The past few days I've been in a seminar with Willie Jolley, one of the top motivational speakers in the country and a recent inductee into the Speaker's Hall of Fame, who shared the business side of motivational speaking with a few of us. It was a great experience and provided me with the kind of information I need as I begin this new part of God's journey for me. However, after I asked Willie the following question, "What would you say is the number one mistake that new speakers make as they begin their professional speaking careers?", it dawned on me that if someone asked me that question about preachers, I would know exactly how to answer that question. Why? Because I watch and listen to preachers, speakers and communicators all of the time. And the vast majority of preachers/speakers, even those with large churches, often make this same mistake—all of the time!
So what is the number one mistake that most preachers and communicators make? They don't hook their congregation/audience. Now, don't rush past that comment. I just said something incredibly profound that could change the impact of your preaching/communicating forever (and all of the changed lives that go with it)! In other words, most preachers/communicators tend to assume that people want to listen to them. So they just dig in to their (catch the pronoun) material. Bad decision. The focus is all wrong. The assumption is, I have a message to give and you need to listen to it.
However, as ministers, we have a responsibility to communicate to people. So, the starting point (apart from God and his Word/Truth) is the person with whom we're communicating. In other words, we need to figure out, how does this truth connect with this person and how can I convince them that they need to listen to this so that their life can be changed and get into greater conformity with the way that God wants them to do, be, think or feel. Assuming that people want to listen is usually a bad assumption. Why? Because everyone, including you and me, listens to one radio station, WIIFM (What's in it for me?) Everyone. Not convinced yet? Then listen to these two different introductions to Ezek. 37.
Typical preacher intro.
"Good morning. I'd like all of you to open your bibles and turn to the book of Exekiel, chapter 37, this morning and let's begin reading in verse one......."
Person centered intro
"How many of you have been feeling kind of dry spiritually lately? Maybe you've been having a hard time connecting with God or you're dealing with some things in your life and you're emotionally spent. Or maybe you feeling like you've just been going through the motions. You're coming to church, attending you small group, having your devotions, but you still feel powerless inside? In other words, you're at a place where God feels distant. Well, if you've been feeling like that lately, God has some good news for you today. You do not need to remain there. And if you'll turn with me to the book of Ezekiel, chapter 37, in your Bibles, I think you'll find the answer to what you've been struggling with."
Now, which preacher would you prefer to listen to? It's not even close. Yet, day after day and week after week, I listen (as do millions of Americans) to messages where the preacher/speaker/communicator misses this simple principle. Sometimes I just want to create a "Did you hook them?" sign and send it to every preacher in America. And it'd not just about one hook, it's about hooking every single audience every single week in every single message. Now, how do you go about hooking an audience? Well that will be tomorrow's post (Did you just get hooked?). But, in the meantime, why don't ask yourself these two simple questions, "In my last message, what was my hook?" And secondly "How do I know if I hooked them?" If you'll start asking those questions of every message, you'll be astounded at how much better people listen to you and then are changed by your message!
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