10 Principles for Better Oral Communication by Wayne McDill

10 Principles for Better Oral Communication

Written by Wayne McDill

This article is excerpted by permission from the book, 12 Essential Skills for Great Preaching, by Wayne McDill (Nashville: B&H Publishing Group, 2006).

Let me suggest some of the principles you can follow as guidelines for planning the design of your sermons. If you will keep these suggestions in mind, your design will come closer to the goal of making real communication contact.

1. Design a dynamic (forceful, alive, moving) format rather than a static (set, complete, still) one.
2. Keep your outline clear and simple.
3. Oral design should be oriented to time rather than space.
4. Emphasize main ideas by placement and reiteration.
5. Use carefully worded transitions as you move through the presentation.
6. Plan carefully for a combination of inductive and deductive movement.
7. Use language best suited to the ear, not the eye.
8. Plan the introductory segments carefully.
9. Plan the closing segments of the design carefully.
10. Plan the whole design from the audience’s point of view.

This article is excerpted by permission from the book, 12 Essential Skills for Great Preaching, by Wayne McDill (Nashville: B&H Publishing Group, 2006).