Pastor Steve

Awesome post from Justin Wise (BeDeviant.com) guest-blogging on CatalystSpace:

Most pastors are teachers, but not all teachers are pastors. Most pastors have some sort of regular public speaking routine built-in to there weekly/monthly schedule. As such, we have a lot to learn about human communication.

We have a lot to learn from others who communicate a message effectively and decisively.

One of those people to learn from is Steve Jobs. In fact, someone named Carmine Gallo even wrote a book on the presentation secrets of ol’ Steve. I haven’t read the book, but below is a list of some of the “secrets” unveiled by Gallo....

1. Set the Theme

Andy Stanley does this more brilliantly than anyone I know. He weaves a single statement throughout his entire message, making it unforgettable by the end. Jobs does the same thing–one particular theme that you base everything else in your message off of. Cohesion, baby.

2. Provide the Outline

Tell people where you’re going. Don’t make them guess. Jobs will provide some sort of verbal outline near the beginning of his presentations. I like to do the same thing, just so people have an expectation of what they can expect to hear. You respect your audience by doing this, as well as giving them something to look forward to.

3. Open and Close Each Section With a Clear Transition

Give them a “bookend.” Clearly transition from one point to the next with a relevant and catchy transition. Jobs masters this and it shows–the momentum in his presentations never slows, even though the pace might. It’s like a stick-shift–you wouldn’t go from first gear to third, otherwise you wouldn’t have a car for very long. You go from first, to second, to third, etc. The same principle applies in public speaking.

4. Demonstrate Enthusiasm

Someone I work with once told me, “Your audience can’t exceed your level of excitement. If you’re at a five, it is not possible for those listening to go past that. You set the tone.” Steve Jobs is obviously, palatably excited every time he gives a presentation. He’s amped about the latest product he’s wow-ing the crowd with. What about you, pastor? Are you honestly excited about the message you’re conveying? Or are you manufacturing energy? Learn a lesson from Perry Noble: GET EXCITED!!!

5. Make it Visual

Pastors and preachers, listen up. I am convinced this is the most important take-away we can learn from Steve Jobs: Make your presentation visual. The spoken word is designed to engage the mind while visual images are designed to affect the heart. Steve Jobs is a master at conveying information about Apple products while engaging the heart at the same time (i.e. the “I want that!” factor):

* He rarely has more than three images on a single slide.
* There are usually less than 10 words on a single slide.
* The images he uses are rich and vibrant, telling a story.
* Visual aids are simple and rich with meaning (i.e. pulling the Macbook Air out of a manilla envelope. Brilliantly simple).

This is where we pastors have the most to learn. Powerpoint slides are not an excuse to cram as much information as possible onto the screen. Clip art is (and always should be) forbidden. Think less words, more images. Think less words, less slides. Let your story-telling skills do the walking!

6. Rehearse, Rehearse, Rehearse

While I’m not 100% on this tip, there is merit. Jobs makes his presentations look effortless because he’s logged dozens of hours to make you think that he’s not even trying. Believe me, he is. While every individual is different, and every schedule is different, practicing your message can never hurt. Knowing your transitions and cues from one segment to the next is key. While we pastors may not have as much time to practice for a weekly message, we can be intentional about knowing what we’re going to say before we step on stage.

No matter what you think about his products, Steve Jobs is an amazing communicator. Sure, he may not be communicating the truths of Scripture, but the message he is conveying is being heard and embraced by millions. Isn’t that something we can learn from? Leaders are learners!