Speaking
Posted by Colston | | Posted On Tuesday, March 3, 2009
I just read a great blog from Andy Stanley about speak. I will summarize it and put my thoughts mixed in with it.
How often is that when we get up to speak that we think that audience isn't paying any attention? If they are not who's fault is it? Is it the audience fault for not being engaged? Is it the speakers fault for not getting them and keeping them engaged?
We always say that people have short attention spans so we only need to speak for 20 min. Really? I wonder how long Jesus spoke to the people in the Synagogues? I bet it was longer than 20 min, why? Because they were intrigued with what he was saying. Look through the Gospels and see how many times Jesus spoke and the people were in awe and amazed at what he said. The thing is Jesus captivated his audience and he could have spoke for hours and people would have listened. We sit in front of our TV and watch shows and people like comedians that talk for an hour and we wouldn't dare change the channel or leave the room. Why is that? The shows are garbage, they have no value, yet we wouldn't dare leave unless we had to pee.
Andy Stanley says that in our messages the reason people aren't engaged in the message is because we have given them anything that interest them. It isn't practical to them. HE says that you have to find where they are and take them on a journey to where you want them to go. He says you do this by asking questions, that everyone would want to know the answer to. Ex. Is there a God? What is God like? What is heaven like? How do I get to heaven?
By asking questions that majority of people want to know answers to engages people right off the bat. You ask them questions and explain why those questions need to be answered and then open of the Bible and give them Biblical answers. Then give them a glimpse of what it would be like without the correct answers.
One way to learn it to teach people all the right answers but this leaves open a lot of questions.
Another way to learn is to teach them all the wrong answers and why.
I want to teach my students the power they have in their words. I have need to present to them a question that everyone wants to answered. I need to find out where they are. Asking questions or giving scenarios that they can related to and then moving them from where they are to where God wants them to be is the goal of the series.
Easier said than done but its a great reminder because we get caught up in our 3 points and a story.
How often is that when we get up to speak that we think that audience isn't paying any attention? If they are not who's fault is it? Is it the audience fault for not being engaged? Is it the speakers fault for not getting them and keeping them engaged?
We always say that people have short attention spans so we only need to speak for 20 min. Really? I wonder how long Jesus spoke to the people in the Synagogues? I bet it was longer than 20 min, why? Because they were intrigued with what he was saying. Look through the Gospels and see how many times Jesus spoke and the people were in awe and amazed at what he said. The thing is Jesus captivated his audience and he could have spoke for hours and people would have listened. We sit in front of our TV and watch shows and people like comedians that talk for an hour and we wouldn't dare change the channel or leave the room. Why is that? The shows are garbage, they have no value, yet we wouldn't dare leave unless we had to pee.
Andy Stanley says that in our messages the reason people aren't engaged in the message is because we have given them anything that interest them. It isn't practical to them. HE says that you have to find where they are and take them on a journey to where you want them to go. He says you do this by asking questions, that everyone would want to know the answer to. Ex. Is there a God? What is God like? What is heaven like? How do I get to heaven?
By asking questions that majority of people want to know answers to engages people right off the bat. You ask them questions and explain why those questions need to be answered and then open of the Bible and give them Biblical answers. Then give them a glimpse of what it would be like without the correct answers.
One way to learn it to teach people all the right answers but this leaves open a lot of questions.
Another way to learn is to teach them all the wrong answers and why.
I want to teach my students the power they have in their words. I have need to present to them a question that everyone wants to answered. I need to find out where they are. Asking questions or giving scenarios that they can related to and then moving them from where they are to where God wants them to be is the goal of the series.
Easier said than done but its a great reminder because we get caught up in our 3 points and a story.
