In 1866, part of the Hawaiian island of Molokai was designated as a leper's colony. Seven years later, a Catholic priest from Belgium, Father Damien, arrived. Father Damien did more than simply administrate the colony. During his time there, he built homes and churches for those who had been ostracized from society. Over his sixteen years there, Father Damien built 2,000 coffins by hand so that, when they died, the lepers could be buried with dignity. Father Damien lived among those he served. He ate with them, shared belongings with them. In fact, he didn't always wash his hands after attending to their open sores. For his willingness to get close to them, the people loved him. It has been said that during the time he served the leper colony that it went from being a place where one was sent to die to becoming a place to live. Then one day he stood…
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At the Yale Lectures on Preaching in 1877, Phillips Brooks offered a definition of preaching that has stood the test of time. He defined preaching as "the communication of truth through personality." There are two parts to this definition. Preaching speaks truth. Preaching is delivered through a preacher. Assuming that the content of a sermon is true, that it is communicating truth, then the second part of the definition becomes critical. The impact of a message increases or decreases depending upon the human connection the audience feels with the preacher. This is not about being boring or relevant; it is about being human. Your audience wants to hear a word from God. They want to hear what is true. But -- and this is important -- they have chosen to hear it from you. Here are a few quick tips when it comes to forming a human connection with your audience:…
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Many people have a fear of public speaking. They get nervous, clammy, and dread standing before a group of people. Here's one reason why: they are more concerned about themselves than their audience. Will I say this the right way? How do I look? What if they think I'm boring? As long as your focus is inward instead of outward, you will never excel at public speaking (and this includes preaching). Here's why: audiences are selfish. In simple terms, audiences are asking that age-old question: "What's in it for me?" They are looking for something that adds value to their life, their business, or their marriage. Or, they may be willing to give you thirty minutes of their time in order to leave with a little more hope. This doesn't mean we don't challenge false assumptions or simply give people what they want to hear. Sometimes what is best for…
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Tennis rackets have them. So do baseball bats. On any given swing, you know when you get it right ... and when you don't. I'm talking about the sweet spot -- that place on the racket or bat that produces the best result. Hit it there and the ball takes off; miss by a few inches and you have a squibber (that's baseball talk for a weak hit). God has wired each of us with our own unique sweet spot. It's a mix of gifts, abilities, talents, and experiences. The sweet spot may show up on the job or in areas we love to volunteer in. When we're operating in our sweet spot, time either stands still or flies by. Athletes call this being in the "zone." Operating in our sweet spot energizes us and those around us. When we're outside of our sweet spot, it drains us (and, if…
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In my last post I wrote about how professional teams balance two needs: the need to win and the need to develop talent. The people of God must realize that we are involved in much more than a game. In fact, we are involved in much more than life itself. We are involved in helping write eternity. That's not being dramatic; it's being truthful. Professional teams will invest heavily in coaches, facilities, and more in order to develop young talent. A guy like Aaron Rodgers gets to watch Brett Favre for a few years before becoming a superstar in his own right. Baseball players work their way up through the minor leagues. Does your church have a system for developing the young talent in its midst? All too often, the answer is no. As the church-going population continues to attend a smaller percentage of the churches (mega churches account for…
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