Lost After 6 Minutes

The evidence mounts. We’re learning why so much preaching and teaching produces thin results in the lives of the recipients. It’s not due to the speaker’s lack of charisma, or failure to prepare, or theological imprecision. It’s not due to the irrelevance of the message itself. It’s as relevant as ever. Rather, it’s due to […]

Continue reading →

How to Waken Comatose Listeners

The 30-minute lecture (a.k.a. sermon) anesthetizes the audience every week. As I reported in my last post, most people remember very little of the typical sermon after a few days. Few show any life change as a result of the oratory. Yet preachers keep following the same old protocol week after week. A pastor friend […]

Continue reading →

Your Last Sermon: Memorable or Forgettable?

What was the point of the last sermon you heard? Over the years, I’ve interviewed church-goers on Wednesdays. I asked them what they remember from the previous weekend’s sermons. Their answers are pretty similar. I’ve seen little difference in their responses due to parishioner demographics, or church size. You can see what they said. Watch this brief […]

Continue reading →