Episode Transcript
Speaker 0 00:00:00 You may have heard the saying before that it's not what you say, it's how you say it. And that couldn't be more true when it comes to preaching. In today's episode, we talk about five sermon delivery tips to help you give more impactful messages. We hope this conversation helps your church reach more people and grow. This is the reach right podcast. You're listening to the reach, right podcast, the show dedicated to helping pastors and church leaders reach people the right way, hosted by me, Thomas Costello, and with me as always as my co-host Ian Hyat, we're here to help your church see more visitors and grow. Hey guys. Welcome to the rewrite podcast. This is episode number 100.
Speaker 3 00:01:01 Wow. We've
Speaker 0 00:01:02 Made it. We've made it. Thomas Costello here. My co-host is
Speaker 3 00:01:06 Ian Hyat. Hey Thomas.
Speaker 0 00:01:09 Hey man. I'm uh, I can't believe it's been a hundred episodes. It's really awesome. It's been a blast doing it with you and yeah, it's been cool to see the traction. And I don't know, you're telling me just today, how often you're hearing now. People say that they're, uh, part of reach, right family and, uh, they're, uh, checking us out online and it's made an impact on them and well, that blesses us, uh, to hear that it right.
Speaker 3 00:01:29 It does. It does for sure. And also, uh, I think we've gotten a little bit better since the first few, I was like, wow, what were we doing? So, but, uh, we are, uh, we're, we're, we're definitely, uh, getting there. So
Speaker 0 00:01:40 I don't recommend going back to episode, uh, one and two, I think I was, oh goodness. I was in my, uh, my bedroom back then and kind of turned towards the window and just trying my best to make it not look like a bedroom. And yeah, I don't even, yeah, it was, it was rough, but we were doing something
Speaker 3 00:01:55 Ceiling fan was in the, going around and all sorts. That sort
Speaker 0 00:01:59 Of stuff. Yeah. I think that's the big lesson though, too. I think we we'll get into the, the topic today in just a second. Yeah, but the big lesson in doing, uh, this is just start, uh, and then keep going. That's that's what I think I've been so happy about is that we've done
Speaker 3 00:02:11 Consistency.
Speaker 0 00:02:12 Uh, in 100 weeks, we've done exactly 100 podcast episodes and sometimes we do 'em back to back and right. We record a couple at a time and everything, but we've been able to be consistent and that's half the battle. I think I just read the other day that the average podcast, it lasts five episodes. Uh, that's the average length that people go that mean to go on forever. That the on average they do five. And so there's a lot of podcast fatigue out there, but not you my friend, not with you. You're
Speaker 3 00:02:38 You're good at that. So, no, it's kinda like a blog too, right? So you can get it started. You gotta keep going. So
Speaker 0 00:02:43 That's it. But good episode today where you be talking about five sermon delivery tips to have more impactful preaching. I think everybody in our audience, uh, those that are, uh, people that speak in their church, I think a lot of our audience are pastors and yeah. Uh, church leaders. And if you're not speaking every week, you're speaking often or from time to time. Yeah. And so we wanna give you some tips that we've picked up, um, from our speaking and from other pastors and yeah. Uh, from our own research and things that we've learned that make for more impactful preaching. And today it's kind of the little things it's not like this. I, I don't think that there's anything that there's nothing we're gonna talk about that we maybe haven't ever heard before. But I think if we put it all together and think about all this, I think that everybody can get something that they can think about that, Hey, over these next few messages, I wanna work on this.
Speaker 0 00:03:30 I know, I think about this for even our podcasts. I want to be more engaging with our audience. And, uh, so we're working on some things to do that. I know we're converting a lot of these podcast episodes into Instagram reels. Yeah. And TikTok videos and YouTube shorts. And, uh, if you haven't subscribed to us yet, you can go ahead and subscribe on there, uh, on YouTube, on Instagram, on TikTok. If you're on TikTok, you can do all of those things, but we're trying to be more engaging on this platform, but also on all those channels. So we talk about ways we can do that. I know it's something we're trying to, uh, you know, we need to use our hands and more animation sometimes because that's what works on TikTok, right? Yeah. That's, what's going on there. So anyway, I'm, I'm part Italian, so I'm actually naturally pretty good at that talking with my hand.
Speaker 0 00:04:13 So that's what we need, but that's good. Anyway, so let's, uh, dig in a little bit to some of those things that we have found through research and talking to other pastors that make for more impactful preaching ways to, to have your preaching make a bigger impact. So I think the first thing we'll talk about is, is getting better or mastering some of the elements of nonverbal communication. That's, uh, because that is a huge part of it. Um, 55% of body language, uh, is, is kind of what people get. It's like they, they're 55% of what you communicate is coming from your body language and the things that you do and the way that you act and all of the nonverbals there. So there are so many big parts of that. Um, so I'll hit a few of the highs, is that, yeah. I think your posture, uh, plays a huge role in that.
Speaker 0 00:04:59 So I know I'm guilty of that. Sometimes I'm a tall guy and so I'm used to yeah. Looking down on people or not down on people, but down at people, I don't get down on people, but I don't know us tall guys. We suffer with kind of that backward, but having that right. Kind of posture, uh, it just makes you what you're saying, come across more confidently when you do that. Yeah. Your gestures again, using your hands, moving around, being engaging in that way. Um, eye contact. That's a huge one. I think for people, uh, both, uh, online and in person, but yet yeah. Getting off of your notes, we had a whole podcast episode about how you can be better at preaching without notes. Yeah. Uh, how to move away from that completely. So if you are married to your notes and you're reading the whole thing the whole time, it makes a totally different impact.
Speaker 0 00:05:44 I mean, just even me standing here and talking yeah. This way and not looking at the camera, it feels much less engaging. I'm sure. To people, yeah. Than when you're actually making eye contact. That's a big thing too. So here, I'll give you guys a little, uh, trick of the trait. If you're doing online preaching, one of the things that we found and you can, you know, you can testify to this, but when you're doing an online message, maybe you're recording into a webcam or something like that. It's a good idea to put the person you're talking to right below the person, the, where you're looking. So you want them. So when we do this podcast, I have you Ian in a tiny little square right below the camera. So it looks kind of like I'm preaching right into the camera. I'm talking right into the camera here. So no little trick, uh, for a lot of our, most of our churches, I don't think are preaching from teleprompters. Although that might be something you consider. But I think when you're doing something online, looking right into the camera makes a really big difference. So yeah. I dunno. Maybe you could hit a couple of the other ones of the nonverbal things that people can do,
Speaker 3 00:06:43 Facial expressions, you know, just, uh, I, I mean, and this is funny, you know, you're making me actually think of, uh, this a little unrelated, but my son, as you know, he plays baseball and he pitches often. And one of the things that, uh, the coach tells them about is your, your verbals. I'm sorry, your nonverbals are huge when you're pitching on the mound. Because if you like, if, if for example, someone just had a home run on you. If your shoulders sink and you put your head down and you start pouting and getting upset, well, you're gonna make the batter more confident. Right? So, uh, and it's so funny. My son is a pretty fiery emotional guy, but one thing he's done well is he's learned how to actually make himself look very calm and stone cold. When he is pitching. It's funny, there was a dad that came up, he said he was talking to son and he goes, I want you to watch this pitcher.
Speaker 3 00:07:34 He is cold as ice. He has no emotion. I'm like, that is not my son. He is very emotional, but that's one thing that he's done really well. And then we have another kid on our team when he pitches, if something negative goes wrong, he wears it all over his face. And it's all downhill from here. Now, again, segueing to preaching still, if you, when you mention posture, a good posture, promotes confidence. They say, you know, and, and, and obviously facial expressions, which is what we are about to talk about. That's, that's a big one too. Like a, do you look, do you look like you're frowning or bored? Well, that might communicate that to your, your audience. So another one's how you dress, uh, you know, clothing. So, um, know your audience, right? I mean, it, it, if it is a message that maybe is a little more serious, maybe you're a little more formal, maybe if it's, uh, something more lighthearted or whatever you dress a little more casual, you know? So
Speaker 0 00:08:26 I sure our audience loves hearing that we need to dress differently from a guy wearing a, a Loha shirt or as you put and on a Hawaiian shirt every Sunday
Speaker 3 00:08:33 And me, I, Mr. T-shirt so, yeah, but, uh,
Speaker 0 00:08:36 Anyway, but it does, it does communicate about who you are. Uh, I had to learn that lesson when I was young, cuz I was from that authentic time where you just kind of, yeah, I don't know. I sh flubbed around and I wasn't ever into really getting dressed up. I grew up in Hawaii and yeah. You know, lived in the surf culture where you wore what you wore until you got in the water and yep. That was eyeopening for me, but it does make a big impact. So that's fun. Those are some of the non-verbal things. Yeah. I think those are really big. You just apply some of that stuff and I think it makes a big difference.
Speaker 3 00:09:02 Yeah. Here's another one adjusting your pace, uh, inflection and tone. Um, so, uh, you know, there's a lot of studies that, that show, like if you're, if you're too fast, you know, um, too quickly, it can sound like you're nervous. Um, you know, um, so if you're pacing around too fast hand gestures, all of that's too fast, then you can sound nervous on the other hand, if you're too slow, people can get bored and check out. So there's kind of like this happy medium pace in the middle. Um, and then, you know, you have inflection as well. So when your, when does your voice rise? What tone, if you're preaching a serious topic, if you're about to talk about how people go to hell, you probably don't want to be all, Hey, everyone's going to hell. You know? So, uh, you know, it's gonna be a little bit, you gotta make those adjustments in those areas too.
Speaker 0 00:09:50 Yeah, absolutely. Um, yeah, so I think that for me, the one that I struggled with the most, I don't know what it is, but just as a young man, I was, I, I remember going to my preaching practicum class in Bible college, and that's where you would preach in front of like a few professors and all of your classmates. And then they would tell you everything you did wrong in your sermon and so's really pleasant class. Yeah. Uh, but I, I remember that every single time they would send me, oh, it's so monotone ever, like that's, that's literally what my teacher said. He said, he said it three times said monotone, monotone, monotone. Nice. Like, so it was, it killed my confidence a little bit that day, but it did kind of, it was a kick in the pants. Yeah. I don't know if I just watched too much BVA and Butthead or something as a kid. And I just felt like talking like BVIs was, or Butthead was the right way to do it, but that's funny. I don't know what it was exactly. But I think that that is a huge part of having that kind of inflection in your voice, going up and down in, in your tone. And then I am naturally just a very high volume person. My wife reminds me of this all the time is that I have no whispering. That's not something that I do. I think you suffer from that a little bit.
Speaker 3 00:11:00 Do I do
Speaker 0 00:11:00 I do. Yeah. So I don't know this is just our, our personality, but I think
Speaker 3 00:11:04 That's why I'm at the front of the house and the office where the voice goes this way towards the, you know, out. Yeah. So <laugh> yeah,
Speaker 0 00:11:13 Yeah. That's exactly right. So, and yeah, I think we gotta be careful with that because sometimes, sometimes it's good. Yeah. You know, but sometimes people could feel like it's, it's, they're being yelled at. Right. Yeah. And I, I don't ever want to come across that way. Like I, if our audience thinks that they're being, it's not the case at all, we're not yelling at you. Yeah. We just, we're passionate about what we're talking that's sometimes that's right. And sometimes I get voluminous when I do those kinds of things. So that's the way that it is. That's funny. Yeah. That's good. Let me get the next one. Uh, I think it's, if you want to have more impactful preaching, it's so important that you connect with your in room, uh, in room audience, the people that are right there with you. Uh, and we kind of got into this a little bit already.
Speaker 0 00:11:51 I think eye contact definitely is part of that. Uh, but I think a lot of it has to do with the language that you choose to use with stuff. So I think that, uh, a lot of times that we have this, this temptation to make our preaching third person, like, so it's they and what others do instead of I and you kind of language. Right. That's probably the biggest tip that I have is that, uh, I try to, when I'm talking about an important topic, maybe it's even a hard topic or something that we struggle with. Maybe we're talking about, uh, about gossip. Yeah. I try to use lots of eye language about here's what I struggle with. Right. And here's how I feel when I do that. And, and when you use you language and how I've hurt you and you try to make it really personal, that makes a big deal with your in room audience, people right there. It helps you to be much more relatable when you're able to do those kinds of things. So, yeah. Thoughts on that?
Speaker 3 00:12:44 No, I think that's exactly it. I think, uh, you, the, the term you just use is relatable. You know, I think that if you're just up there and you're kind of delivering your message and you're forgetting that, you know, again, people also have very short attention spans. Right. And they can get, they can get bored, they can start to get tired and checked out during a message. So I think that eye contact that you language keeps people engaged too. So to your message. Yeah, absolutely. Absolutely. So, so I'll get the next one. So that's, uh, I like this one, it's a little creative it's, uh, surprise them with something extra. So it's funny. I think that, yeah, something extra. Uh what's what is that? Um, well, it's funny, you know, and I think I've heard pastor's different if you're in a more mainline liturgical church, you know, you may not be as inclined to use props and those things, but I do think that, you know, getting a little creative and doing some things different when you're on stage, uh, is helpful.
Speaker 3 00:13:38 It definitely talking about what we just said. It keeps people engaged. It's, uh, you know, it's entertaining if it, if it's at that point in the message, when, you know, people are starting to check out, maybe you bring someone onto the stage, maybe it's another staff member volunteer something different. Um, and, and I think since we've been seeing for years now, um, you know, when media and websites and things started to really take off and sermon series became more of a thing and graphics yeah. Visuals, right. Visuals became a thing. It started opening a door for pastors to do those different things. So what was it, Andy Stanley preaching beside a, a touch screen and then everyone started copying him. Um, but then props, you know, and I actually kind of like some props, I think they're funny. They're fun. Yeah. Um, but again, you gotta kind of know what's right for you, but I think a little something extra spices things up, right?
Speaker 0 00:14:33 Yeah, absolutely. I mean, I think Jesus does some of that. He talks about the mustard seed. Yeah. He, you know, uh, he draws the line. Yeah. Uh, you know, those kinds of things. And so, um, he, he does some of those things in his teaching style, uh, that are a little bit more on the creator side, especially for his time. Yeah. Uh, I think the caution for this is that you, you have to be, you can't do the same thing all the time. Right. So, uh, a lot of times, uh, we get stuck with just, Hey, here is our, our PowerPoint on the screen back there and we're hitting the points. And that, that be, if you do it all the time, it's no longer creates. Right. Right. It only stands out if you're doing it once or on occasion. Right. Uh, but I think, yeah, the touch screen is such a cool idea.
Speaker 0 00:15:17 A whiteboard, you know, if you do that a couple times a year where you're doing some kind of a diagram, uh, I saw someone just recently do a great illustration about chocolate milk. Uh, he was talking about how, um, he was talking about how with Christians, it was a message about the holy spirit. And he was from a, a spirit filled kind of a background. Yeah. And so he was talking about how, when you put milk and then you put chocolate into it, and what happens is all the chocolate syrup. It just goes right to the bottom Uhhuh <affirmative> and it takes another stirring of the chocolate milk. And he actually did this big VA of chocolate milk that he did this big stirring of it to be totally filled and for it to penetrate the milk, to be filled with the holy spirit in the same way.
Speaker 0 00:15:58 Interesting. So it sticks with me. I heard this like a year ago. It's a really, that's, what's so great about having that kind of these creative elements is there're things that stick with people and they'll last much longer than a message by itself because, you know, we all know that I don't remember the things that I preached two weeks ago. Yeah. My church almost certainly doesn't remember. They remember small parts. Yeah. But they can't tell you the kind, the whole overall themes or the deep things we talked about. But I think these special things that can really help with some of that. Well,
Speaker 3 00:16:25 I think that's cool too, that you mentioned that. I mean, when it's memorable too, every pastor wants their message to be, uh, remembered and applicable and maybe applied to someone during a tough time in their life. Right. So if it's a specific message you maybe have that illustration someone's gonna remember. Oh yeah. And during that message, the pastor mentioned this and man that just really is encouraging to me now and they remembered it because of that little something extra and that memorable piece. So I like it. Yeah.
Speaker 0 00:16:50 That was exactly right. So, all right. Last one, I'll share this is that a lot of our audience, and I think a lot of people out there are now talking to not just an in room audience, but also an online, online audience. Yeah. And so it is so important that in our preaching, if you are doing online sermons and this message is going out to an online audience, that you have to do things to engage an online audience. Yeah. So if you are in the room and you're doing a good job making eye contact, but you're never looking at the camera even for just a second. Uh, I think it can be really, it can be challenging for people to stay engaged if they never get any kind of an eye contact. Yeah. So I think what us, as, as pastors need to do is to kind of treat that camera as if it's, uh, a person, if not like the most important person yeah.
Speaker 0 00:17:37 In the audience there where you're able to do eye contact with other people and you're able to see them, but you're always coming back to the camera. That's kind of your home. Yeah. On those things there. So that stuff that's really important also just simply acknowledging your online audience. Yeah. I think that's really important too. So, uh, every single time, if you're really serious about online ministry, you need to make sure that you're talking to people online at your church. Are they putting the Sunday, this like they're beaming the actual Sunday service to online? Yeah. Or are they, pre-recording something
Speaker 3 00:18:08 No actual, actual they're service. And that's one thing I, it was on the tip of my tongue to share our pastor does a great job of, and not only are we doing it live and when he's preaching a message in person, it's also live online, it's also going into eight correctional facilities across the state of Texas. So we have a large, uh, and again, this is a little different example, but point is our pastor will reference the people listening in those correctional, uh, facilities to, you know, give them hope and say, Hey, this is for you. You know, same thing. He says, you know, if you're at home watching this, Hey, don't go into the kitchen real quick. I need you to hear this, you know, uh, again, and, and it just makes you keep them engaged. And also that makes them feel important. Uh, cuz they're equally as important even if they're at home watching online or wherever. So
Speaker 0 00:18:56 Yeah. I mean, I acknowledge this is a hard job that pastors have right now. You know, we're not, we're not doing this podcast with an audience, know a few hundred people in front of us while we're doing it. We get to focus right on this one camera and on a
Speaker 3 00:19:09 Come later, easy
Speaker 0 00:19:09 Way for us. That's exactly right. They come afterwards. So, but yeah, talking to a dual audience is not an easy thing to do. So yeah. To those that you're doing it, you guys are, I know we're all limping along and trying to do our best on that and yeah. Apply some of these things we hope it's been, uh, we hope it's helpful. So if it has been helpful for you today, it would mean so much to us. If you would rate, review, subscribe, like comment, do all those kinds of things that you can do, whether you're listening, whether you're watching, uh, either way. That's how we kind of get the word about this re right podcast out there. Thank you guys so much for being a part of helping us make it to a hundred. Uh, it is a, a huge deal for us and we're just thankful for our reach right family. Uh, we'll hope to see you next week on episode 101. Thanks for listening to the reach right podcast. We hope this episode will help you reach people the right way. Looking for more resources for your church. Check us out online and reach, write studios.com. If this episode has been helpful to you, it would mean the world to us. If you would rate, review and subscribe on iTunes or wherever you get your podcasts. Thanks again for listening. And we'll see you next week.
Speaker 2 00:20:19 Get ready to get.
