Preaching needs to engage

Preaching is not just about speaking, presenting, informing, educating or even filling a time slot… preaching needs to engage.

There are too many people settling for filling time, entertaining, or giving a lecture. What our churches need is for people to have their hearts and minds engaged with the Word of God. 

What are some of the ingredients that will make this possible?

1. The preacher needs to be engaged by the passage, by the message, and by God on a personal level.

2. The preacher needs to share God’s heart for the listeners who will be hearing the message.

3. The content needs to be engaging – that is, clear, relevant and interesting for the listeners who will be present.

4. The delivery needs to be engaging – that is, there needs to be energy, variety and warmth in vocal tone, body language and facial expression.

More could and should be written about each point, but that’s good for starters! What do you find helpful when you preach, or when you hear an engaging preacher?

Peter Mead is mentor at Cor Deo and author of several books. This article first appeared on his blog Biblical Preaching.