How to Prepare – Practicing the Sermon Out-Loud
Submitted by Sherman Haywood Cox II on August 26, 2008 – 6:05 pmOne Comment
As Reverend Harris notes in his helpful article, we should re-read the sermon before we can believe that we have prepared. I wish to make a small addition to that suggestion. When you read it, you should read it Out-Loud. Our inner voice can hide many issues that only show up when you read it out-loud.
Many professors emphasize that reading out loud is an important component of editing, but far too few preachers or writers take the time to really do this. Why does reading out-loud help?
- It engages more of the senses of the speaker – As you read the manuscript out-loud you exercise all the senses of silent reading plus you use the vocal muscles which employs speech. In addition, you hear the sermon thus employing hearing.
- It is more like the preaching event than reading silently
- It allows you to practice the preaching event while editing
Simply put, if one is going to read the manuscript to edit it, one might as well read the manuscript out-loud and gain the added benefit of a more accurate simulation of the preaching event.
Related posts:
Before I took the lesson on SuperChargedSermons, I only read my manuscript to myself. But when I was told to read my prepared sermon out-loud, I was amazed of how I sounded awkward in some parts without knowing it by just reading it to myself. Now, I never fail to read my manuscripts several times in a modulated loud voice. Thanks to the course I am taking now on Super Charge your Sermons.