Not every preacher resonates.

That's because some guys just talk at you.
They think that you should listen because they're preaching Scripture.

But that same Scripture tells us that pastors must be "Apt to teach." That means capable. And a capable teacher resonates with his audience.

So here's the one commonality I've found among every preacher I enjoy and learn from...
(And it's missing in the ones I don't)

Stories.

Pastors who tell stories keep the audience's attention.

More importantly, they teach the audience Scripture.

And I think this is really valid because storytelling is Jesus' main method. Even non-parable messages contained mini stories.

If you want my hypothesis and implements, they're below. If not, just go tell better stories in your preaching.

Hypothesis

The Bible is a grand narrative. God used a massive, cosmic story to tell us He loves us and wrote a great ending for us, too. Jesus used stories. The apostles used stories. Scripture is a compilation of smaller stories, with mini stories embedded within. And the end times are stories still to unfold, which keep us waiting attentively for God's next move.

Speaking physiologically, we're wired to remember stories, not just facts. We're wired to remember locations (the scenes of stories), not just items. So if I tell you a story and paint a clear scene all around you, you'll remember that story way clearer and longer.

So my hypothesis is that God wired us to value stories.
And that's why we remember them better than facts.
So we can leverage that to help our audiences.
Below tells you how...

Implementing this

1. Write your sermon as you normally would.

2. Tie every point together with a transition sentence or two.

3. Reorganize anything that doesn't naturally flow.

4. Throw away anything that can't be organized.

5. Then take every point and illustrate it with a story.
   FOR EXAMPLE:
   I could say, the average Christian school teacher scores a 41% on a Christian worldview test. Or I could tell you about how my office is in the corner of a school gym, and I'm surrounded by Christian school teachers and hundreds of Christian school students. "What do those red and black uniformed students learn every day in math class? Is it about how God is a God of order and numbers? You'd think so, since they're in a Christian school, right? Wrong. Because the average teacher at our school would get only 2 questions right on a 5-question test about God. And that's scary. Would I send my daughter here? What would I score? What would you score? Would it be above 41%?"
   
   Same stat.
   Different approach.
   Story.

6. Paint the outcome of your sermon tangibly (by telling a mini story about the audience).
   If you don't know what it looks like in physical words, how are they supposed to?
   Instead of, "We need to be giving people," say, "In 5 minutes, we'll pass the offering plate. What you do will reveal who's the god of your money."
   OR:
   Instead of, "There's a better way than the world's way" (vague), say, "Jesus offers us peace. You know how sometimes you can't sleep because you're worried about xyz? Well if you trust Jesus, you can sleep all night without worry."
   
   Paint a clear picture.
   They can't follow a blurry one.
   (By the way, this is what I'm doing now)
   

7. Take your whole sermon, then preach it like one long story.