You may have heard the saying that “It’s not what you say, it’s how you say it!” With that in mind, these ten sermon delivery tips will help you communicate more effectively.

Because the truth is, people are absorbing more than just your words.

As you better understand how your non-verbal communication and your delivery style affect the way your message is received, you’ll be able to preach with greater confidence. Let’s dive in!

Estimated reading time: 11 minutes

Table of contents

• 10 Sermon Delivery Tips for Communicators
  • 1. Master the Elements of Nonverbal Communication
  • 2. Adjust Your Pacing, Inflection, and Tone
  • 3. Connect with Your In-Room Audience
  • 4. Surprise Them With Something Extra
  • 5. Deliver Your Message to an Online Audience
  • 6. Know Your Material
  • 7. Maintain Focus
  • 8. Show Some Passion
  • 9. Receive Feedback
  • 10. Be Humble

There are a lot of aspects that go into any sort of communication, not just delivering sermons! While sermon preparation and the words you are saying are very important, the way you are saying it also matters. Our goals as pastors and speakers are to ignite people with the power of God’s word, but if we can’t communicate effectively, it doesn’t matter.

In this article, we delve into essential tips to elevate your sermon delivery, transforming the spoken word into a compelling and transformative experience. From the nuances of body language to the your connection with the audience, each tip will push you closer to a deeper connection with your church.

Whether you’re a seasoned preacher seeking to refine your craft or a novice stepping into the pulpit, these insights aim to empower you to convey your messages with authenticity, impact, and resonance.

You may have heard this before, but 93% of your communication is nonverbal. Your audience is reading your every move, so it’s vital that you’re aware of the messages you’re sending.

Specifically, 55% is body language and 38% is paralanguage (volume, tone, etc.)

Let’s tackle body language first. Here are major components of nonverbal communication to consider when you get up to preach:

The term paralanguage refers to the nonverbal elements of communication that are expressed through your voice. This includes your pacing, intonation, and volume.

Are you trying to deliver the world’s greatest speech, or are you trying to pastor and teach people? The point of these sermon delivery tips isn’t to help you develop a perfectly polished sermon, but to serve your audience!

For example, using “you” language immediately draws listeners in and helps them feel like you’re speaking directly to them.

And we’ll say it again: eye contact is the primary key to connection. Be sure you’re looking around the room, and if you can preach without notes this is even easier to do.

Also, remember to be genuine, relatable, and humble. Sharing personal stories, especially about failures or shortcomings, makes you more relatable and helps people feel like they can connect with you.

If you’ve been in the Christian preaching world for a couple of decades, you’ve probably seen both wins and fails when it comes to using props and special elements for sermon illustrations.

Or maybe you clearly remember when Andy Stanley started pre...