Media Outreach

19.  The presenter says more when he/she says less.

Once of the greatest lessons that I ever learned about sermonic exactness was when I learned the difference between the “eye” and “ear” regarding preparation of messages.  When we write sermons to be graded in seminary, then the “eye” is used more than the ear due to the grading nature of the class.  For example, we will be sure to have correct sentence structure because the eye of the professor will grade us.  However, when it comes to writing sermons to be presented orally, then we need to learn to prepare for the “ear” more than eye.  If the sermon does not “sound good” then people will not enjoy it.

• For many years I have written my entire sermon out verbatim, listening to how they sound to my ears.
• Once the sermon is written then I go back through the entire message highlighting various markers the main points, key summary statements and pivotal illustrations committing these elements to memory.
• Once I have gone through this process several times carefully, I am able to succinctly present the message and even shorten it based upon time restraints.
• The less we add “fill-ins” due to the lack of preparation or understanding, the higher the appreciation of our audience for our message.
• Any minister who has been preaching for a number of years can preach an hour; but the master teacher is able to reduce it to the most simplistic powerful message.

By: Dr. James O. Davis, Founder of Cutting Edge International and Second Billion Network

Tune-in Monday for the twentieth law of communication.