Some of the world's best preachers can preach without notes. Here are four tips for trying it your own ministry.
Talking Points:
- Get a solid outline. Make your points clear, concise, and compelling. Check out our sermonlink library for examples.
- Explain it conversationally. Don’t imagine preaching to a seminary professor; instead, just think about having a conversation with a regular guy.
- Circle back. Set the hook early in the message and then circle back to it throughout – or at least at the end.
- Practice preaching conversationally. Start by using just an outline, and eventually try to drop even that.
Discussion:
- Initial reactions to this topic? What jumped out at you?
- What’s one of the best sermons you’ve ever heard? What made it so good? How connected to notes was the preacher?
- What type of person do you typically have in mind when you’re preaching?
- What does it mean to preach “conversationally”? What’s the opposite of that? Where is your preaching on the spectrum?
- Share an example of a movie the “circles back” to its hook from the beginning.
- Do you think you could preach without notes? Why or why not?
- Is there a step you need to take based on today’s topic?
