I first published this for a national Chi Alpha Campus Ministry newsletter. I thought other leaders might want to have a look as well. ch
When I asked a popular RA on campus why she didn’t come to Chi Alpha, she confided, “The campus pastor is a nice guy but I can’t take one more boring lecture in my life.” Similarly, a pastor friend admitted to me, “Honestly, most missionaries are boring. I love Chi Alpha, Curt, but I’d rather not have campus missionaries in my pulpit.”
Nothing kills a ministry like a boring speaker. Whether it is a small group, weekly large group gathering, evangelistic event and even one-on-one session, how we communicate plays a big role in our overall fruitfulness. What would happen if we dramatically improved our ability to engage people? After two decades of speaking on campus, here are some of the questions I ask myself to improve my communication skills.
Proficiency drive?
I was invited to a small round table of leaders led by Ray Johnston, pastor of the 9000 member Bayside Church of Granite Bay, CA, and one of the best Biblical communicators I know. I was amazed to learn that Ray, with all his success, is still highly driven to improve as a communicator. Besides reading, listening to a wide variety of speakers and studying his mission field, Ray goes through a self-imposed sermon evaluation process, led by a team from his congregation, every weekend. Since then I’ve learned that most pastors of highly effective churches practice some sort of proficiency driven weekly evaluation on all upfront communication.
Paul calls all leaders to do their best at dividing the word (2 Tim. 2:15), an exhortation that implies a lifelong pursuit of excellence in study, modeling and presenting the truth. In spite of this, many leaders simply stop learning about communication. Ego, fatigue, Christian sub-culture and fear drive our preaching styles instead of the desire become more competent.
Ask yourself? Could your ministry improve by getting specific feedback from students and peers about your communication skills? When is the last time you studied other communicators to improve your skills?
Inductive devices?
Next time you are listening to a boring sermon watch the body language of the nearest 13-year-old boy. He’ll be slumping in his chair, fidgeting with something or in some way showing that the sermon is a form of torture. At some point, however, even a bad sermon will contain a small inductive device. When the preacher says something like, “that reminds me of the time,” watch the boy pop his head up as if to say, “Hey, I like this part!” The reason is simple, humans tune in for inductive devices.
While deduction declares a premise and then works to prove it, induction tells a story inviting the listener to discover the premise for him or herself along the way. So powerful are the participation-inducing qualities of induction that God chooses narrative, the best of all inductive devices, to dominate the communication style of the scriptures.
When we use stories, questions, dialogue, props, drama, video, and humor (etc.) in our sermons we are actually modeling something Biblical, even Christ-like. Jesus used local settings, familiar anecdotes and the particular values of his time to engage his listeners in highly inductive ways. He did this so effectively, even days after his sermons the disciples were hotly debating the application of his talks (Matt: 13:10, Jn. 16:17). When was the last time your students came back to you days after a sermon demanding more teaching on the topic?
Certainly, many passages require simple and clear explanations. This desire to be clear does not mean we have to dumb down our creativity. Setting plain teaching inside the brackets of inductive devices as we prepare the introductions and conclusions of our sermons can make our teaching more understandable by engaging listeners instead of just indoctrinating them.
What is the most inductive thing you’ve done in communication this last year? How could you improve on this without compromising the content of your message?
Useful in the now?
Ever notice that only about half the students you are actually touching show up to your weekly meeting? With tests and going home and every other distraction that comes with campus life, getting students to actually commit to the large group meeting every week can be very challenging. Some leaders exasperate this problem by being so focused on the spiritual needs of their congregation that they neglect to speak enough on the felt needs of students.
Great speaking is useful in the now moments of life, helping even the newest spiritual seeker benefit from our communication. Practical help demonstrates that as leaders we understand the reality of student life. It also shows compassion and that we are competent at solving real issues. This understanding, compassion and competence can dramatically increase our credibility. By helping students gain skills in their studies, decision-making and financial lives, we gain the right to speak into their deeper spiritual issues.
Simply put, if our sermons work in the real lives of students, they will come back to our meeting the next week. Eventually, if the truth transforms them in the deeper issues of life, they will keep coming back every week of their lives.
Do your sermons contain tangible, very specific help for day-to-day problems? How can you learn more about the day-to-day struggles of the students you speak to?
Supernatural expectations?
To raise the funds needed for my new role on the West Coast, I literally tried to connect with every single alumnus I could find. As I set out, a little fear nagged me. Would my former students still be faithful?
My fears were totally unfounded. The vast majority of our alum are living amazing lives for Christ. As we talked about their journey after college, they kept bringing up memories of our prayer times together on campus. Sure, they remembered the sermons, but it was the altar calls, small group hot seats and impromptu intercession times that dominated their memories and propelled them into post-collegiate success.
As I listened, I was reminded again how the Holy Spirit is the real author of transformation (1 Thes. 1:4). Sure, continually learning, being inductive and helping students with their day-to-day problems is important, but without the Holy Spirit we can change nothing. Great communicators do their best to draw attention to God and facilitate moments of supernatural expectation.
Humility in tone, self-effacing humor and even vulnerability regarding struggles can be powerful tools to focus the hearer on the Lord’s power. Of course, making Christ and his cross the central focus of our preaching is the very best way to facilitate Holy Spirit transformation. As Spurgeon was fond of saying, “I take my text and make a bee-line to the cross.”
What can we do to facilitate more moments of Spirit-induced prayer? Do your sermons point to God or to your ministry? How can you increase the expectation on the Spirit to change lives?
In the end, no one wants to be boring. We want to be better. We want to have larger groups, great mission services and the joy of being good at communicating to the students we love. Most importantly, we want the thoroughly un-boring experience of seeing lives changed. We can do this, if we will be driven by proficiency, use inductive devices, be compassionately useful in the now and set the expectation on God and his supernatural power.
