How to . . . ?

Visual Variations – Part 2

/ Peter Mead / Leave a comment

In thinking about the 3 V’s of delivery, we have looked at the voice (vocal) and are in the midst of the visual (non-verbals).  Yesterday we considered the supreme issue of eye-contact (watch a video of yourself if you don’t believe me when I say you probably don’t look at your congregation as much as you think you do!)  We also got into the whole field of gestures.  A couple more non-verbal issues to consider:

Visual delivery issue – facial expression. Basically this needs to vary (rather than get stuck in a perma-grin, or perma-frown).  And it needs to be consistent with what you’re saying.  Joy should show on your face.  So should sorrow or genuine concern or fear or hope or amazement, etc.  Don’t try to become a facial performer, just work to overcome the effect of nerves so the real you can show through (nerves, or unnatural situations -like speaking to a crowd – tend to stultify our expressional freedom).

Visual delivery issue – posture. The goal here is to have a natural, comfortable and confident stance.  If you are able to move, do so confidently and naturally.  Slumped posture, or nervous jolting steps, or hesitant movement, can all undermine your words.  If you are confident in the truth of what you say, you won’t slouch when you say it.

Visual delivery issue – dress. Not a major issue, unless you make it one.  It only makes sense to be well-groomed and appropriately dressed.  Unless it is part of an overarching plan to shift and re-shape the culture of your church, don’t make how you dress an issue.  If you are an infrequent or visiting speaker, never make how you dress an issue.  Dress appropriately for the setting.  Don’t over dress.  Don’t under-dress (in either way you could take that!)  Perhaps a notch or two above the average standard present is appropriate.

Visual delivery issue – proxemics.  This is a big field in its own right, but basically it relates to the issue of space and where the speaker is in relation to the listeners.  Here are a couple of brief posts to look at on this issue –Delivery More Than Words and Proxemic Considerations.

Visual delivery issues need to work together with vocal to support and reinforce the verbal.  If they don’t, they will certainly undermine the verbal.

Visual Variations

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Yesterday we gave some thought to the vocal variations needed for effective delivery.  Today let’s remind ourselves of some aspects of visual delivery – the non-verbals that are so powerful.  The key here is for the visual (non-verbals) and the vocal to work together with the verbal (words) to make the communication consistent and impactful.  Words must reign supreme in the thoughts of the preacher, but words can be undermined by inconsistent visual presentation, or poor tone of voice.

Visual delivery issue – eye-contact. This is absolutely and definitely number one on the list.  Eye contact is so powerful.  Without it there is no trust.  With too much there is perceived intimidation or inappropriate intimacy.  We need to make sure we’re making genuine eye-contact with the people we speak to … perhaps 3-5 seconds at a time, then on to someone else.  Beware of “blind spots” (mine is the people in the center of a spread out group, yours?)   Beware of having your head in your notes all the time (and it is probably much, much more time than you think!)  Beware of looking over everyone to the clock on one side and a fascinating emergency exit sign over the door on the other side.

Visual delivery issue – gesture. To put it simply, gesture needs to be consistent with words, increased in size for larger audiences and not repetitively monotonous.  It takes practice to point to the right when you say left, or when referring to the past, because this is backwards to you the speaker.  It feels unnatural to make gestures bigger when in front of a large crowd, but it looks weird to them if you don’t.  And be careful of any repetitive habits . . . anything can be annoying or distracting once it’s repeated a few times – the finger point, the spider on a mirror, the hand in pocket, the werewolf, the T-Rex, the glass ceiling around the waist, the fig-leaf, the fig-leaf flasher, the Clinton, the face scratch, the arm twitch, the weight shifting, the rock’n’roll four-step, etc. (thanks to Bert Decker, Hershael York and others for the labels picked up over the years!)  Any of these are fine, once or twice, but repetitively can become highly distracting.  If you don’t know what you do a lot, ask someone!

I’ll finish this list tomorrow . . .

Vocal Variations

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Delivery of a message is a complex issue.  While this shouldn’t create tensions in us that distract from working hard on content (Bible study, pastoral awareness, prayer, message shaping, etc.), we do need to give some thought to how we deliver a sermon.  Delivery consists of three elements – the verbal (words used), the visual (body language) and the vocal (use of the voice).  Let’s just review some basics for three days . . . not new information, but perhaps a timely reminder to work on one or two details of delivery…

Vocal variation through pitch. We each have an upper limit and a lower limit to the range of notes we can hit with our voice.  Some of us (well, me), can’t “hit” any note in particular, but we all have a range of possibilities!  By default we will usually fall into a limited range of pitch.  It takes effort to break out of that range and add variation to the voice.  Naturally, when excited, our pitch will rise.  It takes effort to learn to sometimes drop the pitch for the sake of emphasis.  This is worth doing to avoid screeching your way through an exciting sermon like a shrill dog whistle!

Vocal variation through pace. All of us can speak faster and slower.  Most listeners can cope with both faster and slower (as long as volume is appropriate).  However, listeners will struggle with monotonous pace.  It’s hard to listen to a 100mph preacher.  It’s hard to listen to a 1mph preacher.  Be sure to vary the pace . . . which takes effort to learn.  Just like with pitch, we have a default when excited – we go faster.  Problem is, with an exciting Bible message we can end up sprinting for half an hour and leaving everyone breathlessly in our wake.  Emphasis can be achieved by slowing the pace at the key moment, but it takes effort to learn this.

Vocal variation through power / punch. You can speak louder and softer.  We tend to fall into a certain level, it takes effort to add variation.  Again, for emphasis we naturally go louder.  But going softer can really be effective too, with some practice.  Here’s a post that addresses this specific issue –When Less is More.

Vocal variation through pause. Basic truths – speakers feel that any pause is really, really long, and they think that listeners think they’ve forgotten what they’ll say next.  In reality a pause is never perceived to be as long as it feels to the speaker.  In reality if you don’t look nervous, they won’t feel nervous.  Pauses really help.  They add emphasis.  They allow seconds for soaking in a truth.  They allow people (including you) to breathe.  So don’t undermine every possible pause with a verbal filler, you know, umm, like, just really, you know, like, that.

Have You Ever Watched A Movie Twice?

/ Peter Mead / 2 Comments

Most people have.  Let me share the three reasons people gave at the seminar last weekend for having done this, then I’ll make my point clear:

1. It’s like children wanting the same story told over and over – it gives a sense of security.

2. You catch details you didn’t see first time through.

3. You still enjoy the satisfying bits.

All very true.  My point?  When your preaching text is a familiar narrative, it may be tempting to just talk about it rather than to tell the story again . . . don’t.  Tell the story!

1. If you tell the story well, all of these three things apply.  It’s not just children that appreciate security. In a changing and often worrying world, it is very reassuring at a deep level to be reminded of the unchanging truths of God’s Word – God is still on the throne, Joseph’s story still works out God’s greater plan, Daniel still honors God in the persecution, Jesus still tells Jairus not to fear, and ultimately, the story of the gospel is still true.

2. People do notice things when a story is well told that they may have never noticed before – “I never realised she understood Jesus that way!”  or “I never picked up his gentleness of tone with her before” or whatever.  Just because people have heard a story numerous times, it doesn’t mean they have really understood it.  (How many times has Jonah been told and the point been missed?)

3. It is very satisfying to again experience the resolution of tension in a narrative, even if you know how the story ends.  If this is true with a movie, how much more with true narratives of the Bible?  It’s satisfying to hear Nebuchadnezzar’s statement about God after the grass eating incident.  It’s satisfying to see the ram caught in the bush after having your heart pounding as the knife is raised over Isaac.  It’s satisfying to see everyone safely on shore after the incredible adventure of Paul’s shipwreck.

Narratives create security, they intrigue with new insights, they satisfy with tensions resolved.  Narratives tap into the human ability to identify with others.  Narratives stir the emotions.  Narratives drop the guard of the listener so that truth can hit home.  Narratives are powerful.  That’s why God inspired so many of them.  When you preach a narrative . . . be sure to tell the story well!

Why Why Matters

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The question “why?” is critical for good preaching.

Why did the author write the passage? Wrestling with the intent of the author is critical if the goal is to understand the passage.  This means not only asking “what does the passage say?” – that is, content.  But also asking “why did the author write it?” – that is, intent.  Many people don’t consider the author at all, which is a big mistake.  Others consider the content carefully, but fail to ask “why?” This results in incomplete exegesis of the passage, which dooms the message to inherent weakness.

Why are you preaching this message? If this question is not asked, then we may fall into the trap of merely fulfilling routine, filling time, or even “doing our job.”  But really, it is important to ask why you are preaching the message.  This implies another “why?” question.  Why do these people need to hear this passage?  Prayerfully considering the needs of the listeners in light of the message of the passage will drive the preacher toward clarity in message purpose.  If my goal is to fill time, I am surely a master of that (who among us is not highly skilled in the rhetorical art of waffling?)  However, if my goal is driven by the text and the spiritual needs of those who will listen, then this will drive me to my knees in prayer and dependence on God.  The “why?” question matters because it forces clarity in purpose and reliance on God.

Why is that there? Not only does “why?” help in the big macro issues of understanding the text and determining the message purpose, it is also helpful in the micro issues of message detail.  Why is that illustration there?  Why use that quote?  Why am I planning to mention that historical detail?  Why does that exegetical note need to be stated?  Why do I take so long explaining that verse?  Why am I not explaining this term?  Every detail in the message should pass through the x-ray machine of the “why?” question.  Extraneous detail, whether in explanation or illustration, is not neutral, it is harmful.  Unnecessary stuffing, pieces without purpose, undermines the bigger “why?” of message purpose.

I’m not sure if it is possible to ask “why?” too many times in sermon preparation. “Why?” matters!

Non-Sermon Specific Feedback

/ Peter Mead / 4 Comments

It is healthy and helpful to get feedback on your preaching.  Sometimes you might pursue this by asking several people to fill out an evaluation of a sermon preached.  Perhaps you ask for specific feedback on handling of the text, or aspects of delivery that you are working on, etc.  Another approach is to form a group for feedback and have someone lead the group as they discuss the message and the preaching together.  Other times it is very effective to watch yourself on video (and see the things people don’t want to mention to you).  But here’s another approach to add to the feedback quiver.

It may be helpful to ask a handful of people for their reflections on your preaching in general.  Perhaps do this after not preaching for a week or two (if you never get a Sunday off, pray about whether that is healthy for you or the church).  Ask people to give their general impression of your preaching.  You could ask specific questions in respect to handling the text, communicating clearly, relevance of the messages, etc. Or you could simply ask for a one or two sentence description of your preaching ministry, along with your top two or three strengths and two or three areas to focus on for improvement.  It might be interesting to see what people say – especially if there is overlap between the comments made.

Sometimes we get feedback on a specific sermon and “preach out of our skin” on that Sunday.  Now and then it might prove helpful to get a more general impression from some listeners.

Excitement Is Both Taught and Caught

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There are many exciting parts of the Bible.  Last night I was leading a seminar and we thought briefly about the story of Acts.  That’s exciting.  The problem we have, though, is decades of familiarity combined with a stoic tendency in traditional church settings.  Many of us have heard the stories since childhood, and sadly, many times we’ve heard the stories recounted and dissected without any enthusiasm.  Now the goal of preaching is not to whip up excitement as if that were an end in itself.  However, to faithfully preach exciting elements of the Bible requires us to think about how the tone and import of the passage can be communicated (as well as the truth therein).

Excitement needs to be “taught” – it is not enough to simply ooze enthusiasm and keep telling people “this is really exciting!”  It doesn’t work.  They need to understand it for themselves.  They will appreciate enthusiasm from the front, it might make a refreshing change, however, without understanding it they cannot genuinely enter into it.

Excitement needs to be “felt” – simply understanding the facts about the text is not enough.  Our goal as preachers is not just to say what the text says, but to appropriately do what the text does.  This means with a narrative, for instance, listeners need to not just know the story, but they need to be helped to see, hear, smell, taste, touch . . . feel the story.

Excitement needs to be “caught” – while enthusiasm alone can be quite annoying, it is necessary.  As people are helped to both feel and understand the emotion present in a text, we as preachers need to enter into that emotion in an appropriate but contagious way.  If the passage is filled with joyful excitement, but we seem depressed and bored, something is wrong.  If the passage is filled with awe and wonder, yet we are communicating as if it is “oh so normal” – we have a problem.

It’s all about congruence really.  The accuracy of our words, the effectiveness of our description, the evidence of our emotion – these all need to work together if the excitement, or wonder, or compassion, or righteous indignation, or joy of the text is to be effectively communicated.

Reflect, Record, Relax, Renew

/ Peter Mead / 2 Comments

Monday morning.  For preachers it’s the day after Sunday (I suppose that’s true for others too?)  Whether you are privileged to be in a paid ministry position, or privileged to have “normal” employment, Monday is an important time for a preacher.  My suggestion:

Reflect – Take a few minutes at some point to prayerfully reflect on yesterday’s preaching.  Whether you were the preacher, or a listener, or both (ie. two services), it is good to reflect on yesterday’s preaching.  My mind goes back to the three questions I’ve heard and used so many times in training sessions – (1) What did the preacher do well?  (2) What was the preacher’s main idea?  And finally (3), what one thing would you suggest the preacher could do to improve that message?

Record – How many helpful insights have been lost over the years like small toy cars under furniture?  It’s easy to relish them, then fail to hang on to them and they are gone.  I need to make a note of how well Josh did that first-person as Jude writing, um, Jude, sitting at the desk to write with the words appearing on the screen via simple but effective powerpoint, then standing to explain his thinking before sitting to write some more.  I need to make a note of how I failed to overtly link my message to the particular situation of that local church, but only spoke in broader terms of “the church” when “this church” would have hit home more directly.  I need to record those thoughts somewhere . . .

Relax – Unless you’re very diligent about Monday being a day off, this may not seem possible.  But in one sense, it is.  For those of us not in other employment, Monday can be a day to genuinely relax, or at least to deal with other matters – administrative, email, desk clearing kind of work.  For those who go from the frantic nature of Sunday to the hectic nature of Monday in the office (or on the site, etc.), it is still worth taking a mental break from the pressure of sermon preparation.  Don’t immediately get the adrenaline flowing by wrestling with the big idea of your next message.  Mentally, emotionally, even physically, we need to release that pressure and relax, even if only for a day.

Renew – Before diving back into sermon preparation, make it a goal to consciously renew spiritually.  Look to the Lord, dwell in His love, abide in Him, wait on Him, walk in step with the Spirit, etc.  Make it so the next sermon prep is not about getting things going spiritually again (that’s a sign of real spiritual peril), but rather make the next sermon prep an overflow of a close spiritual walk that births a fire in your spirit.

Mondays matter.  Have a good one.

Intersecting “Life Experiences” – 3

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Just a few practical thoughts on the issue of finding and using “illustrations” in preaching:

Bring Description to Life, Not Just Application –Listeners will tell you that you have great illustrations in your preaching, even if you technically have none.  If you are effective in your description of the narrative, the life situation of the author, the image conveyed in the poetry, etc., then listeners will often feel as though you used what they might call an “illustration.”  For more on this, click here.

Don’t Always Aim for the Ultimate Knockout Illustration – Sometimes we get intimidated by a message we hear, or by the pressure we put on ourselves, and we set the “illustrative bar” too high.  You know what I mean, the one that is deeply personal, moving, compelling, tension-filled, intersecting with every point of the message, etc.  Now and then you may have a humdinger of an illustration when you preach.  It’s nice when you get them, but often it will be the passing comments or observations that demonstrate you are a real person rather than a poor history lecturer.   Often the “choosing the wrong line in the supermarket” illustration is more effective than the “my death-defying fall from a cliff in a car” illustration (which will almost certainly overwhelm the text and the main idea of the message – warning!)  People live normal lives in a normal world with normal issues, so don’t feel like every illustration needs to be supra-normal or extraordinary.  Normal is usually ideal!

Describe Application Encouragingly – Don’t waste energy hunting down an obscure, witty, intriguing interchange from Elizabethan parliamentary discourse.  Much better to focus your energy on describing what it will look like to apply what you are preaching.  How might someone react in the days ahead in light of this passage?  What will faith look like when worst fears are confirmed, or when unexpected crises hits?  What does living in the light of that truth about God mean for normal life?  Describe listeners applying the truth, the instruction, the change of attitude, the deeper intimacy with God, etc., describe them applying it and encourage them with that “illustration.”

One last one, unless you’d like to add other ideas:

Create a Filing System, and Use It – Basic, but most of us don’t do this and should.  Make good notes of potential illustrative material, observations, quotes, comments, incidents, clippings, etc.  Then file them.  Perhaps in a searchable Word document with key words next to each entry.  Then use the file.  Something from life experience this week will probably not fit with the message for this Sunday . . . but in three weeks time, it may be perfect.  Now where was that quote again?

Intersecting “Life Experiences”

/ Peter Mead / 3 Comments

Thanks to Sarah for commenting on the post about Illustration Saturation.  As I mentioned in the post, many of us struggle with finding and using “illustration” material.  Sarah asked how to improve at intersecting life experiences with the text.  Here are a few random thoughts to get us going.  Certainly this is no developed strategy, but it is a start:

Read Bible With Sensitivity to Humanity – When studying the Bible, it is right to be theocentric in our reading because the text itself is theocentric.  God is the main character of the Bible and should be the central focus of our preaching.  However, some preachers preach as if humans are irrelevant to the Biblical story and all we need to preach is God / Christ.  The reality is that the Bible is all about God as He interacts and engages with humanity.  Consequently, as we read any passage, we will also catch continual glimpses of human reality.  Bryan Chappell refers to the Fallen Condition Focus.  Are the characters doubting or trusting, in what, why?  Are they loving or hating, who, why?  What is the effect of the Fall in these people, what is God’s provision, what is their response?  These kinds of questions help us to look at people in the text and see that they are people like us.  Once we see them as real people rather than flannel-graph characters, then it is easier to highlight intersection between the characters in the text and our own life experiences.

Read Life with Biblical Sensitivity – As a preacher you are not always reading the Bible.  Once in a while you do other things too.  Whether it is watching the news or entertainment, people watching at work or in the store, enjoying the joys of parenting or whatever . . . try to read life with a sensitivity to what the Bible teaches.  Why are they acting this way?  What is this attitude called biblically?  What character in the Bible does this person remind me of?  We need to read the Bible as it is, real and living revelation of reality.  We need to observe life around us as it is, a living out of the Biblically described reality.

More thoughts tomorrow.  Feel free to comment, this issue could be addressed from many angles.