Sermon Illustration Tips & Ideas
Sermon Illustrations,
if used appropriately, can be an effective way to connect your listeners
with your message. Below are some basic sermon illustration tips.
- The illustration should be directly related to the main point you're trying to illustrate. It is never a good idea to force an illustration that doesn't fit well just to use the illustration, no matter how good it is.
- The most powerful illustrations are those that come from your own experience. Is there something in your own experiences that might work here? Keep in mind that people appreciate a pastor who is open and transparent with their own struggles and problems, but use wisdom and discernment about what to share and how much.
- Back off the sports! Most women and many men don't care that much about sports, so it isn't a good idea to use a lot of sports stories and metaphors. As a rule of thumb, never use more than one per message.
- As you consider illustrations, consider your audience. You want to select illustrations that will connect with them in terms of various characteristics, including age, race, income, education, interests, nationality, and other areas of identification.
- [more to come]