This is kind of a dual post. Feel free to respond to which ever part of the post you want, even both (or none, I guess).
Last Thursday I read this out of Richard Ramesh’s Preparing Expository Sermons:
I cannot emphasize enough the role that a strong main introduction has to play in the effectiveness of the sermon. If you do not have your audience yearning (within the first few minutes) for the rest of the sermon, they might as well go home. A strong main introduction has four ingredients. They are an intergrated package and are not given here in any special order. An effective main introduction must accomplish these four goals. . . . Get attention. . . . Raise need. . . . Orient theme. . . . State purpose
This Saturday night my wife and I met with the Church. We did not meet with the normal group of believers that we meet with on Sunday mornings, this was a different group. We are not looking to replace one group with the other, but instead extend our boundaries.
The Saturday night meeting was much different than the normal Sunday morning meetings that most of us attend. There was not one man speaking/teaching, rather we were all speaking, sharing our testimonies, sharing what God is doing in our lives, even sharing Bible verses that have been impressed on our minds.
Alan said something that rang true throughout the entire night, we all come from different walks of life; but we all had at least one thing in common, the Holy spirit. During this meeting, there was no need to “Get attention,” “Raise need,” “Orient theme,” or “State purpose.” We all wanted to hear what the other person was saying, we were all concerned with what God was doing in each others lives, and we all wanted a closer relationship with each other, and more importantly a closer relationship with God, our Father who is in Heaven.
The tips given in Ramesh’s book are great tips for speakers, but, in my opinion, they are not needed when you are speaking to people who actually care about what you have to say. Saturday night, we cared about what each other had to say.
Should we really use these tricks to try and get a hearing from an audience that does not really care about what we have to say?
Lew,
When you spoke, you had my attention. Maybe I just missed your introduction?
Perhaps the difference is in what you said in the first part of your post. We were listening to one another because of our common bond in the Spirit, and because of our genuine concern for one another. Perhaps only those who do not have those two feature need to use gimmicks (did I just type that?) to capture people’s attention?
Just wondering out loud…
-Alan
I long for this as a whole church and not just in our small group, which, by the way, consists only of me, Brandon, my friend Paige (who comments on my blog) and her hubby Pat, who is our youth pastor. Not that the size of the group is important, it’s more the fact that we’re the only ones in our church that do this.
We have great times together talking about the Lord and what He’s doing in our lives and digging into His Word. No one else in our church seems to care about getting together like that :( … it saddens me. But we may potantially be about to purchase a building (‘nother story) and I am getting tired of hearing “Do you think we’ll have Sunday School now?” UGH!
Your words were right on … there’s no need for Public Speaking 101 when those listening care about what you have to say.
I appreciate your blog, Lew … your thoughts are helping me see some things more clearly.
Thanks!
~Heather
Alan
You’re going to get yourself in trouble saying things like, “Perhaps only those who do not have those two feature need to use gimmicks (did I just type that?) to capture people’s attention?”
I partially agree with that sentiment. I also believe that we as a people have come to expect the ‘gimmicks’ and when they are missing the message seems off. Of course I do not think that is a good thing, not at all!
Heather
I would encourage you, Heather, to encourage the group that you do meet with to bring more outsiders into the group. Even to encourage the group itself to break up and meet with different groups from time to time. Not all of the Church has to be in one local for it to be a Church (does that make sense?). Do not make it a requirement for anyone to attend any one meeting either, rather make any gathering an open invitation to any who desire something else/more.
You said, “there’s no need for Public Speaking 101 when those listening care about what you have to say.”
I agree completely (obviously). To be perfectly honest I often stop listening if the introduction is too aimed at catching my attention. Why? Well I guess I feel it is dishonest. If the message is really the truth, why are they wasting my time (and theirs) trying to get me to listen? That is perhaps a bad attitude to have, but I think you understand the point I am trying to make.
Thank you both for your edifying words.
God’s Glory,
Lew
Heather,
I’ve struggled for the last couple of hours as to whether to comment or not. I don’t want you (or anyone else) to think that I am arrogantly suggesting that I have all the answers. I don’t.
I certainly understand your desire for deep fellowship with other believers – that is, fellowship that extends beyond a certain place at a certain time with a certain agenda. I resonate with your seeking faith-based relationships in which you share your lives with one another.
My suggestion… humbly… is to be patient. Trust God to bring people into your life. Live your lives alongside those (i.e. Paige and Pat) who are already there. God will use the fellowship that he creates between the four of you to convict others about how they view their brothers and sisters in Christ. Wait for him to do the work. Rejoice in what he is already doing among the four of you. Then, be ready at any time, to include others – in other words, don’t become exclusive.
I hope this is not too rambling.
-Alan