How do you improve your preaching?

I'm in the process of looking at my education and growth for next year. Going to seminary part time while working full time here at the church is an AWESOME way for me to continually grow and allow God to work on me to improve me. I'm also a big reader. I love reading different types of books to get better at ministry, pastoral care and leadership. And I like conferences and seminars.

These are all great ways to learn and grow... I find that most of those help in a general leadership/pastor kind of way... but I'm finding it difficult to find resources to help me in my primary responsibility as a pastor here.

Most books and conferences are hitting on leadership and specific ministries (evangelism, small groups, etc). I'm finding very little in the way of becoming a better communicator and speaker.

I served as the Teaching Pastor. My key role is, obviously, teaching Sundays. The local Christian bookstore has nothing on improving preaching... the conference circuit doesn't seem to offer anything on it... and the few websites I've found basically just say to listen to other preachers in order to get better (which I do. I have a great list of preachers that I try to listen to regularly).

So I'm curious... if you're a teaching pastor, or if you preach regularly, what do you do to improve in this area of your ministry? What's helped? What books, conferences, or workshops to you use to grow in this?

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