10 Quick Things to Remember as You Prepare to Preach

By Greg Stier, Op-ed Contributor Wednesday, July 17, 2013

1. Your job is to "set forth the truth plainly" not to razzel or dazzle the audience. 2 Corinthians 4:2

2. Preaching is the easy part. Living our your own sermon is the ultimate goal. James 1:22

3. Show your audience how to apply the Bible passage you are preaching. Philippians 4:9

4. Exegete the text accurately. 2 Timothy 2:15

5. Use hypothetical stories (aka "Parables.") Mark 4:1-20

6. Use real life news events. Luke 13:1,2

7. Be bold and loving. Ephesians 4:15

8. Be sober about the higher standard God holds for those who preach and teach. James 3:1

9. Yield yourself to God through prayer so that you can be empowered by the Holy Spirit to preach with divine unction. Acts 6:8-10

10. In the words of Spurgeon take your text "and make a beeline for the cross." 1 Corinthians 2:2

Greg Stier is the Founder and President of Dare 2 Share Ministries International. He has impacted the lives of tens of thousands of Christian teenagers through Dare 2 Share events, motivating and mobilizing them to reach their generation for Christ. He is the author of eleven books and numerous resources, including Dare 2 Share: A Field Guide for Sharing Your Faith. For more information on Dare 2 Share and their upcoming conference tour and training resources, please visit www.dare2share.org.