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LEADER.L08
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1992-10-28
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TO THE GLORY OF GOD
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Study No 8
COMMUNICATION IN LEADERSHIP
"Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature."
(Mark 16:15)
"Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded
you..." (Matthew 28:20)
Preaching has not achieved its ultimate unless the message is
received, understood and acted upon. While there is a sense in which
preaching is declarative, and is valid whether it is received or
rejected, it must always be understood.
Before we can effectively understand how real communication
occurs, we must ask ourselves some questions:
1. What is Communication ?
For many years it was believed that communication was based on the
idea of the telephone, ie communication occurs when the receivers
(people) receive 100% of the sender's (preacher's) message.
However, people are not necessarily like telephone receivers and
are not always able to receive or decode the message sent to them.
In the early 1960's Marshal McLuhan shook the foundations of
communication studies with the statement, "The Medium is the
Message".
With this statement he pointed to two basic facts:
a. The message is not central to the act of communication.
b. The communicator (Medium) is central.
While many people would dispute McLuhan's hypothesis, I believe
there is a lot of truth in it as far as preaching is concerned.
In fact, it is totally in line with one of the basic principles of
ministry - "God's methods are men". Preaching is more than
imparting true information. It is the packaging of that
information in a man or woman demonstrating the authentic nature
of the message. In other words, the preacher becomes his own
message regardless of what he preaches.
Communication therefore is nothing less than the establishment and
nurturing of relationships between the parties involved.
Communication is an event, not merely content. It is a life
inspiring or life changing meeting.
Communication is taking the risk to share yourself with people,
rather than your words alone. The ultimate act of communication
was when God Himself took on human flesh and became His own
message. Jesus didn't bring the message. He was the message.
2. What is the Goal of the Message ?
This needs to be clearly thought out. What is the preacher's
intended result? Does he simply want to be a successful orator?
Is his goal to get off for another week? Or has he planned to
impart a quality of truth to his hearers which they will receive
into their lives and be changed through it.
Preaching will never go beyond its goals.
3. How can we Improve Communication Skills ?
a. The use of Body Language.
Communication studies show that 93% of what we convey is unspoken.
The following shows some of the parts of communication. The largest
neglected sections are non-verbal (body language) and tone of voice.
The preacher should take care to develop skills of conveying
himself and his message in consistent ways. If there is a
difference between what we feel and what we say, the message will
be confused. eg, don't preach the love of God with a closed fist
and a scowl.
As a handshake will tell you much about a person, so your non-
verbal communication will reveal much to your audience about your
attitude to your message.
b. Never Be Dull.
It is the unpardonable sin of preachers. If you dare to be dull
it says that you didn't care enough about your hearers to get fire
and truth from God and package it attractively.
Charles Spurgeon, called the Prince of Preachers, says of Jesus:
Jesus' preaching was attractive; He sought above all means to set
the pearl in a frame of gold, that it might attract the attention
of the people. He was not willing to place himself in a parish
church and preach to a congregation of thirteen and a half but
would preach in a style that people felt they must go to hear him.
Some of them gnashed their teeth in rage and left his presence in
wrath, but the multitudes still thronged to him to hear and to be
healed. It was no dull work to hear this King of preachers, he was
too much in earnest to be dull, and too humane to be
incomprehensible.
c. Make your Message Clear.
The following quotation illustrates the need for clarity in our
communications:
In the classified ad section of a small-town newspaper,
the following ad appeared on Monday:
"FOR SALE: R.D. Jones has one sewing machine for sale.
Phone 958 after 7p.m. and ask for Mrs. Kelly who lives with
him cheap."
On Tuesday: "NOTICE: We regret having erred in R.D. Jones'
ad yesterday. It should have read: One sewing machine for
sale. Cheap. Phone 958 and ask for Mrs. Kelly who lives with
him after 7p.m.
On Wednesday the ad was confused again. Finally on
Thursday the ad read: "NOTICE: I, R.D. Jones, have no
sewing machine for sale. I smashed it. Don't call 958 as
the telephone has been taken out. I have not been carrying
on with Mrs. Kelly. Until yesterday she was my housekeeper,
but she quit."
If the message is garbled, the response will be weak.
1 Corinthians 14:8 - "For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound,
who shall prepare himself to the battle?"
d. Develop Story-telling Skills.
Learn to tell stories effectively and to paint pictures with words
and the tone of your voice. Packaging the message in illustrated
form.
Note Nathan's technique with David - 2 Samuel 12:1-13.
e. Use Illustrations.
Examples or illustrations of your points are like windows that let
in light to your message. It is mistake to fill the sermon with
abstract, theoretical or technical information.
Good pulpit communication moves back and forth from the abstract
to the concrete. Each time the preacher states a broad general
truth, the mind of the hearer asks "for instance". That's when
you need some example or incident which illustrates the point.
The best illustrations are those which represent your life
experience. However, care should be taken with illustrations that
they do not take over the message and overshadow the point being
conveyed. It is too easy for the illustration to become an end in
itself. Never tell a story for its own sake. Draw illustrations
from life, from your reading, from history, from science, from
current events, and from Biblical examples. As much as possible
avoid pre-packaged illustrations as they tend to be lifeless and
stilted.
f. Use Humour.
The best humour is in real life situations. Avoid slapstick and
jokebook humour and negative humour. Don't rubbish people in
jest, and especially not your wife or husband. Use humour like
syrup on a sundae or icing on a cake - a little sets it off, but
too much spoils it.
g. Relate your Message to the People.
It must always be relevant.
It will not be possible to do this, however clever you may be at
putting ideas and words together, unless you are genuinely
interested in your people. This brings us back to what
communication really is. It is the developing of relationship
between the preachers and the hearers.
In order for you to be successful in knowing where your people
are in life, you will have to discipline yourself to the dynamic
skill of "listening". Find out all y[ can about your people's
needs and study their aspirations and desires.
We speak at 120- 180 words a minute, but most people think at
least five times faster than that. Often when people are talking
to us we let our attention wander. The ability to listen and
respond can make the difference in any relationship.
h. Study the Ministry and Communication Skills of Current
Successful Pastors.
4. Hindrances to Communication
The preacher is himself the message. He can detract from it by:
a. His attitude. Never be offhanded or careless with the Word.
People can see it. Never advise the people that you haven't had
time to study properly. They will tune out immediately.
b. Dress. Work at being neatly and inspiringly dressed.
c. Mannerisms. The preacher should deal with all offensive
mannerisms which will take his hearer's attention from the
message Gestures, habits, eccentricities which detract must be
broken.
d. Poor Grammar and Use of Language.
Since the message is couched in words, the diligent preacher
will do all in his power to use them correctly. People tend
to subconsciously correct the preacher's bad grammar, etc, and
so lose concentration on his message.
e. Length of the Sermon. The mind can't assimilate more than the
seat can endure! Stop when you get through.
Frederick Temple was Archbishop of Canterbury in the late 19th
Century. He was a humane, liberal and sensible man. It is said
that he once remarked: "In making a sermon, think up a good
beginning then think up a good ending; then bring these two as
close together as you can."
A negro's prayer sums it up - "Lord, fill my mouth with worthwhile
stuff, and nudge me when I've said enough."
f. Avoid weak points. Always assess the total message once
you've written your drafts and delete any weak or unnecessary
points. Remember that you can fool all the people some of the
time, and some of the people all of the time, but you can't fool
all the people all the time. If you persist in using
unsupportable statements and points you will lose your credibility
and eventually your congregation.
The aim of communication must be to make the hearers understand
your message. You can't do this unless you con hold their attention.
"Our Minister was once assigned to a town in which the post
office provided the community gossip. For about six weeks he had
the feeling that people were laughing at him behind his back.
Finally he asked - and learnt that the source of the humour was a
postcard sent to him by a member of his former parish. She had
written, "This new preacher is okay, but he doesn't hold me the
way you did."!
END of STUDY EIGHT
