by Joel Southerland
John Maxwell is set to release a new book entitled Everyone Communicates, Few Connect very soon. I was able to read an excerpt from the book before its release. The opening paragraph of chapter 1 says it all:
“According to experts, people are bombarded with 35,000 messages a day. Everywhere we go, everywhere we look, someone is trying to get our attention….Our world is cluttered with words.”
For the preacher, those are chilling words. We have the Truth that we need to communicate to people. What we communicate changes lives, influences eternity, determines destinies. We can’t afford NOT to communicate!
How does that affect us this Sunday? It means while we are studying the Word of God this week, it is also worth taking time to study how we can make the message connect with the audience. We can have the greatest points and exegesis in the world, but if we don’t connect, we won’t be effective.
How about putting some prep time into connecting before Sunday’s sermon? Spend time praying and planning for your sermon to instantly and eternally connect with those who hear.
(We’ve got some great stuff on the way that will be an extremely practical help to you on this. Stick around.)
Question: What do YOU do that seems to help the audience connect with YOU and/or your sermon? Comment below…
11 September 2009 at 2:20 pm
I recently (3 weeks ago) changed my preaching prep style from manuscript to mind map (also called preaching my ear). It wasn’t easy, but it allows me better connection to the congregation. It works for me, maybe it could work for someone else too.
In the future I would love to hear a Sermonators podcast on Manuscript vs Outline vs Mind Map vs Extemporaneous. Each area has it’s strengths and weakness. I don’t remember learning about that in Bible College. I was told in BC to use an outline, when I got out of BC i was told by other ministers to use a manuscript.
all about Christ,
David Buckham
11 September 2009 at 2:37 pm
To help the audience connect I use a joke or illusion that relates to or illustrates the sermon in place of one of the traditional verbal illustration /parable / story that I also use through out the sermon.
12 March 2010 at 8:28 am
I like to begin with a joke. It doesn’t have to do with my sermon and when it doesn’t I let them know that I just thought it was funny and I wanted to share it with them. People like to laugh. I try to keep some humor when appropriate and try to avoid being silly. But I still preach 45 minute sermons.