Beware of Over-Hyped Intros!

I’ve seen how a sermon introduction can either invite listeners in or push them away. When intros become hype-driven sales pitches, we risk alienating people rather than connecting with them. An effective intro doesn’t need to be miraculous or dramatic. It just needs to help this specific group engage with God’s Word, right now.

Beware of the Over-Hyped Introduction

Yesterday I previewed a DVD teaching series that I hoped to use for our small groups. Unfortunately, it won’t work. The speaker, whom I’ve appreciated in the past, spent the opening moments hyping up how “miraculously” the message came to be. It felt like spiritual self-promotion, and it distracted from the content.

When the Hype Takes Over

The speaker detailed how a spontaneous message was “given by God,” delivered to tens of thousands, and repeated with powerful results. While some believers love that style, to me, it felt hollow. Worse, I wondered how a seeker or skeptic might receive it.

What’s Wrong with a Hype-Filled Intro?

• It disconnects the speaker from the audience by positioning them as unreachable.

• It disconnects the message from the listeners. It wasn’t “for them,” it was for a bigger, past audience.

• It disconnects the power of Scripture by implying its authority comes from a personal miracle, not the Word itself.

• It invites skepticism if the narrative feels inflated.

What an Introduction Should Do

A great sermon intro should:

• Connect with the listeners

• Connect them to their need for the message

• Build anticipation for the passage

Avoid both extremes: no connection, and over-hyped connection. Introduce your message simply, clearly, and honestly, tailored for this group, this moment. Then trust God’s Word and Spirit to do the work.