Public speaking emotes a various amount of feelings. You might immediately worry just thinking about standing in front of people. Others of you relish the opportunity to talk.
A few years ago, my wife asked, “Why don’t you practice your sermon?” I wish I could say that I received that question with openness. Honestly, I balked at her suggestion. A few months later, I started to practice sermons.
Whether giving a talk or sermon causes anxiety or exhilaration, practicing allows you to hone the message for people hearing it.
I want to share the benefits I have experienced in practicing talks and sermons:
1. Gain more retention and memorization.
The more you practice a sermon or talk, the more you will be able to remember. Effective communication involves making eye contact with the audience or congregation. The less you look down at your notes, the more you are available to the people listening to you.
2. Establish a rhythm.
As well as you can create an outline or manuscript, you can miss areas that seem choppy. Practicing helps you sense a rhythm. You can discover where to look back at your notes. You can decide areas to pause or even emphasize. It can be challenging to do when the first time you give a talk or message is live.
3. Build trust with your leaders.
I practice each sermon in front of the senior pastor at Browncroft, Rob Cattalani. I’m coming to appreciate more and more the trust of a leader to give another a platform to speak. Rob provides fantastic feedback while also celebrating the positive aspects of the message. Practicing in front of a leader builds trust.
4. Discover feedback you can use.
It’s unfortunate if you gain all the feedback after you give a talk. Practicing allows you to receive and implement feedback before the talk. Often, we can be blind to areas that might not make sense or other quirks. Get the input early rather than after the fact.
5. Plan for social media content.
When you practice, it allows you to plan for social media or other communication. Whether you’re a pastor or business leader, practicing clarifies the repeated messages. You can reinforce the main points through social media.
What other benefits would you add to practicing talks or sermons? Leave your thought in the comment section below.
Photo by Kane Reinholdtsen on Unsplash
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