That was my “jumping pad to emotional engagement.”
I walked on the stage and immediately said, “Did he just say I’m a ‘Falcons fan?’ Well, that’s true. Long-suffering! Born and raised. I refuse to talk about that Super Bowl debacle, though! The Falcons still haven’t gone to counseling. That’s why they aren’t over it yet. Well, as much as I hate to say it, congratulations on winning the Super Bowl. And congrats on not wearing those hideous ‘cream sickle’ uniforms anymore, too!”
That’s all it took. Everyone laughed, connected emotionally with me, and was ready to hear more. I connected emotionally through common ground.
6. Disregarding everything around you
I always compliment the pastor or leader who invites me. This is important on a couple of fronts: 1) That leader or pastor is rarely encouraged. I know that because no leader or pastor receives enough encouragement. And 2) It’s emotionally connecting for the audience to see and hear me as a guest recognize something positive in them.
Here’s an example of something I might say: “Before we get going, I need to tell you that ‘fill in leader’s name’ is an incredible pastor and leader. You may not recognize it, but they are one of the best around, and I doubt they hear that too often. So I’ll say it. The next time you see them, make sure to thank them.”
One important point before we wrap this up: We should always assume the audience contains new people, because every time you speak, new people likely are listening, even at your home base. Never skip the connection. Do it every single time.
Whether you’re preaching on a Sunday, training volunteers, or leading a business seminar, you’ll struggle to communicate if you can’t connect.
Before you go, I have a question: What other preaching mistakes (connecting with the congregation) have you seen communicators make? Would you please share them with our community and me in the comments? If you’re really bold, tell us about a mistake you made!
This article about preaching mistakes originally appeared here, and is used by permission.
