The first thing that one should do if you want to learn how to whoop is listen to other whoopers. Just like if you want to learn how to play jazz, you must listen to others who do it well. Please note that there are different levels of listening. The first level is merely for enjoyment. Here you simply listen for things that you enjoy or that “speak to you” on some level. Another level of listening however is critical analysis. Here you seek to understand what is happening. You listen to the whooper trying to hear the pitch changes. When does the whooper change pitch. When does the whooper change the volume? Does the whooper only get loud at the end? Does the whooper get loud and soft? Another question one might listen for is a sequence of pitches. Does the whooper make use of a sequence (sometimes called a riff in music)? What about rhythm? Does the whooper change his or her rhythm?

In addition to close listening, you want to listen to a lot of different whoopers. You want to get some idea of the wide variety of approaches to whooping that are out there. These wide variety of approaches will help you find your own voice as a whooper.

You can’t just listen to other preachers, you also need to do something yourself. I would encourage you to add singing to your list of things to do. You may find out you can sing a solo here and there, but if not, at least you will learn things about your voice that you could not learn in any other way.

The important thing is that whooping has a lot in common with singing. listen to a whooping master and a great gospel singer. You will find that they both make use of vocal dynamics. They go from loud to soft and vice versa. They both make use of rhythmic changes. They speed up or slow down as needed. they both make great use of timing. They both improvise. Etc. Listen to great preachers and singers and sing.

You have sung and you have listened to other preachers, now it is time to do it! In the practice room, just start playing around. No one is listening to your. Practice whooping. You need practice if you are to do this effectively.

Put whooping into your sermon. After going through these steps, you will be in a position to naturally allow the musicality of your voice to come through. Preach it! Find ways to allow these aspects into your sermons, without forcing it.

Please to succumb to the temptation of using whooping to cover up a lack of preparation. Perhaps we all have heard whoopers who obviously haven’t done the preparation necessary to preach an effective sermon to the people of God. Then these preacher simply start whooping and the people go wild. However, during the week when pain and trouble come the people haven’t been given the tools to deal with the world because the preacher decided to serve slop and then try to put cream over it. We as preachers have been called to give the word that is needed, a sweet whoop does not discharge us of this duty. If you whoop, please whoop with integrity!

Learn more about preaching. Stop by Sherman Haywood Cox II’s site where you can download a free ebook that will help you find out all about preaching greatsermons.

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