Only 1/3 of Preaching is the Words You Say

Do you ever obsess over the words of a sermon?

If you are like me, you can sometimes spend hours trying to craft the best possible way to explain a Biblical principle. We work like wordsmiths trying to pound out the very best phrases.

But sometimes this can be a problem. Our obsession over words can cause us to neglect focusing on the other less obvious elements of a sermon.

Did you know that only 1/3 of preaching has anything to do with the actual words that come out of your mouth?

Blasphemy? No. Biblical.

The Three Part of Persuasion

First we need to start with a brief understanding of Rhetoric, the study of persuasive speaking. Note: all preaching is persuasive speaking because you are trying to change a person’s thoughts or actions.

Aristotle taught that all persuasive speaking has three parts: ethos, pathos, and logos. Put simply, they can be defined as follows:

Ethos = character

Pathos = passion 

Logos = words

Any audience will subconsciously evaluate the speaker by these areas to determine whether or not to believe what they are saying.

Evaluating the ethos they ask, “how do you live?”

Before a word comes out of your mouth, the audience needs to know that you are credible. Why should they listen to you? Are you trustworthy? Are you respectable? What authority do you have to speak on the issue? Do your beliefs and actions align?

Evaluating the pathos they ask, “how do you feel?”

You can speak the most well-crafted words, but if the audience doesn’t feel your emotional connection it will fall on deaf ears. Are you emotionally engaged in your message? Do you stir up an emotional reaction in the audience? How has the message personally impacted you?

Evaluating the logos they ask, “how do you say it?”

Although this is the first thing most preachers think of, the first two areas are typically evaluated long before they decide to listen to what you actually have to say. Your words are still incredibly important. Is it clear? Does it make sense? Is there a logical flow? Is it helpful? Is it applicable to their daily life?

Ethos, Pathos, and Logos in the Bible

Some of you may object to this teaching. You may be thinking, “So what? Who cares what some Greek philosopher says?” So you may be surprised to find that this teaching is echoed in the Bible.

Paul actually references all three parts of persuasion in 1 Thessalonians 1:5. See if you can find all three.

our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction. You know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake.
– 1 Thessalonians 1:5, ESV

Paul says that he preached the Gospel not only in word (logos), but with full conviction (pathos) and proven character (ethos).

Paul understood that gospel preaching is more than the words we say. A sermon is the sum total a preacher’s character, passion and words.

Nobody wants to listen to a preacher who doesn’t live what they preach (ethos). I don’t want to hear a sermon on Biblical marriage from a man who cheated on his wife.

Nobody wants to listen to a preacher who doesn’t feel what they are saying (pathos). I don’t want to hear a monotone sermon about living passionately for Christ.

Nobody wants to listen to a preacher who is all talk (logos). I don’t want to hear a sermon on generosity from a man who never gives.

“Who you are speaks so loudly I can’t hear what you’re saying.”
– Ralph Waldo Emerson

So before you work on shaping  your next message, does God first need to shape you, the messenger?

Is any area of your life lacking in character? Are you burning with passion?

Only 1/3 of  preaching is the words you say. 2/3 is the person you are.