Leadership

Seven Reminders For Effective Communication—Part One

May 15, 2007

People often ask us here at NewSpring Church about some things we do in our quest to communicate God’s Word with passion and creativity…here are some things that work for us…hope this helps.

#1 - Get a word from “The Word.”

I cannot stress to communicators enough how important that personal time with Jesus is. However, all too often we get so busy preparing the message that we don’t allow God to prepare the messenger.

The most important thing for me personally every single day is my personal time with God—I cannot do without it…AND, because of that I feel like I am able to fulfill my role as a husband, father, speaker and leader more effectively.

Keep in mind that when I read the Bible that I am not doing so for sermon preparation…I am doing so because I am desperate to hear what Jesus is saying to me. However, often times the Lord will give me message ideas…and those are usually the most powerful talks because they come out of the overflow of what God is doing in my life.

#2 - Listen to other speakers

Pastors often ask me, “Do you listen to other speakers?” YES!

Then they always ask, “Do you ever use something that another speaker says?” YES!

I used to not do this. I used to think that I had to be original in all of my thoughts and ideas…and then the Lord showed me that there was a word to describe that attitude—PRIDE!

SO…I listen to a lot of other speakers…Andy Stanley, Rob Bell, Mark Driscoll, Brian Houston, Bill Hybles, Ed Young, TD Jakes…and a few others. I listen to people who I love…and with people who I might not agree with everything they say…but they challenge me AND I learn from them. (God help the pastor who only listens to people who believe just like him!!!)

NOW…I do not agree with taking another persons message and preaching it word for word. However, I have taken large portions of messages from other people and added to it OR subtracted from it and then communicated it. This is called personalization and I have no problem doing it.

(For those who e-mail in and ask can they use a message that we have done here…the answer is YES…take anything we’ve done…use it…go for it. It’s not “our original idea” anyway…it was God’s idea!!! He GAVE it to us…and we will GIVE it to anyone else who wants to use it.)

#3 - Study

I once heard a seminary professor say that for every minute you plan on speaking that you need an hour of study time. It didn’t take me long to understand that there was a reason he was teaching about preaching…but wasn’t actually doing it!!! He was full of…theories minus any application.

However, I was also bothered by a pastor who once told me that he just got up and opened his Bible…and wherever he landed is where he preached! When I challenged him on it he told me that this was the ultimate act of faith because he was trusting in the Holy Spirit…and I told him I felt it was the ultimate act of laziness because he didn’t love the people he was leading enough to actually plan.

Some people can study longer than others. Since I have A-D-D I like to study in the mornings. It is hard to say how much time we spend developing a message…but, I would say that a minimum of five hours goes into nearly every message I deliver…and that is my part…that does not include any creative elements that we add to it.

#4 - Keep the message simple

I have learned that if you give people an incredible history lesson…but they have no point of application…well—that simply makes the Bible seem irrelevant to their lives, thus giving them a reason to push away from God and His church.

I once heard Andy Stanley say that he goes through the following four questions when preparing…

  • What do I want them to know?
  • Why do I want them to know it?
  • What do I want them to do?
  • Why do I want them to do it?

I have a goal every weekend that I speak at NewSpring…I want someone to learn something they did not know…or be reminded of something that they had forgotten.

To me the Gospel isn’t that complicated…but in an effort to be “deep” there are Christians out there who perform hermeneutical gymnastics that confuse people and break God’s heart. As I have said before, those who claim to be “deep” are USUALLY calling for a ton of information but no point of application…because if application is called for then they will have to get out of there three hour long Bible study that is trying to determine the eternal destination of Judas and actually walk next door and invite their neighbor to church—THAT would take ACTION!!!

It’s simple—keep the message simple. A GREAT test for this is to ask yourself, “Do I understand this?” Because if you don’t understand it…and then you get up and try to explain it…you are going to have a room full of frustrated “watch watchers” who are begging God for the rapture OR for you to pass out! :-)

More Thursday…