Preaching Lessons

I can't believe how time has flown by. I have been preaching God's Word for 15 years. I have learned a lot of lessons about preaching. I am far from where I need to be, but I have sure come a long way from that first sermon to my youth group in Wewoka, Oklahoma. For the next few days, I want to share with you some invaluable lessons that I've learned from preaching God's Word over the last 15 years.

Preaching Mistakes I've Made

1. In my early years of preaching (I know some of you are thinking, "SONNY, you are in your early years"), I imitated several preachers. I tried to talk like them and put my sermons together like them. I was never comfortable in my own skin. It took me a few years to really develop my own style and rhythm. It is OK to learn from other communicators and even use techniques that they use as long as you are being true to how God has wired you. If you are just getting started with preaching God's Word, don't beat yourself up because you imitate your favorite preachers. You just need to realize that you have to develop into the communicator that GOD wants you to be. You are most effective being you!

More tomorrow!