Author and church consultant Lyle Schaller states:
People can hear in 15 seconds what it takes us 2 minutes to say. So if we want to effectively communicate to our audience, our preaching and teaching needs to always use multiple channels of communication.
Now 15 seconds is 8 times faster than 2 minutes, and Lyle is only discussing audible communication. Imagine how much more effective your sermon could be by appealing to all five senses. Consider the following:
Sight
Many churches already use a wide variety of visual communications including video, object lessons, and body language.
Sound
Sound is not limited merely to which words are spoken but also the tone and timing in which they are delivered. Learn the art of strategic pauses. Remember that silence can be a powerful thing. Music, as well, has an incredible ability to communicate with impact.
Taste
Yes, there are opportunities to use taste in your sermons. An example is Psalm 119:103 (NLT), “How sweet are your words to my taste; they are sweeter than honey.” This verse can be emphasized by offering the congregation a reminder of just how sweet honey tastes. (Note: Be cautious of allergies.)
Smell
Smell is considered by some to be the most powerful sense, and like taste, it can deliver a long lasting impact when purposefully incorporated into your message. If this interests you, be sure to check out our previous post, Smells Like Atmospherics. (Note: Be cautious of allergies.)
Touch
The sense of touch will also encourage your audience to think much more deeply about a subject. Children’s ministers, think about getting some rabbit furs the next time you plan on teaching about Esau (Genesis 27:11 NIV: “Esau is a hairy man.”). Senior pastors, think about illustrating the price Christ paid for our sins by passing out thorns to cause the congregation to seriously think about what a crown of thorns might feel like.
Of course, don’t get carried away and fill your sermon with things that interrupt or distract from the core principle of the message. Simply, if the opportunity arises to communicate more effectively, use it no matter what sense it appeals to.
Special thanks to Pastor Dave Ferguson of Community Christian Church (Naperville, IL) for sharing Lyle Schaller’s quote.
“15 seconds is 8 times faster than 2 minutes”
No, it isn’t. You misinterpret the data.
If you’re going to use the word “faster,” you have to deal with RATES, which measure accomplishment over time. In this instance you claim that the same accomplishment (let’s call it a paragraph) occurs in 15 seconds when listening as occurs in 120 seconds (keep the units uniform) when speaking. But rates are expressed in terms of units per time, not time per unit. (Your speedometer doesn’t show hours per mile.)
To standardize the time you have to choose a base period. Let’s go with hours. The speaking rate is now 30 paragraphs per hour, while the listening rate is 240 paragraphs per hour. Now increase the speaking rate until it equals the listening rate:
You speak at 30 pph. What speed is 100% faster than speaking? 60 pph.
What speed is 200% faster than speaking? 90 pph
What speed is 300% faster than speaking? 120 pph
What speed is 400% faster than speaking? 150 pph
What speed is 500% faster than speaking? 180 pph
What speed is 600% faster than speaking? 210 pph
What speed is 700% faster than speaking? ***240 pph***
Now are you going to tell me that “700% faster” is the same as “8 times faster”?
LEARN TO SAY “8 times AS FAST,” not “8 times faster.” IT’S THE TRUTH. If you can’t take the number in front of “times” and move its decimal point two positions to the right to arrive at an accurate percentage, your “times” statement is WRONG. That goes for the “8 times MORE effectively” statement as well. It should read “8 times AS effectively.”
@Joe,
You are right. I should have said “8 times as fast.”
Thank you for the thorough correction, although I think you could have said the same thing 8 times faster.