I've heard it said that preachers are interested in preparing messages while God is interested in preparing messengers.  Or, you might think of it like this: "What is God saying to me?" "What does God want to say through me?" "What does God want me to say to them?"

Every good message has two things: an effective beginning and a well-defined ending. Too many speakers and presenters just wander into a message.  A little bit of this, a little bit of that.  Or worse, they stick an irrelevant introduction onto their speech or sermon because they like it, not because it fits.  The introduction should point to where the message is going in a clear, concise, and compelling fashion. If the introduction is getting the message in the air, on the back end of the message is a good landing.  It's sighting the runway and knowing when to bring down the plane.  Many great speeches lose their impact because the speaker starts circling the runway, unsure of how to end the message.  Lose the ending and there's a good chance you'll lose the impact. Alpha and omega, beginning and end.

Back in college, I was amazed at guys who in private were warm and engaging but who clammed up when given a microphone.  The most common mistake was to read their speech (or sermon) in a flat, monotone voice.  No movement.  No color or emotion. The human voice is God's most creative instrument.  Use it to add depth to a deep point or excitement to an idea that should inspire passion or joy.  To get people to lean forward, whisper.  To allow them time to think, press pause. To inspire or move to action, say no to monotone.

In 1960 when Adlai Stevenson introduced John F. Kennedy, who was then a candidate for president, he said: “In classical times when Cicero had finished speaking, the people said, ‘How well he spoke’ — but when Demosthenes had finished speaking, the people said, ‘Let us march’!” If you had to pick between praise or marchers, which would you choose?