Put Me In Coach
In the final moments of the regional finals, there were three seconds left on the clock, and I was standing at the free throw line. If I made the first shot, we’d tie the game. If I made the second, we'd be the regional champions of our high school basketball division in Georgia. Our coach called a timeout, pulled me aside, and said, “This is why I told you to do what you did all these years. Now go out there and win this game.”
Ten seconds later, we were the champs and on our way to the State Tournament in Atlanta.
Coach Dixon's Timeless Advice
What were the instructions Coach Dixon gave me? “I don’t care where you are,” he’d say, “but seven days a week, especially during basketball season, I want you to shoot 100 free throws a day.” By the end of my senior year, I led the state in free throw percentage with an impressive 92%. That kind of statistic is crucial when you're under pressure, and it comes down to practice, practice, practice.
Practice: A Principle for Life
This principle of dedicated practice applies to every area of life. Whether in sports or any profession, the more you refine your skills, the better you'll perform when it matters most. This truth holds especially true for speakers and preachers.
I once heard a preacher jokingly say, “I don’t need to prepare or have notes. I just wait for the Spirit of God to open my mouth and out comes amazing truth.” Then, as the joke continues, when he steps up to speak, opens his mouth, and this is what the Spirit said, “You are not prepared!”
The Importance of Preparation
Are you prepared when the opportunity arises to preach the Word of God or speak before a group? The key is that the more you practice your message, the more it becomes ingrained in you. Then when it is time to release all that God wants revealed to His people, you speak from your heart, not from your head. Throughout the week, you’ve “eaten the scroll,” and the message becomes a part of who you are. Your excitement allows you to release the gracious truths of God into hearts that He is molding.
Developing a Personal Practice Routine
Each of you will have a unique practice schedule. I know the busy schedule that you attempt to maintain, but I believe the opportunity to speak or preach takes priority over any other event. God is going to use you as His instrument of peace and redemption, and you must be ready.
My Preparation Process
My process begins with a fully typed manuscript of ten or eleven pages, which I refine to a four-page outline filled with key words, highlighted facts, Scripture passages, and transitional phrases. It would be impossible for another person to follow my outline. It only works for me because by the time I reach this stage of preparation, the message has become a part of me. Without fail, I practice the message out loud over three days at least four times. When I lay my head down at night I attempt to preach it from memory, sometimes even making changes that I will record the next day. Sunday morning is my final practice, then I pray for a fresh anointing to preach His Word. I hear Coach Dixon’s words echo, “This is why I told you to do what you did.” I am prayed up and practiced up, ready to go. Lord, put me in.
Becoming a High-Percentage Proclaimer of Truth
Many disciplines in the Christian life are challenging. Some, more than others. I can help you become a high-percentage proclaimer of truth. That’s what I do—I refine speakers and preachers. Get in touch, and let’s get started.
