Stand and Deliver Resources
Part A: Getting Ready
So you’ve been given the task of getting up in front of people. It may be to give an announcement in church about an upcoming event. It may be to tell a story at kids’ church. It may be to preach a sermon. So where do you start?
In this section:
A1. Remembering the ‘why?’
To kick off your preparation for speaking, ask yourself why you are doing it. For example:
- If you’re giving an announcement about an upcoming event, the reason you are doing it is probably because you want to give people the opportunity to participate. By doing this announcement, you are empowering them to join in with the rest of the community!
- If you are doing a short lesson at kids’ church, the reason you are doing it is probably because you would love the kids to grow in their understanding of who God is and how He loves them.
- If you are preaching a sermon, the reason you are doing it is probably because you would love to share what you’ve been learning about [this book of the Bible / this verse / this topic], so that people’s hearts and lives can be impacted and that the good news of Jesus can be spread.
When thinking about the 'why' of preaching, one of the bible verses that spoke to our preaching community was Luke 4:18-19 (referencing Isaiah), where Jesus says:
"The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor."
The Spirit of the Lord is on us! He has anointed us to proclaim the good news! Isn't that amazing?
When we think about the ‘why?’, it helps us get our head in the right place when we start to prepare. We worry less about ourselves and more about the message and the people we are speaking to.
>> Recommended reading:
Loud and Clear book - Chapter 1: Why Bother?
>> Recommended viewing:
Loud and Clear Session 3 - Foundations (30 minutes):
Copyright notice
This content is provided free, however all content is copyright Redhill Church unless stated otherwise (we refer to the work of other individuals and organisations throughout - see list in Part D). So feel free use these resources personally and in your own church, however if reproducing this content please ensure all copyright holders are credited accordingly.
