Next level communicators allow the audience to determine how they teach.
Next level communicators allow the audience to determine how they teach.
Abraham Maslow was a psychologist who pointed out four levels of learning:
Unconscious incompetence. This is the beginning point of all learning, where everyone starts. What this means is a person lacks knowledge in a certain area and is not even aware of it.
Conscious incompetence. At this level, a person is ignorant to the subject, and they know they are ignorant.
Conscious competence. Picture a kid who has been riding a bicycle for a month or so. They know how to do it, and are constantly thinking about the process of riding a bicycle.
Unconscious competence. The best example I could give is a person who has been driving for years. They get in their car and go, not really aware of what they are doing because they have been at it for so long. Or it’s that kid who has been riding a bicycle now for years, and can just hop on one and ride without thinking at all about what they are doing.
These four levels of learning are critical for us as communicators, because they should determine how we approach our talks. For example, I have pastored all over the country, and speak to a wide range of audiences from the Bible. Even though I use the same content, the audience always dictates my approach. When I pastored in Memphis, the audience was steeped in religion, to the point where many assumed they were authentic followers of Jesus Christ, but were not. When it came to the gospel, many were unconsciously incompetent- they lacked knowledge in the difference between the gospel and religion, and weren’t even aware of it. Well, my job as a communicator was to go slow, and show them over and over how the two were different. The lights needed to be turned on for them so they could see what they did not even know they did not see.
I have also spent time as a pastor in the bay area, one of the most secular environments in the world. Broadly speaking, my audience in the bay was consciously incompetent. They knew they didn’t know much about church, the bible, the gospel and Jesus, so I didn’t need to spend a lot of time convincing them they didn’t know; I could just jump right in. I hope you are getting the picture: My approach in the south was to spend a lot of time showing my audience how many were operating under an illusion of Christianity, but in reality were not saved. Had I begun with the later stages, especially the last two, my long term effectiveness as a communicator would be blunted.
So what does this mean for us?
If you are a pastor, or an educator, or someone who has the privilege of talking to the same group of people over a long period of time, you want to move them to unconscious competence. Without even thinking about it, I can do simple addition. How did that happen? A teacher worked with me over a long period of time. So it should be for all of us who communicate to the same audience over and over.
Do speaking pre-work to figure out where the bulk of your audience is when it comes to the four stages and your topic. The reality is there will be people at different levels gathered to hear you. That’s understood. However, what is really gold for the communicator, and what will position us for maximum impact, is having our pulse on where the bulk of the audience is in regards to my topic.
The lower the level, the less you can assume. There’s a lot you can assume when someone is at level four (unconscious competence). In fact, I may not even take the engagement if I’m asked to speak on a topic where there is a high level of competence. But if the bulk of the audience is at level one (unconscious incompetence), then I’m going to have to take the cookies down to the lower shelves, so my audience can access and grasp the concepts. Side note: This is why I think the best place for communicators to begin is speaking to children and youth, because we are forced to simplify our presentations. It is always easier to add complexity, and infinitely harder to simplify.
What I’m Reading:
The Cross Before Me: Reimagining the Way of the Good Life, Rankin Wilbourne.
The one thing next level communicators never stop doing.
The one thing next level communicators never stop doing.
In his book, Teaching to Change Lives, legendary communicator Howard Hendricks says, “If you stop growing today, you stop teaching tomorrow”. It’s what he calls, “The Law of the Teacher”. Great communicators never lose their sense of curiosity. They are always asking questions, and one of the primary people they question is themselves, asking things like, “How can I grow? Where can I improve?” Next level communicators see themselves as students, who understand you never arrive, there’s always another peak to ascend.
Andy Stanley and I once had a conversation where we swapped stories of our next level communicating dads. Charles Stanley was one of the greatest communicators of his generation, and towards the end of his life he asked his son, Andy, if he knew of any mentors who could pour into his (Charles’) life? What a question for an eighty-something year old man to ask, and do you see what was behind his curiosity? Even in his eighties, he wanted to grow. Charles Stanley saw himself as a perpetual student, knowing there was always room for growth.
The worst thing that could ever happen to a great communicator is to realize they are a great communicator. This opens the door for stagnation. When we believe the compliments, when we rest on the applause and praise, that’s the moment where we begin to cheat the game.
People would always rather drink from a running stream, than from a stagnant pool.
Here are some specific areas next level communicators commit to grow:
Growing in content. Remember, great communicators, the Greeks said, have great logos, or content. For just about all of us, the field we work in is constantly evolving. If you are in tech, you know how fast paced this field is. In my own lifetime we’ve gone from floppy disks to artificial intelligence. What this means is to be effective in communication in the tech world, you better commit to growth in your understanding of the latest developments. The same applies to education methods, advances in medicine, and so on. If you are a preacher, while the Scriptures and Jesus are the, “same yesterday, today and forever,” it is also impossible to master. So we too must be committed to a lifelong process of growth and development.
Growing in character. The Greeks also said great communicators have ethos, which is the idea of character. Few things will cut short our drive to be great communicators than bad character. Want to have speaking invitations rescinded or never given- get loose with character. Give yourself to the personal development of your inner life. For me, as a follower of Jesus, that means daily time spent in prayer and bible reading for myself, and not sermon preparation. Inviting close friends to ask hard questions related to your integrity is also a good practice. We never want to be mere professionals where what we say is disconnected from the life we live.
Growing in intellect. The best communicators I know keep a book in their hands. They are always reading, or digesting content, in some form. Every year I want to read at least fifty books on a wide range of topics. Some are related to my occupation, while many other books are for personal enjoyment. We all share a responsibility to steward the minds God has given us well.
Growing as communicators. It doesn’t matter what level you are as a communicator, all of us should solicit feedback from respected communicators who will be blunt with us about areas we could improve. We should also invite the everyday listener for feedback. One of the best sources for this is our spouse or close friends- people who love us but are not so enamored with us they won’t tell us the truth. Encourage them to be honest, and listen without being defensive. Take notes when they share their thoughts, showing them how much you value their input, and be humble enough to incorporate at least some of their wisdom. Think of it this way: If the world’s wealthiest people have financial advisors, then all communicators, even the best of them, should have people giving them feedback.
I just turned in my manuscript for my latest book, Godly Sinners: Pursuing holiness without falling into legalism. Stay tuned for more updates about when and how you can get the book.
Next level communicators make this one tweak with their illustrations.
Next level communicators make this one tweak with their illustrations.
Most people assume the purpose of an illustration is to bring clarity to their point. This is a grave mistake. Don’t get me wrong, illustrations should bring clarity. Remember, we have said while explanations give the point, illustrations are like windows where they show the point. But clarity is not the main purpose of an illustration. The real reason we give illustrations is to motivate our audience to action. Next level communicators understand this.
Clarity and motivation are related, but while we can be clear and not motivated, I don’t think I can motivate you in the direction I want, unless you first have clarity. Great illustrations accomplish both clarity and motivation, with a major in motivation. Learn to ask the question of every illustration you tell, “How can this motivate people to action,” and it will take your talks to the next level…like immediately.
Let me give you a few examples. Suppose I’m preaching on the Spirit filled life, and my main point is how to be filled with the Spirit means He is in control of our lives. An illustration which stops at clarity would be a person who has the steering wheel of a car. She is in control of the car, and that’s what the filling of the Holy Spirit looks like. Like this woman has control of the car, the Holy Spirit wants control of your life. That’s clear, but not motivating. An illustration that motivates is me saying the Holy Spirit is like a designated driver. Now the purpose of the designated driver is to watch a person carefully, and when they are getting drunk, he sticks out his hand and asks for the keys. That’s the Holy Spirit. He wants to be in control. He wants the keys to our lives. He wants the keys to our attitude. He wants the keys to our anger. He wants the keys to our tongue. Have you given him the keys? What area of your life are you still holding onto the keys? See how I’ve played with this illustration, and stretched it out so that it ventured beyond clarity and into motivation? All this takes is when we think about illustrations we ask the question, how can this motivate the audience to action? That one simple tweak will move your talk to the next level.
In moving illustrations from clarity to motivation, I have found the following to be helpful:
First, be clear on the point you are making. Illustrations are no good unless there is first the point. I always want to first setup the illustration by stating my point.
A great illustration is one where the audience gets the point before you give the point. There should be no guesswork when it comes to illustrations. No one should struggle figuring out what you mean. In fact, you want your audience to beat you to the punchline.
Don’t confuse motivation with inspiration. Sometimes when we are motivated to do things it’s because we have been challenged in an area of our lives where we are not doing so well. Yes, there are times when people will applaud, or even cheer, a great illustration. But there are other times when the silence is thick, as the illustration has challenged some of their core beliefs, assumptions and practices. That’s great too.
Your energy should match your illustration. This is really key. If all you want is to be clear, then you will open the door to boredom. But if you want to motivate, then you will put the appropriate energy into the illustration, because you are leading people down a path called change. If you feel the illustration will lead people to applaud, or make them feel good, then be upbeat. If the illustration will challenge them in some way, you probably want to slow your speech, reign in your gestures, or at least incorporate the appropriate pause.
Finally, illustrations should be concise. The longer the illustration, the greater the likelihood we are overcomplicating things. Simplicity is our friend, so keep it short.
Where I’m speaking:
I am preaching this Thursday evening and Sunday morning at Resonate Church in Fremont, California. If you are near the bay area, come hang out! I’d love to meet you.
What I’m reading:
Next level communicators pay attention to the big five.
Next level communicators pay attention to the big five.
Communication expert, Dr. Bryan Chapell, outlines the five things in a talk listeners are most likely to remember. In order, they are:
Unusual delivery
Illustrations (the last, the first, then others)
Applications strongly disagreed with/Applications strongly agreed with.
Striking or strange ideas within the talk
The general theme or thrust of the message (Taken from his book, Christ-centered Preaching, pages 125-126).
This is really helpful information, a sort of cheat code, we should use whenever we put a talk together. So let’s spend a few moments unpacking each of these concepts, along with practical ways we can use them to take our presentations to the next level.
Unusual Delivery:
This can cover a wide variety of things, like a really bad talk that just bombed, to a very good one, or one which possessed an unusual feature like an accent. Jon Tyson is one of the best communicators in the world, and while his content and delivery are rich, the fact he speaks with an Australian accent is helpful as well. Where does that leave the rest of us, who communicate with culturally normal accents? Is there anything we can do to be unusual? Yes. Using a visual aid to imprint a point you wish to make in the minds of your audience fits this category. Speaking with appropriate passion to an audience who is not used to passion qualifies as unusual. I have friends of mine who speak sometimes in a first person narrative, even dressing the part of the character they are portraying. Think Joseph, the husband of Mary, in the nativity scene. Feel free to be creative, but as you know, this can go really well or really bad, which, well, the more I think about it will make it unusual, but not always for the right reasons. Seriously, consult respected peers and mentors before you dive in.
Illustrations:
We have talked extensively about the neuroscience connecting stories with retention in previous posts; so you know how passionate I am about a great illustration. But did you notice how Dr. Chapell ranks the order of illustrations when it comes to retention. People are most likely to first remember your last illustration, then your opening one and then the rest. What this tells me is it’s important to finish with a strong illustration which will inspire your audience to action.
Applications strongly disagreed/agreed with:
I do want to caution us. Let’s not be contentious for the sake of retention. However, the Greeks said people left the presence of a great speaker always feeling as if they learned something new (logos). Your presentation should challenge people’s biases and preferences. When you make applications which cut against the grain of their presuppositions, they will leave turning your ideas over and over and over again, in their minds. Remember, your applications must be true, but maybe we need to put the work in to phrase them a bit differently. Also, some of the best applications move from strongly disagree, to agree. What seems wrong at first, only to become, “Ah, that’s right,” is real gold for the communicator. Here’s a few examples:
I am not saved by my performance: Hell will be filled with many virgins, and heaven will be filled with many former prostitutes.
“God does not love you to the degree that you are like Christ. Rather, he loves you to the degree that you are in Christ, and that’s one hundred percent”- Rankin Wilbourne.
The church does not need old people. The church needs patriarchs and matriarchs; there’s a difference.
Striking or strange ideas within the talk:
When people come to hear you, they are making a serious investment of time, which means they do not need to be told what they already know. Your presentation should offer something new to many in your audience. Jesus did this. All of his messages centered around a new thing called the kingdom of heaven. Steve Jobs was a revolutionary communicator not because of his gifts of oratory, but because of his new, counter-cultural ideas and products. Yes, Martin Luther King, Jr., was a world class communicator, but let’s not forget the substance behind his style was this novel American ideology of nonviolence. If you are a preacher, the message we carry is an ancient one, so no need to come up with something new. However, remember the good news will be new to at least a few in our audience. Also keep in mind, that even though the message may be old, there are innovative ways we can frame the message which challenge the ideals of our context. For example, if you are preaching in the south, framing the gospel as opposed to religion will be both true and new to many who are in your audience.
The general theme or thrust of the message:
Sometimes it’s more than our ideas within a message which is new, but the whole premise of the message is new. If you are giving a talk on artificial intelligence, you’ve got a head start on the likelihood of your audience retaining the information because your message is shaped around a relatively new technology. If you are an educator giving a talk on the harm social media can present to students, your very subject is going to make the audience lean in. However, what are we to do as preachers whose subject is several millennia old? Set your sights on the felt need of your sermon, and let that be the new driving application and show how the gospel speaks to that. Scripture does speak to artificial intelligence and social media and technology. It’s in there, I promise. For example, Christians should wrestle with questions like, “Will AI harm the services industry, and what does the biblical worldview say to that?” See how you can take the bible and make the whole message an innovative one, just by addressing a new concept?
If you’re interested in one on one coaching to take your communication to the next level, you can find out more information here.
What I’m Reading:
The Mercy King, by Scott Sauls.
Next level communicators throw baseballs, not sand.
Next level communicators throw baseballs, not sand.
If I were to ask which are you more likely to catch, a fistful of sand or a baseball, we all know it’s the baseball. We know this because although a baseball is made up of several parts, it is held together as one unified whole, making it easier for a person to catch, than throwing random parts all at once to them. The key to the baseball’s receptivity is its unity.
Make the switch from throwing sand to throwing baseballs, and you will see immediate growth in your communication…like, immediate.
Too many gifted communicators throw sand to their audience, where they say a lot of good things, but because they have not done the work to stitch them together in one theme, “the grains of sand,” fall to the ground. Our presentations are for listeners, not readers. When a person reads, they have the luxury of going back a few pages or chapters, to get clarity, or receive, what they may have dropped. The people who come and hear us don’t have that option. Here’s a scary thought: When we fail to present a unifying theme for our messages, the listener will provide their own. I’ll say that again: When we fail to present a unifying theme for our message, the listener will provide their own. It’s the classic hour or so after your talk, and someone asks them what it was about? They are going to provide an answer, the real question is will they provide the one you intended. If you threw a baseball, they will. If you got up and tossed out a bunch of really good, but disconnected ideas, they won’t get what you intended, because you didn’t help them to get what you intended.
Yes, every presentation must have a unifying theme, somewhere in the neighborhood of seven to ten words, which canvasses all of your talk. I find this to be the most agonizing, but rewarding part of my preparation. Here’s some thoughts about a unifying theme, along with an example:
Should be crafted towards the end of the preparation. After you have spent sufficient time researching your topic, now you are ready to put together the unifying theme. Just the other day I was asked by a church to preach on John 4, and Jesus’ conversation with a Samaritan woman at the well. Here was my unifying statement: We do whatever it takes to bring the gospel to all people. Okay, it’s twelve words…sue me, lol.
It’s your filter. Your unifying statement allows you to determine what makes it into your presentation, and what does not. If it does not clearly link into the statement, then it has to go. This will help you throw a baseball and not sand. I don’t care how innovative that idea is, or cool your illustration, unless it clearly connects, save it for another talk.
Should be placed towards the beginning of your presentation. After I’ve made the introduction, and moved to the felt need, I then like to set up and give the unifying statement, even at times, having my audience say the statement with me.
All of your points must connect to your unifying statement. For example, my points for the John 4 talk were: 1. We do whatever it takes to bring the gospel to all people; 2. We do whatever it takes to bring the gospel to all people, even if it makes me uncomfortable; 3. We do whatever it takes to bring the gospel to all people, even if it makes them uncomfortable.
When we put the work into crafting a unifying statement for every talk, we will position the audience to receive the content we will “throw” their way. If you want to instantly sharpen your effectiveness as a next level communicator, learn to throw a baseball and not sand.
If you’d like to receive one-on-one coaching in your journey as a communicator, go here.
What I’m reading:
Next level preachers find their way to Christ.
Next level preachers find their way to Christ.
Note: If you’re looking to grow as a communicator, I’d like to personally help. Click here for more info.
The nineteenth century preacher, Charles Spurgeon, was adamant how every sermon should wind its way to Christ. In talking to a group of young ministers, Spurgeon said: “Don’t you know, young man, that from every town and every village and every hamlet in England, wherever it may be, there is a road to London? So from every text of Scripture there is a road to Christ. And my dear brother, your business is, when you get to a text, to say, now, what is the road to Christ? I have never found a text that had not got a road to Christ in it, and if ever I do find one, I will go over hedge and ditch but I would get at my Master, for the sermon cannot do any good unless there is a savor of Christ in it” (Lectures to My Students, page 49).
Jesus would agree with Spurgeon. In John 5, our Savior said, “You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me” (John 5:39). What a statement, especially when we consider the “Scriptures” Jesus refers to is what we today know as the Old Testament. Yep, everywhere we look in the bible, there’s Jesus. Let me give you a few examples:
I Samuel 16. The story of David and Goliath is not about how God wants to kill the giants in your life. We actually see Christ. Have you ever wondered why both sides agreed to whoever won between David and Goliath, their whole nation would win? This wasn’t just a gentleman’s agreement, or a nice thing to do, but something called, “representative warfare”. David represents the covenant people of God, so his victory becomes theirs. What is Jesus called? The “Son of David”. On the cross he goes to war with Satan and his forces, and whoever places their faith in Jesus receives his victory since Christ is our representative.
Psalm 55. In this psalm, we see David agonizing over the hurt he received when he was betrayed by his close friend Ahithophel. Towards the end of the psalm, David exhorts us to, “Cast our burden upon the Lord”. Jesus, too, was betrayed (interesting, both Judas and Ahithophel would commit suicide), and on the cross, Jesus cast himself on God.
Proverbs. While it may appear Proverbs doesn’t point to Jesus, look closer. In the book, wisdom is personified as a person. To the Corinthians, Paul refers to Christ as, “the wisdom of God”. What’s more, the whole book of Proverbs can be summed up in the word, “listen”. Wise people listen, fools do not. What is the ultimate act of foolishness? To spend your life not listening to God, and rejecting the gospel, while you live your life on your own terms. And what is the wisest thing we can ever do? Submit ourselves to God and receive by grace through faith, the gospel of Christ.
Okay, so how do we as preachers grow in our skills at getting to Christ in every sermon?
Ask yourself THE question. If you got a call that a non-Christ follower had a few days to live, and they were coming to your church for the last time this Sunday, I’m going to guess you would figure out a way to connect whatever you were preaching to Christ. I think we struggle to get to Christ because we lose awareness of lost people.
Personally engage non-believers. I have two men I have been sharing Christ with, and one has taken me up on my invitation to come to church, and the other says they are coming. This has been huge in pushing me to get to Christ in every sermon.
Remember the big four. Every text points to four things- 1. God; 2. God’s people (Israel in the OT, the church in the NT); 3. Me; 4. Christ. We don’t go straight from the text to Christ, because that is lazy and will lead to us allegorizing the text. In my explanation phase of the point, I want to answer the questions, “What does this show me about God? What does this show me about God’s’ people?” Then I will make the point and move into illustration. The “me” part is application, and I will usually hold off on Christ until my conclusion.
What I’m Reading:
God’s Generals, Roberts Liardon.
Next level preachers let their living get in the way of their preaching.
Next level preachers let their living get in the way of their preaching.
Note: I mentioned last week how we are going to spend the next several weeks looking at a specific form of communication, which is preaching. For many of you who are preachers, I hope you will find these insights helpful; and for those of you who are followers of Jesus Christ, but are educators, or in some other profession, you should still be able to apply these principles, as well as seeing them as things to look for and encourage in a pastor. If you are not a person of faith, my hope is these posts will at minimum, stir a curiosity in you about the person of Christ, and the essential role he has in preaching.
Last week, I used a line from the early American pastor, John Shaw. Here’s the fuller quote, as he talks about the connection between living and preaching: “It’s true as one observes, God can work by what means He will; by a scandalous, domineering, self-seeking preacher, but it is not His usual way. Foxes and wolves are not nature’s instrument to generate sheep. Whoever knew much good done to souls by any pastors but such as preached and lived in the power of love, working by a clear, convincing light, and both managed by a holy, lively seriousness. You must bring fire to kindle fire” (The Character of a Pastor according to God’s Heart, John Shaw). Shaw lays his finger on the pulse of the issue. Does God need me to live a holy life to work through my preaching? Of course not. In fact, what has shocked me are the many weeks I have stood before people to open up God’s Word, not praying the way I should, and so swept away by the pace of life, I neglected to abide in Christ. On the other hand, what cannot be denied, is the depth of power I experience, independent of my clear outline, entertaining illustrations and laser focused applications. Homiletics (the science and art of preaching) has its place, but it must be an extension of the preacher's daily walk with Christ. Our living must get in the way of our preaching.
If I were asked by a new Christ follower to simplify the Christian life by reducing everything in the Scriptures to just a handful of verses, I would immediately, without hesitation, point them to John 15:1-8, and say, “If you live out of these eight verses, you got it.” The same is true for preachers. Jesus says, “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. Abid in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples” (John 15:1-8). There it is. That’s the Christian life. I try to husband out of an abiding relationship with Christ, parent, friend and yes, preach. The key word is, abide, which means to linger, to steep, to hang out. All of the Christian life begins and ends with our commitment to daily stay connected with Christ. Abiding in Christ is more important than preaching Christ. When the gift becomes greater than the relationship, sin will overtake us, and our ministries will come to an abrupt end.
I have found that cultivating a daily, abiding relationship with Christ, impacts preaching in the following ways:
Helps me display love in my preaching. One of my consistent prayers is that people would see two things when I preach: He loves God, and he loves people. When Jesus was asked what was the greatest commandment, he gave a two part answer, “Love God…love your neighbor”. All of the law, Jesus said, can be reduced to those two things. Notice, in John 15, Jesus connects abiding in Christ with fruitfulness. In Galatians 5, Paul begins his list of the “fruit of the Spirit,” with love. Just to be clear, love doesn’t mean I don’t tell people what they don’t want to hear- that’s more tolerance which is such a low ethic. Love is a sacrificial commitment which seeks the best in others, and to love people means there are times I say things to them they don’t like, but even in these moments, I say them in a kind, gracious way. Too many preachers lack love for God and people in the pulpit. Passion is needed, along with raising your voice where appropriate, but never is there a place to belittle, chide or be mean to your audience.
Shifts the focus from me, to Christ. The emphasis in John 15:1-8, is not on gifts, but on an abiding relationship with Christ, where he is our focal point, not the people I’m speaking to. Yes, we must be mindful of our audience, and do everything we can to employ principles to connect the ancient text of Scripture to their modern reality. But what abiding in Christ does is it keeps things in their place, where people are small, and Christ is big.
Keeps me from becoming a professional. When preaching is separated from living, we’ve become professionals. What we need is ethos. Ethos is how we live, and Aristotle said that ethos is the most powerful component of persuasion (confirmed by many studies since). The old preachers used to say, “Preaching will find you out.” That is very true, and what they meant by this is the Word of God we proclaim will reveal gaps in our lives. This is unavoidable, because all preaching is hypocrisy. The bible is a perfect standard, delivered by we, “jars of clay,” imperfect people. The problem isn’t the flaws revealed, but in our failure to respond, allowing the Word to do its own sanctifying work in our lives. Preaching backs the preacher into a corner, asking, “Now what will you do with this truth you are proclaiming?” If people and their affirmation and your reputation are foremost, you will become cozy with pockets of sin, excusing them away. But if Christ is your aim, where you cultivate an abiding relationship with God, preaching will become a means of grace, growing you in ethos and maturity in Christ.
What I am reading:
Black Like Me, John Howard Griffin (re-read)
Next level preachers let the lion loose.
Next level preachers let the lion loose.
Note: For the next several weeks I am going to talk about a specific kind of communication called preaching. I’m well aware there are many of you who subscribe to this email who are not preachers, and may not even be followers of Jesus. While you’ll still be able to glean some communication principles, these lessons should also help you know what to expect from a church.
Legendary football coach, Vince Lombardi (whom the Superbowl trophy is named after), would always begin each season the same way. He would gather his team, take a football and while showing it to his team would say, “Gentlemen, this is a football.” He would go on to say no matter how great their schemes may be, or how dominant their players, or how brilliant the coaching staff, none of that meant anything if they did not take care of the football. The best players, coaches and plans come to nothing if they do not take care of the football.
The same is true for preachers and our bibles. Just like a running back or wide receiver must secure the football by holding it tightly, the first, second and last job of proclaimers of God’s Word is to grip the scriptures, because that’s where the power lies. It’s the bible, not our outline, stories or insights, that is, “living and active” (Hebrews 4:12). It’s the bible, and not books about the bible, that is God breathed (2 Timothy 3:16). Charles Spurgeon was an English pastor in the nineteenth century, who said, “The Word of God is like a lion. You don’t have to defend a lion. All you have to do is let the lion loose, and the lion will defend itself.”
I’m seeing a disturbing trend among so many preachers today- they have wandered away from centering God’s Word. A disproportionate amount of the “sermon,” is spent on application, which centers people, or on illustrations. To be frank, it feels as if preachers are following the winds of culture where many use the half hour or so sounding more like therapists, than preachers. The felt needs of people have replaced the real need of the gospel. Everyone is broken, and what is needed is not a pep talk, or a therapy session, but to be shown how the living, active, God-breathed scriptures speak to my brokenness and point me to the only one who can fix it, which is Jesus. When the preacher centers the audience or themselves, thus replacing God, they may grow in popularity, and even in numbers, but will lose power. The question every preacher must answer, every day, is do we want to be famous or faithful?
So how do we let the lion of the scriptures loose? That’s an easy answer- through the exposition of the text. All this means is we explain what the passage means. Bryan Chapell defines expository sermons as those where the meaning of the passage becomes the message of the sermon (See Nehemiah 8:5-8; Luke 24:27, 32). Expository preaching is:
NOT an information dump. Sadly, this has been the knock on this kind of preaching, where many preachers want to display their degrees, and not God’s glory. A part of what it means to explain the meaning of the text, is we do it in a way where the audience can grab a hold of it and apply it to their lives. Remember, Paul tells Timothy, “All Scripture is…profitable.” if your congregation doesn’t know what to do with what you just said, then you didn’t exposit the text.
NOT boring. A boring preacher should have their ordination revoked. Okay, I’ve overstated a touch. Was Jesus boring? Not at all. He used analogies and illustrations and stories to explain deep truths of the kingdom in ways which made sense to his audience. A text may appear lifeless, but it’s not. Remember, “All Scripture is God-breathed,” which means there’s life in it, and our job is to display the life of a text.
NOT easy. Preaching which centers the audience or the preacher is lazy preaching. I don’t need to take a deep dive into the text, and sweat in my study to pull this kind of “preaching” off. All I need to do is scroll through Instagram, or watch a few television shows, and I’ve got it. But here’s what we know- life’s most worthwhile things are never easy.
Why don’t we end by grabbing our bibles, like Coach Lombardi grabbed the football, and renew your promise as a preacher to hold the text tightly, and let the lion loose.
Next level communicators speak as if they actually believe it to be true.
Next level communicators speak as if they actually believe it to be true.
Nothing turns me off more than a speaker who kind of, sort of, maybe believes what they are saying is true. You know the type, right? The let me give you something to think about kind of communicators. These dear souls would make awesome parents of young adult children, where the name of the game is, “giving them something to think about,” instead of passionate appeals as to why the decision they are about to make is harmful. But when you have the microphone and an audience, you don’t want to give people suggestions, you want to talk with a sense of urgency, as if you believe with all of your soul that what you are saying is true.
Scholar, Bryan Chapell, argues what’s missing in too many of our communicators is this sense of authority, and I wholeheartedly agree (Christ Centered Preaching). We’ve traded authority for talks and conversations. More and more it feels as if the person on stage is seated in a comfortable chair helping a couple understand each other, instead of a passionate communicator drawing from a deep well of authority. This is a real problem.
When Jesus finished his sermon on the mount, Matthew observed how the crowds who just listened to him, “...were astonished at his teaching, for he was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes” (Matthew 7:28-29). Notice, what set Jesus apart from the scribes as a communicator was authority.
When I use the term, “authority,” I’m not thinking about a person’s position, or someone raising their voice, and I’m certainly not thinking of a speaker who is mean and talks to the people as if they are kids. The image that comes to mind when I think of authority is when a referee has to make some sort of a call. Ever heard a referee sort of, kind of, blow their whistle? Have you seen a referee remove their yellow flag, look at it for a few moments and let it gently fall to the ground? Ever watched a basketball game, and see confusion over whether or not the referee called a technical for some egregious act? In all my years watching sports, I’ve never seen any of this. When it’s time for the officials to assert themselves, there’s no, “let me give you something to think about,” in their approach. They act with authority. What’s more, they have several thousand reasons not to- the upset fans who will not receive their act of authority well. But their obligation is not to the fans, but to a book which governs the game.
The number one trait of speakers who inspire and persuade, of communicators who truly move people, is authority. There’s just this thing about them where they can make you feel what they feel. Want to begin to make serious strides as a communicator? Learn to speak with authority. So how do we grow in this area? I’ve found the following helpful:
If you don’t believe it, don’t speak about it. That’s simple, right? Remember, at the heart of authority is a person who fully embraces what they are talking about. So yes, sometimes this will mean turning down a speaking engagement. I’ve done that plenty of times because what I was asked to talk about just didn’t move me. But there are other times when you may not initially feel the subject matter, but immersing yourself in the topic can lead you to be convinced that it really is true. But whatever you do, don’t agree to something because it pays well, or will look good on your resume. Say, “yes,” because you feel it.
Internalize your message. I can’t make my audience feel what I want them to feel, if I haven’t done the work to internalize my message, moving the content from my head to my bones and heart. For many young communicators, the issue is not whether or not they feel what they are talking about, but they are too stuck in their head trying to remember what comes next, and this distorts their ability to make the audience feel what they are saying.
Pick and practice your moments. You don’t want to step on the gas and make the whole message feel authoritative, that can fatigue your audience. Pick your moments, and then practice what you want to say in those moments. You may want to use phrases like, “I really need you to hear what I am about to say,” or, “If you’re taking notes, you may want to catch this,” or, “I believe this with all of my heart.”
Express authority in ways which are consistent with who you are. This is really important. If you are naturally animated, then be that when it comes to conveying authority. If you are more subdued, then be that way (A little cheat code for those who fall in this subdued category, pauses work well, right before you have your authoritative moment). If you are genuinely emotional at times, then don’t turn that off. I think you get the idea. For help, listen to communicators with your similar presentation style for how they express authority.
If you are interested in learning how to help your organization or church become more multi-ethnic, meet me and some great leaders in Orlando, May 11-12, for our Kainos event. Go here to find out more.
What I’m Reading:
Next level communicators can’t get enough of good content.
Next level communicators can’t get enough of good content.
I picked up pretty quickly that my favorite communicators had an obsession with books; they just couldn’t stop reading. So I decided to follow suit, not really knowing how formative this habit would be. The renowned Irish poet and playwright, Oscar Wilde said, “It is what you read when you don't have to that determines what you will be when you can't help it.” Reading shapes us in ways we will never fully grasp. I’ve never encountered a communicator who enriched and inspired me, who did not commit to consuming vast amounts of content.
It’s in this spirit that I not only try to share with you every week what I am reading, but several times a year I give you my top ten favorite books I’ve read. Here’s my list of books which have stirred me so far in 2026:
10: Truly, An Inspirational Journey through the Life of a Musical Legend, by Lionel Richie.
9. No Greater Love: A Biblical Vision for Friendship, Rebecca McLaughlin.
8. Hope in Times of Fear: The Resurrection and the Meaning of Easter.
7. Pappyland, Wright Thompson.
4. Washington: A Life, Ron Chernow.
3. The Gales of November: The Untold Story of the Edmund Fitzgerald, John U. Bacon.
2. Holier than Thou, Jackie Hill Perry.
If you are interested in learning more about how your church or organization can grow in Christ-exalting ethnic unity, join me and some of the best practitioners and leaders in Orlando, Florida, for our Kainos Multiethnic Conference, May 11-12. It’s a free event, and to find out more, go here.