End With a Bang?
Preaching That Makes a Difference – Part 6
During this 6-part series, we’ve explored simple and practical ways that will help you become a more effective Preacher. We started with the importance of a good “introduction”, so it seems only fitting we end with the importance of a good “conclusion”.
Before we get into a discussion about effective conclusions, I think it is important to define what I view as the role of a conclusion. I believe an effective conclusion should leave a congregation highly motivated to apply what has been discussed. Think of it more like a coach saying to the team “let’s go!” in the locker room before taking the field.
Usually, preachers will conclude their sermons with a story that relates to their message and a final prayer. Although stories can be helpful, they run the risk of changing the topic and shifting the focus. If this is regularly practiced, it can also feel like a formula and signal to the audience you are finished, which means they will start checking out. I’ve personally seen this take place and watched listeners start closing their Bibles when the concluding story begins. Additionally, when a quick prayer is used to conclude a sermon, I’ve watched volunteers and those who are concerned about missing traffic get up and leave during the prayer. This means they are more concerned about where they are going than what you are saying or praying. So, how can we prevent this from happening and be more effective with our conclusions? Glad you asked! :)
Hebrews 4:12 reminds us that the preaching of God’s Word should be a life-changing event because God’s Word is life-changing.
For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
Hebrews 4:12
Therefore, I believe the best way to conclude a sermon is to include God in the process. This simply means that you conclude with prayer but not quickly or briefly. In other words, the prayer needs to last a few minutes and engage the congregation in a personal way. It also needs to catch your audience off guard. By that, I mean you don’t warn them with a story or say, “Let’s pray”. I’ve found that if I just start praying without any warning, people will stay in place and not close their Bibles or get up and leave. During the prayer, I will often thank God for the insight His Word has just provided. I will also ask Him to specifically apply the points we’ve just discussed to our lives. I may even summarize them for specific applications. But the key is to provide some quiet time so the congregation can personally pray on their own and ask God to apply the preaching points to their own situation. If you think about it, we are studying God’s Word, so why not include God in the process? Therefore, I would suggest that each time you preach you also provide a few minutes for your congregation to engage in prayerful application. How can anything else be more effective?
So rather than a conclusion story, summarizing points, or a quick prayer, provide a few minutes when the audience can engage with God. Give it a shot the next time you preach! I think you will be encouraged by engaging God in the process.
Do You Want More?
As we conclude this 6-part series “Preaching That Makes a Difference”, I realize there is much more that can be discussed but I just wanted to provide the essentials that can help you become a better preacher. If you would like to enrich the effectiveness of your preaching with personal and custom instruction, please contact me and we can discuss the options available!