point once again.

I use this method for every key point that I deliver in a sermon. With this formula, I am able to clearly show to people that what I’m saying comes from the Word of God and not from me. Now you give it a try this week.

Let us know how it goes in the comments section!

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See other projects here: The Sunday Project

Manuscript Madness: Advantages of Manuscript Writing

Although there are plenty of pastors who dislike manuscript writing, you can’t deny the numerous benefits that come along with the practice. Here are some of those undeniable advantages of writing manuscripts:

(1) It will teach you to craft logical and coherent sermons.

I highly recommend manuscript writing especially to new preachers. Writing a full manuscript will teach you to craft a sermon in a logical and coherent manner. It’ll force you to think through everything you plan on saying. This will help ensure that your message makes sense to the audience. With a manuscript in hand, you can clearly see the logical movement from the introduction, to the body, and then finally to the conclusion. You can also tell when a part of the manuscript isn’t coherent with the rest and adjust accordingly.

Of course, you can be logical and coherent without a manuscript. But for those of you who are starting out, manuscript writing will help train your mind towards that direction.

(2) It will help you communicate more clearly.

As I’ve mentioned before, preachers should aim to deliver God’s message in the clearest way possible. If you aren’t clear enough on stage, you might want to pour in extra time and effort crafting a better manuscript. This practice is especially important if you’re not good at thinking on your feet or if your thoughts get jumbled easily. You won’t have to worry about getting lost, forgetting anything important, or confusing your audience.

(3) It will make your wording more precise.

There are times when you need to be incredibly precise with your words. Oftentimes, precision is necessary when you need to explain a theological concept. You don’t want to run the risk of confusing people theologically and leading them in the wrong direction. Remember, Biblical principles form the foundation for application. Misinterpreted principles can lead to disastrous ways of applying them. Writing a manuscript will help you think through your theological explanation and help you word it in the best way possible.

(4) It will help you craft better stories.

I always encourage pastors to become great storytellers. Stories have the power to captivate an audience and pack a powerful point at the same time. Some of the best orators (like Jesus) used timely stories to communicate lessons.  Manuscript writing will teach you to craft stories that are coherent, engaging, and memorable.

(5) It will give you a copy of your sermon.

One of the really practical advantages of manuscript writing is that you’ll end up with a copy of your sermon. There are good reasons why you’d want to keep a copy. If you needed to preach on a passage again, you could simply bring out the old manuscript and transform it for the new audience. Biblical principles always remain the same. How you deliver those principles in a sermon vary depending on the time and circumstances of your audience. You’ll be able to use the old manuscript as a reference for the new one you’ll craft.

Of course, if you want a copy of your sermon without having to write down a manuscript, you could opt to record the message on audio or video format. Do note, however, that it takes more effort to listen to an audio or video recording of a sermon than reading it.

In the next article, we’ll look at the opposing camp to find a couple of benefits of going without a manuscript.

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Next Article: Manuscript Madness: Going without a Manuscript | Series: Manuscript Madness

What Pastors Should Consider Doing in 2014

As the New Year rolls in, people all over the world will be taking a hard look at themselves and making decisions that will hopefully change their lives for the better. Pastors, I hope you’re doing the same. How can you become a better spiritual leader this coming year? Here are a few suggestions to help you get started in 2014:

(1) Read.

I used to dislike reading because the materials I read were mostly required by professors. Requiring something always seems to take the fun out of it. I’m sure some of you feel the same way. Now that I have the freedom to choose the books that I want to read, I’m making the most of that opportunity. I cringe at the thought of pastors declining to read books because they mistakenly believe that they already know enough to get by. Reading books opens up a whole realm of experiences that would take years for a person to attain on their own. Broaden your horizons by reading more. This will help you learn from the experiences of others and hopefully help you dodge some major setbacks in life.

Your reading materials don’t have to be limited to pastoral and theological books. Go ahead and read a biography, a leadership book, or a fictional tale. I’ve learned an equal amount from books that aren’t theological in nature. When you realize that there are too many books in the world and far too little time, you know you’re hooked into reading.

(2) Meet.

One of the fascinating things I learned last year is this: if you want to build friendships, you’ve got to initiate. I’ve met all kinds of interesting people and heard all kinds of interesting stories because I initiated to meet up with them and have a conversation. I’ve found that most people are very much willing to meet up with you. This is because they’re also looking to build some genuine friendships with others.

It’s not too difficult to initiate a meeting. I’ve found that a simple email or a text message is sufficient. You don’t have to be so formal and there doesn’t have to be an agenda. Simply get to know another person.

(3) Experience.

This coming year, go beyond your own little world and explore. Travel to a faraway land. Take up a strange hobby. Go bungee jumping. Don’t be afraid to try something new. Not only will this give you stories to share at the pulpit but it will also change the way you see the world around you.

(4) Improve.

Lastly, make a concerted effort to hone your skills and abilities. Don’t just rest on your laurels. So many people settle for just being good enough without realizing the greater potential they possess. Figure out what you do well at and capitalize on them. Advance those strengths to even higher levels. Also figure out what you do poorly at and improve them a single step at a time.

I hope you have a great start to the New Year!

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See other preaching ideas here: Thoughts on Preaching

Manuscript Madness: Introduction to Manuscript Writing

If you’ve ever preached a sermon, chances are you’ve created a manuscript. A manuscript refers to your sermon in written form. Some people love the practice. Others hate it. Some people swear by it. Others couldn’t care less. In this new blog series, Manuscript Madness, we’ll take a close look at the practice of manuscript writing.

To start off, let’s look at some initial thoughts on writing manuscripts:

(1) There are two sides to the equation.

When it comes to manuscript writing, there are two opposing camps on the issue: those who write full manuscripts and those who don’t. When I started out as a preacher, I wrote manuscripts for almost two years. For the past four years, however, I’ve gone without one. Most recently, I’ve begun experimenting again with manuscript writing to better observe its advantages. So you could say that I’m sympathetic to both sides of the equation.

(2) It’s a must for new preachers.

For preachers who are just starting out, I highly recommend writing full manuscripts. There are so many things that this practice can teach you and I guarantee that you’ll be missing out if you decide to skip it. I’ll showcase some of these advantages in the next article.

(3) You can take it with you.

Manuscript writing isn’t just for beginners. It’s an excellent practice even for those who’ve been preaching for years. I’ve met pastors who’ve been preaching for decades and still write full manuscripts for every single sermon. This is a practice that you can take with you even as you progress in your preaching abilities.

(4) It will take time and effort.

It’s called a discipline for a reason. You will need to spend hours coming up with a good sermon manuscript. But that shouldn’t trouble you at all. You already know that sermon preparation as a whole does take a lot of time and effort from you. So don’t disillusion yourself into thinking that manuscript writing will be a quick walk in the park. Also note that even if you choose to forego writing full manuscripts, you’ll still be spending countless hours on an alternative.

In the next article, we’ll look at some of the advantages of writing manuscripts.

Join the discussion: How has your experience been regarding manuscript writing? Are you comfortable with the practice?

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Next Article: Manuscript Madness: Advantages of Manuscript Writing | Series: Manuscript Madness