Spent some time today thinking about preaching and evaluation. The best professional athletes watch their own game tape. Even at the top of their game they watch themselves in order to improve.
One of the podcasts I subscribe to is my own. I don't particularly enjoy it. Actually, I get really uncomfortable listening to my own messages. But it would be foolish to not take time to evaluate something that I do every week.
Here are some questions to ask yourself as you evaluate your own communication:
- Did the introduction make a good first impression?
- Did I build a bridge to people?
- Did each illustration communicate what I intended?
- Did I use words that unchurched people might not understand? If so, did I explain them?
- Was I transparent?
- Was God exalted and glorified?
- Was the message bathed in grace?
- Did I use any distracting maneurisms?
- Did my content and delivery place more emphasis on me or Jesus?
- Was the message biblical?
- Was the message logical?
- Was the message simple?
- Was the big idea clear and memorable?
- Did the conclusion inspire people to take a next step?
What other questions do you think are important in evaluating a sermon?
Moses spent a lot of time in Egypt, so maybe his Hebrew had an accent, or he had different mannerisms. Whatever it was, Moses even wanted Aaron to speak for him. But I think God cares that Moses or Aaron (or you) delivered His Word, whatever the message, whomever delivered, however.
Posted by: c | June 01, 2008 at 11:29 PM