Teaching Tip 349 | “Plain Speaking – Choosing the right topic ” | Malcolm Cox
Introduction
Here is your 2-minute tip based on chapter 2 of the book, “Plain speaking: How to preach and teach effectively” by David Bercot.

- Do you prefer being given a choice of what to speak about, or having a topic given to you? Both have their advantages, but either way, we have to make some decisions.
Three necessary things according to Bercot:
- The topic must be right for you – does it matter to you and do you know enough about it?
- The topic must be right for the congregation – get off your hobbyhorse long enough to ask a few questions.
- The topic must be right for the time allotted – the sermon on the mount cannot be preached in 15 minutes. But, one section could be. “Kill your darlings”.
Conclusion
When is the earliest you can find out the topic, or decide on it? I recommend a month in advance.
Make a list of ways that will help you to decide on a topic that fits the three points above.
Has today’s tip been worth two minutes of your time? I hope so.
Next week: Having a goal
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Remember to keep calm, and carry on teaching.
God bless, Malcolm
