Tips

Delivering a powerful message online requires a focus on clarity and audience engagement. The following tips will help ensure your audience can easily follow and internalize your key points.

1. Show, Don't Just Tell

Make abstract concepts concrete by illustrating them with stories, real-life examples, or analogies. This helps the audience visualize the message and makes it more memorable.

2. Guide Transitions with Leading Questions

Instead of abruptly changing subjects, use rhetorical or leading questions to signal a transition to the next topic. This prepares the audience for what's coming and keeps their focus on the question you are trying to answer. Using leading questions also creates curiosity and an incentive for the listener to stay tuned for the next point.

• Before moving to the next point, pose the central question you are about to answer.
  • Example transition: "Since the Lord Jesus will return in the flesh as a person for a second time, what work will He return to do?"
  • Example transition: “These scriptures show us that judgment is a process of purification, not punishment, then, how will God do this judgment work?”
  • Example transition: “We can see believers can still commit sin because of their sinful nature, then, what is sinful nature?”
• Make sure the question flows naturally from the previous topic and logically sets up the next one. It should feel like a genuine next step in the conversation, not a random interruption.
  • Example of what not to do: “Since the Lord Jesus will carry out the work of judgment when He returns, then let’s talk about the Sealed book.”
  • Example of what not to do: “Since we know our sinful nature is the source of all our problems, then how will God do judgment work?”

3. Summarize Key Points at the End of Each Section

Seekers can easily lose track of the main idea, especially in longer formats. A brief summary at the conclusion of each major section reinforces the core takeaway before moving on.

• Structure the summary clearly.
  • Example summary: "These scriptures show us that we must take into account both the prophecies of 'coming on the cloud' and those of the Lord Jesus returning as a Son of Man, coming like a thief. When considering all prophecies, we can clearly see that Lord Jesus will return in the flesh before He comes on the cloud."
  • Example summary: “From these examples and the scriptures, we can see that the Lord Jesus only completed the work of redemption 2,000 years ago. He did not carry out the work of judgment, nor did He purify our sinful nature.”

4. Speak So People Want To Listen

Make sure to speak clearly so everyone can understand what you're saying.

• Pace: Try to speak at a regular, steady speed. Don't rush, especially when you're getting into more complicated topics. If you're a fast talker, make an effort to slow it down a bit.
• Enunciation: Speak clearly! Make sure you hit all your word endings and syllables. If you mumble or drop sounds, people will have a hard time understanding you.
• Speak Up and Mix It Up: Make sure you're loud enough for everyone to hear, but don't drone on! Change your pitch and volume so people stay interested and don't zone out.

5. Call Seekers by Name

A powerful, yet simple, way to grab a seeker's attention and make them feel personally recognized is to use their name when speaking. This shifts the dynamic from a general lecture to a specific, personal conversation.

• When to use names: Use a seeker's name when asking them a direct question or acknowledging a comment they made..
  • Example: "That's a very insightful point, [Seeker's Name]. It connects directly to the verse we just read."
  • Example: "After reading these Bible verses, Is it clear to you, [Seeker's Name]?"
• Impact: Using their name keeps them engaged and signals that you value their presence and contribution to the discussion. Be careful not to overuse it, which can sound unnatural or jarring.

6. Stay on Topic. Don’t Jump the Gun

A sermon is not a casual conversation; it’s an intentional, structured message meant to edify and inspire the congregation. If you jump from topic to topic or chase tangential thoughts, it can confuse the audience. The key is to stay anchored in the primary message or scripture you're addressing. Focus on the main theme and make sure every point you bring up ties back to that theme. This clarity helps your listeners follow along and understand the core message without being distracted.

Jumping ahead to a new idea before you’ve fully explained or explored the current one can leave your audience confused or unprepared to understand what’s coming next. Don’t rush through your points—each one should build on the previous one in a logical, clear way. Imagine you’re constructing a building: if you rush to lay down the next layer of bricks before securing the one underneath, the entire structure could collapse.

7. Back Up Contested Statements with Evidence

In a sermon, a statement is merely a "claim" until it is supported. Seekers are made up of people who think differently—some are intellectual, some are emotional, and some are traditional—you must provide different types of evidence to get your point across and gain their trust. Without evidence, a sermon is just an opinion;

Note: it is not necessary to provide every type of evidence for every point you are trying to get across. It may even be impossible to find certain types of evidence for a certain point.

8. Look Ahead

When preaching, it’s important to occasionally look ahead in your notes so you know what is coming next. This helps you prepare mentally for the next point and makes your transitions feel smooth and natural rather than abrupt or forced.

By knowing where you’re heading, you can guide the seekers from one thought to the next with clarity and confidence, allowing the message to flow as a whole rather than sounding like a series of disconnected points.