It was a balmy night. Though I arrived half an hour early, the parking lot was already full. I could not wait; this was an event that I had looked forward to for some time. In fact, I had looked forward to hearing him preach in person for what seemed like forever. I had read a number of his books and listened to him on the radio for years.

I went in and took a seat in the balcony, as the floor was already full, and tolerated the music and "pre-preaching" observances. Though the music was great, at the time, it was simply a barrier between me and the great preacher I had come to hear. Finally, the Senior Pastor came out, prayed, and introduced the evening's special speaker.

Haddon Robinson came out to enthusiastic applause and, without ceremony, began. That night I was swept away from El Cajon, California to the magnificent palace of David, King of Israel. As Dr. Robinson gave a fantastic narrative of the fall of this great king for a woman, I suddenly realized that he was never at the pulpit, and his hands were empty. The realization struck me forcibly: He had no notes! This drew me in even more; I tensely waited for the slip or the awkward pause or the panicked flight to the podium. It never came.

As a result of that night I determined to lose the manuscripts that I had always preached from. I downgraded to an extensive outline, then to a simple outline, and, finally, I stepped out on that slippery limb and preached without notes. I remember the first Sunday that I determined to do it.

Now, I had served for years as a police officer in the federal projects; I am a veteran of the Gulf War; I skydive and snorkel with sharks; however, I cannot remember a fear more stark than the fear that gripped me that Sunday morning as I drove away from my house toward the church, leaving my notes on my desk.

That was about a year ago. I preached that message with more freedom and more intensity and more power than I had ever been able to muster before. My fear quickly turned into exhilaration, my trepidation to excitement, and my fear of failure to a desire to achieve. My congregants noticed something different as well. While they were not able to pin down the change, they made it clear that my preaching seemed more alive and vibrant.

It was not an easy transition for me, but it was one of the most profitable things that I have done. There are four principles that I have learned about this method. I pray that it will give the boost to your ministry that it gave to mine.

1. Prayer

A. T. Pierson wrote, "Every step in the progress of ministry is directly traceable to prayer. It has been the preparation for every new triumph and the secret for all success."

Let me caution every preacher, teacher, and speaker of God's Word, never ever consider handling the Oracles of God without the proper preparation, having first consulted with the Author. A.T. Pierson's truth applies to preaching as with anything else. We can build massive cathedrals, write splendid books of great wisdom, and prepare sermons that will shake the foundations of this temporal world, but if we do not first bathe it in prayer we are simply conducting an exercise of vanity.