Copy
Spurgeon once said, “There is nothing new in theology except that which is false!” … well, something like that!
But seriously: copy sermons and youth group talks from others, take notes and build up an archive of sermons. Start taking notes on sermons. That helps you reuse good thoughts for others. Many good preachers simply copied the sermons of their role models, changed them a little and used them again. Ask other youth leaders for their good material and swap ideas with them.
Pray
Pray as long as your sermon or devotional lasts. Often we do very little preparation in prayer before we preach or lead a youth group session. Why not make it a habit to pray at least as long as your talk is going to last?
Keep it simple
Don’t overwhelm yourself with long sermons, too many points and subpoints. Keep it simple: try a long devotional (20 minutes), build it into a short sermon of 25 to 27 minutes, and work your way up to 35 minutes (or whatever is normal in your church).
Talk about yourself
When you want to go deeper on a point or make a principle clear, use examples from your own life and experience. That makes it more vivid, and you come across as approachable, as someone who has something to pass on. If you give the impression that you’ve got every spiritual topic down, no one will listen to you. People are more likely to listen when you talk honestly about your own first wobbly steps with the topic.
Start early and build up a stockpile
Most devotionals and sermons fall flat or don’t turn out the way you hoped because you don’t have enough time to prepare. Be smart: write down thoughts and ideas, prepare them up to a point and save them. Plan enough time and give yourself enough lead time to get what you’ve written into your head. Count on at least 20 minutes of preparation for every minute of speaking, and you’ll have a rough idea of how much prep time you need.
English version: October 2026
