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After cleaning up this site from being hacked (and ramping up security), I’m ready to continue my series on Nancy Duarte‘s book, Resonate (see Communicate for Change, What I Like About the Book, and The Presentation Form). Telling stories is a vital component of Duarte’s book. Duarte writes … Stories are the most powerful delivery … Read more
I’m continuing my series on Nancy Duarte‘s book, Resonate (see Communicate for Change and What I Like About the Book). As Duarte points out in her 18-minute TED Talk, she discovered a shape or form that exists in all great presentations. Duarte contends, “Most great presentations unknowingly follow this form” (36). It amazes me that … Read more
Yesterday, I began a series of posts on Nancy Duarte‘s book, Resonate. The first post was simply about Duarte’s contention that the purpose of communication is ultimately change (which is one thing I love about the book). Before I continue engaging the material, here’s what else I like about the book. The book is well-designed, … Read more
Almost every book I read, I read only once (although I might review my highlights). One exception is Communicating for a Change by Andy Stanley and Lanes Jones, which I’ve read three times in the last five years (see One-Point Preaching and 5 Years of One-Point Preaching). Nancy Duarte’s Resonate, the latest book I’ve read, … Read more
I often think about the prophet Jeremiah’s call. In part, God tells Jeremiah, “Do not be afraid of their faces, for I am with you to deliver you” (Jeremiah 1.8, NKJV). That was a meaningful reminder for me when I started out. Transformational leadership and communication is not for the faint of heart! Communicators can’t … Read more
It’s been five years since I read Communicating for a Change by Andy Stanley and Lane Jones. Stanley and Jones propose a model for preaching one-point sermons. I embraced the approach immediately. I preached my first one-point sermon right after I started reading the book (I had completed the first two chapters, as I recall). … Read more
A couple of months ago, I listed some resources by Christian comedian and communicator, Ken Davis, in my post, Developing the Preaching Gift. Davis wrote Secrets of Dynamic Communication. He also offers CD and DVD sets from his 4-day Dynamic Communicators Workshops (DCW). Davis has developed a process he calls S.C.O.R.R.E. (Subject, Central Theme, Objective, … Read more
This is an update of a post called 5 Stages of Sermon Preparation that I wrote over a year ago. The 4 Ss are simpler and more streamlined (all start with the same letter). This is how I’m thinking about my sermon prep … Soak I begin sermon prep simply reading—and soaking in—the Scriptures. I … Read more
Recently, I wrote Developing the Preaching Gift where I listed five steps I am taking to grow as a communicator. One of the steps is to (periodically) review Communicating for a Change by Andy Stanley and Lane Jones (for more on this book, see my post, One-Point Preaching). I am in the process of reviewing … Read more
No matter what our gifts are, we should constantly work on developing them. That certainly includes those of us called to the work forming and equipping followers of Jesus Christ through the proclamation of God’s Word. Unfortunately, too many people believe the old adage, “practice makes perfect.” I once heard John Maxwell say, “Practice doesn’t … Read more