2.  Say something “they” already support.

3.  Say something “they” agree with.

4.  Say something “they” are already talking about.

5.  Say something “they”…wait a second.  This is a load of crap!

Getting people behind your message only matters if they are the right people.   Who is your message for?  That is the conga line you want to start building.  As the line grows with your intended audience you know your message is on point.  When someone snipes your content but they aren’t your target group you can let it go.  Snipers aren’t your goal.  However, if the very people you are trying to reach are paying you no mind then rethink your approach.

Getting people behind your message has to do with knowing your audience and delivering them the goods.

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  1) Say it well.  Your communication needs to hold your audience’s attention.  If you loose them while you are talking  you won’t get them back after they have left.  They certainly wont tell others.  Present content that is captivating and evocative.  I love to say it, entertain them.

2) Say it sweet. People love to laugh and humor makes the most difficult pill go down easier. Learn the art of humor.  It is more about how things are said rather then what is said.

3) Say something helpful.  Hungry people want food.  They do not want discussions about how important food is.  Meet someone’s need and they will come back with a friend.

4) Say something no one else is saying. Your content needs to stand out from the crowd.  Be original.  Talk about what no one else is able, willing, or wanting to share.  Just make sure it meets a need people feel.  While you could talk about the mating habits of bombardier beetles I don’t think that is an itch people need scratched.  I could be wrong. You would stand out but probably stand alone.

5) Say it a different way.  The way you present your content is enough to build a crowd.  Few people actually have original ideas.  Great communicators find new ways of saying old things.  How many illustrations did Jesus use to describe the Kingdom of God?  Mix it up.

We do all of this to get one person in our audience to bring somebody who isn’t.  If our crowd feels we say it well, say it different, make ‘em smile, and fill their soul then they will pass it on.  We have gained the right to be heard again and be heard by others.  Noone brings a friend to a restaurant they know has lousy food. Scratch an itch and the word will get around and the seats will fill.  God still needs to bring the growth but we need to plant with skill.

Which of these is a weakness for you?  How can you get better?

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We, Americans, have megaphonia for lack of a better word.  We grant instant credibility to the person with the loudest voice.  We are addicted to them. But voice alone is not enough to change the world.  The person who can change the world, person by person, is one willing to invest their life-long time in serving others.  Compassion.  Until you can see my need, feel my need and act for my need you cannot move me.  It does not matter if you are the President of the US or the pastor in a church.  Your voice will move nothing until you see, feel and act on my need.  Serving changes the world.  It is often silent, humble, unnoticed by the masses but focused.  Learn the critical skills of analyzing the voices in your life.  Grow enough to see, feel and reach the needs of individuals around you.  I can change the world.

What are examples of megaphonia that you bend to?

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Five Stars

It has been a while since I have read a book that did what the cover promised.  Jesus Manifesto has helped restore the supremacy and sovreignty of Jesus in my life.  Leonard Sweet and Frank Viola have a unique writing style making some of the most thick areas of theology very palatable.  Their illustrations and metaphors help to bring the content to life.  Their careful and dilegent research notes are peppered throughout leaving plenty of opportunites for further study and reading.  Their book is a manifestation of Jesus simply calling others to do the same thing.  It was a refreshing and challenging read.  This is the book you go back to again and again no matter your experience or knowledge. 

For more information please visit their website: www.thejesusmanifesto.com/

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Swing to the other end of food and you have whole and/or raw foods that are rich in nutrients.  They are full of things your body needs, rich in lean proteins and good fats and carbs in addition to other minerals and vitamins.  Very healthy yet often hard to swallow.  I cannot imagine after a workout taking a spoonful of whey protein and just sticking it in my mouth. I love broccoli but straight up is hard to swallow.   Good communicating is in the middle.  Your content can be palatable and profitable.  It can taste great and be good for your audience.  However, some communicators swing to one side or the other.

A comedian and/or humorist has very palatable content.  The stories are enjoyable.  The jokes make you laugh.  Apart from the physiological benefits of laughing the content is rather empty.  Empty calories.  Some “theologians”, term used loosely, get so caught up in preaching the “truth”, term used loosely, they deliver content that is hard to swallow.  It is very rich in spiritual nutrients but is delivered so poorly no one wants to try and keep it down or stay awake.  Remember, it doesn’t matter how true it is if your audience is catatonic when you say it.  Potatoes and gravy go better together.

When preparing your content ask, “Is it profitable, is it palatable?”  To do both well requires craft and art.  Oh, and you really do need both.

Which side of the spectrum do you find yourself drifting?  Do you dish out the candy?  Are you a raw broccoli type of person?

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I was recently asked by a friend, “Why don’t we have any crosses hanging in our church buildings?”  This is not the first time this question has been asked.   It may seem odd for someone to imagine a Christ-centered church that does not have a glowing oak cross at the end of their sanctuary.  This question was posed another way when I took down the giant 20 foot banner of the Ten Commandments, in King James, at our Clarion county campus.  This is the answer I always give;

• We want a DNA at ZION that sees the unified believers as the church and not a building.  We want to raise Christ-followers who are walking icons of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus.  We embody His message.  We are Jesus’ Body and Temple, not the place we gather.  We limit “Christian” imagery in our buildings to avoid the temptation of putting saving faith in a structure.  It is more common than you think-  call me and I will tell you stories.  We draw people to Jesus by our lives.  Church is not something we go to but something we are, no matter where we go.
• Our buildings are designed and decorated missionally, or…boring. (Don’t draw too many conclusions from the last statement.  The writer of this article is by no means asserting that missionaries are boring.  That conclusion is left to each missionary to wrestle with.  Infact, I have had a great many laughs sitting across a high-top from some fine and dandy missionaries.  Mark Mindeck and Steve Brown, I love ya.)  So anyways…we want to steward buildings that can be used by other groups in our communities.  It is part of our desire to bless those around us.   It might seem odd but satin-on-silk banners and oak crosses push people away from using our facilities.  We want to draw them in.  We see our buildings as open resources not private club houses or fortresses to keep the devil out.   That last line applies more to people who will never read my blog. 
• We do have crosses in our worship centers. WHAT?  They are not on the back wall.  They don’t glow with florescent light.  But, they are there.  Behind all our lyrics, in the background slides are… crosses.  The cross is up, visually, in every service at ZION.  Some other things we are currently trying are proclaiming the gospel in our messages and singing worship songs about Jesus.  Did that sound snarky?

Bottom line, having a private “churchy” building is a global and historical anomaly.  It is only recently in the Church’s history that we have had a place to call our own.  I don’t want to draw conclusions but Europe has the most beautiful cathedrals in the world and is one of the most spiritually dead and dark places to be.  Sometimes, the more “Christian” stuff a building has the less Christ you will find there.  Huh?

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You might not know his name but you know his work.  Rube Goldberg became famous for drawing comical contraptions both complex and entertaining.  His pictures are of complicated machines doing simple tasks.  For a drawing it is hilarious.  For communicators it is a cardinal sin.  Why would you ever want to say a simple thing in a complicated way?  Your goal is the opposite.  Skilled communicators take something that might be very complicated and share it in a simple, translatable way.  The challenge is reduction and focus.  What do you want to say?  Say that.  What do you want people to walk away with?  Don’t say anything else.

Why do you feel communicators habitually say more than they should?  Can you think of any examples? 

(This image was used by permission @ www.rubegoldberg.com)

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