Preaching: PowerPoint, Video Clips & Outlines

I must confess that there have been times when I have been concerned that I am not on the cutting edge when it comes to the use of technology in preaching. After all, our desire as preachers is to communicate God’s truth in today’s culture with relevance. It seems that many preachers are using video clips in their attempt to be relevant. But without a tech team to put together the video clips it is time consuming - time that is taken either from preaching preparation or time with people. The fact that I don’t watch a lot of movies also makes it difficult to find “appropriate” clips to show. I realize that there are websites to help remedy this shortcoming on my part. But I must also confess, that after seeing quite a few of these clips in action in sermons, I have often found it difficult to understand the significance of the video clip, even after being told how it is supposed to relate. Many times I have felt the "picture" could have been painted verbally with less distraction, but thought this was probably just my problem.

Another area where I have felt a deficiency is in the use of outlines, either through PowerPoint projection or printed in the bulletin. I often find that I am still trying to fine tune the outline, late into the week – even past the deadline for the bulletin. (It is hard enough to get a title that accurately portrays the text ready for the bulletin) There are many occasions where Saturday night I am still prayerful massaging the outline, trying to make my outline better fit the text of the passage and the intent of the author. There have been a few early Sunday mornings when major points have been reworked because sometime during the night, it just “seemed to click.” With an outline preprinted, I would not feel the freedom to make changes.

I found Don Sunukjian (Equip05 - The Effective Communicator - highly recommended!) to be very insightful in some off-handed comments which he made regarding these areas. When asked his opinion about the use of video clips in sermons, his response in essence was, that there are more effective ways to make a point memorable. For example, instead of trying to find some video clip on “forgiveness,” paint verbal pictures from where people in the congregation live, where they might be called upon to extend forgiveness. Include illustrations from the different age segments of the congregation; mature saints, adults, high school and junior high. Don recommended helping to “put the congregation into the picture” by illustrations where they could find themselves in every day life. He voiced the same concerns which I have been feeling: video clips might be entertaining, but are often distracting or irrelevant to the message. Bottom line, they don’t have the power a well told illustration carries where people say, “aha” I see how that truth fits my life – I can see myself in that situation.

The second area to which Don referred was the use outlines – either printed or via PowerPoint. It was his judgment that they also were often distracting. If a person misses a blank, they are often looking around at a neighbor or whispering to someone else to try and get the missing word/s. There can also be the thought that since I have my outline filled in, “I got the message.” Not necessarily so. Some would argue, “but I need an outline to help keep the people with me.” His response; you need to do a better job of oral clarity to keep the people with you. You are asking an outline to do what you should be doing, and the dangers outweigh the benefits. His recommendation was that if you want to give people an outline to remember, give them the filled in outline as they leave after the morning service. But his point would be that what you want people to remember is the Central Truth of the passage, and that shouldn’t require an outline. But that takes a lot of work!

Thanks Don!

PS - I found this course to be an excellent course that is helping me to hone some old practices and to develop some new tools to craft a message that I trust is true to the text but with cultural relevance to where people are living (even without the tech stuff!).