A Training Seminar for Preaching: Developing Effective Preaching Skills

Problem. Preaching in general is weak and the results can be seen in poor church attendance. The future of the Christian Church depends in great measure on the quality and power o f the preaching from our pulpits. This study was to research, prepare, present, and evaluate a seminar for pastors that will help them develop effective preaching skills. Method. Based on research on the preaching style and characteristics o f the Lord Jesus, the Apostle Paul, and six successful preachers, the seminar “Feeding the Flock” was produced. This seminar was presented in five different places, covering seven Conferences of the Columbia Union Conference of Seventh-day Adventists with an attendance o f 164 pastors. Results. This seminar was very well received by the pastors. Out o f 106 pastors who evaluated the seminar, using a Likert scale, from 1 to 5 (poor to excellent respectively), 73.1% rated it a 5, 23.2% a 4 (very good), and 3.7% a 3 (good), with a total average grade o f 4.69. Conclusions. This research has discovered some of the main preaching characteristics of Jesus, Paul, and six successful preachers that have made them very powerful in the pulpit. The research has also demonstrated that the preacher, the message, and the delivery have power only as these three components are closely connected to God and to each other. In order for the preacher to be effective he or she has to have a deep relationship with God, practice what he or she preaches, be authentic, and be vulnerable. In order to be effective the message has to be Bible- and Christ-centered, and has to be directed to the needs and the hearts o f the congregation. This study has found also that in order to persuade people, successful preachers preach to the heart—to the intellect, emotions, and will.