Son of a Preacherman

My Dad is a retired Church of England vicar (this feels like a kind of electronic micro-sermon), and being brought up by a man of God, opposite a house of God, I learnt some pretty useful things regarding public speaking from my Dad’s sermons. Such as don’t swear.

A church service is a fairly strict programme, with standardised sections (with occasional variations such a readings), but the sermon is the chance for the vicar to get on the mic and freestyle, to interact, to make it all seem relevant. And what a great gig: no dissenters like in a business pitch, no heckles like in a comedy club, but possibly some bored faces. The challenge for my Dad was to keep people interested, and get across a very serious message. So, just like a business pitch, then.

So my Dad used things that were topical. By relating the message to a news event, it seemed a lot more fresh. Do the same, and you can breathe new life into that presentation that’s become a bit dusty and uninteresting, particularly to you, the presenter.

Go forth in peace, my children.

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