Leigh Trevaskis on preaching without notes - LIVE BLOG

This is not a key issue.
Eg grant thorpe is stimulating and intriguing even though he uses full text.
Bring intriguing has priority over notes or not.

The reason I don't use notes is that ever since I was a kid, notes made me nervous. I am hopeless with nits!

How is it I can remember my talk and say what I intended?

A lot has to do with logic. James Stewart wrote a book on preaching. Its not hard to remember something if it is logical.

For example, I have a guy coming over on Thursday night. We were talking about electronic pop. We are going to listen to it at his place and talk about the history of it and the way it broke away from appealing to germanys past. 

This story is to illustrate that when someone explains the logic or rationale it creates interest and forms memory.

Preaching without notes is similar. Try to understand hoe the text moves as an animal. How is the narrator moving us? I will then unpack how that animal moves when I am preaching.

What that means is that sermons I find difficult to pre remember indicates I have got something out of place. I am trying to explain or adapt somethi g that does not belong.

Sam chan writes full notes, then writes it again without referring back. Things that did not belong will be gone.

The logic is primary. The logic of the idea of the passage.

The talk is text driven.

So genesis 3 moves through reappraising sin through to consequence. The logic of text shapes the talk.

Walter Moberly sat and read notes - but was gripping because of his logic.  Become entranced by the logic of the argument.

How do you deliberately build in systematics? This is a pitfall and can become over simplistic.
Most of us don't have the capacity to be deep on the fly.

So first, logic. Entranced by the eloquence of the argument.

2. Organization. I write out my notes leaving intro till last. I write down the main movements. 
I look for a crisp and memorable statement for each point.

I use a formula that I always start with a statement. Then read text, then repeat crisp statement.
Then explain if required. Then illustrate if necessary. Or if a break is necessary. Then state again, then apply, then next movement.

I am usually excited by illustrations as I like storytelling. 

The explanation phase needs writing out in full. Illustrations don't. I am afraid of boring people so want to work at being engaging. When they are written out by hand, they are then left behind at the desk.

q. What is an example of a crisp stAtement?  Eg 'sin is a process.' it needs to be memorable and pregnant.

Remembering where I am up to depends on knowing the text.

Think of explaining the passage to a friend.
Always need to slow down. I will write pauses into the notes. I find it hard to hear silence, but it is powerful. Eg inxs two worlds colliding has a powerful pause.

Pitfalls
A. Going on and on. Pentecostal and reformed people tend to do this.
B. Driven by text and texture leaves no space for opening up theology.
How do we show people how our grid works? How much do we explain?

The thing that most helped me is learning to be conversational. When preachers stop being conversational I stop listening. Boring sermons are painful. Why is it that some people who can be personally engaging get dull. You have to treat the listeners as human beings.

Quotes can be remembered by repeating every sentence seven times and building up.

Introductions need to match the tone of the talk. Don't be embarrassed to lead off with the topic.