Last week I talked with Russ, a seminary student in our church family, about a sermon he was preparing. He sensed that one of his illustrations was not compelling. Russ was trying to illustrate how Jesus made himself accessible to people who needed his help. The illustration went like this:
Have you ever known somebody in a helping profession who would always help out even after posted office hours? Someone who was available even after the office had closed? Someone who is willing to help even when his or her work day is finished? Jesus was like this. He went out of his way to make himself available and help people.
But Russ knew the illustration was flat. It lacked punch. As soon as I listened to it, I recognized the problem. It's a problem I face constantly when I'm creating illustrations, images, and application ideas.
The problem is a lack of specificity. Generic illustrations and images simply do not connect. But if you add specific details, these details work like velcro. They cause illustrations, images, and application ideas to stick.
Russ and I played around with his illustration and came up with this: Imagine that your dull toothache suddenly worsens at 6:30 p.m. You suspect that your dentist leaves her office by 5:00 p.m., but you call her dental clinic anyway in hopes of getting an emergency phone number. To your surprise, she answers the phone. She's been working late and is ready to go home. But she's willing to see you . In fact, she volunteers to stop by your home since your pain is rather severe. Fifteen minutes later, she's looking at the problem molar. You'll need to visit her in her office tomorrow. But in the meantime, she gives you a drug to take away the pain. She has samples with her, so you don't even have to drive to the pharmacy at Wal-Mart or CVS! At 9:00 p.m., the phone rings, and it's your dentist. She wants to find out if the medication is relieving the pain. That's service! That's making yourself available to help people above and beyond the call of duty! That's how Jesus operated when he lived on this earth. He went out of his way to make himself available and help people.
This illustration works because it uses specific details: ?dentist' rather than ?someone in a helping profession,' ?6:30 p.m.' rather than ?after posted office hours,' and ?volunteers to stop by your home' rather than ?is willing to help.' Even a detail like ?Wal-Mart or CVS' is intentional. Statements in your sermon which lack details bore your listeners and fail to connect with them. That's why I spend the extra time adding a few key details so that my illustrations, images, and applications idea comes alive!
It's not surprising that this technique works, because it comes from Jesus! Listen to his parables. Although they are lean, Jesus puts in just enough details to make his parables compelling. A woman searches for a lost coin. A man goes to a friend at midnight and asks for three loaves of break. Jesus even uses specific details when he drives home a point. For example, he asks: "Which of you fathers, if your sons asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or, if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion?" (Luke 11:11). So, if your material seems flat and fails to stick, add real-life details. Do the research on a story you plan to use. Take the extra time to think through an example from everyday life. It will take your illustrations, images, and application ideas to another level.
Posted by Steve Mathewson at 8:38 AM on March 30, 2007
Comments
Excellent points. Generalities are dull and usually take longer! Being specific allows for an economy of words, something else Jesus was good at.
Posted by: Dennis Mullen on April 3, 2007
I appreciate your suggestions and agree whole-heartedly with the need to be specific to get people hooked on your illustration. A couple weeks ago I filled in for a pastor of two churches in a rural community. I wanted an illustration that would engage folks--especially men!--to think about things that they were just so excited about that they couldn't keep it in.
I looked up the state records for deer hunting and trout fishing. That gave me something concrete. When I got to that point in the message and said, "Maybe it was that 30 point buck you bagged or 20 pound trout you pulled in," I got a response from the congregation that affirmed the illustration...they were on board, at least for the moment. Sometimes being a little creative, especially thinking about the audience or congregation you'll be speaking to, can really pay off.Posted by: Mike Sykuta on April 3, 2007
HiMike
I'm fed up with male oriented illustrations. We've lived with soldiers, male sports, You need to address the root cause of lack of male attendance at church, instead of pandering to them. Men are more like wee boys rather than the manly male as God intended, and as Christ was a great example. We've had male leadership for the past 2 000 years and now men are saying that services are too effeminate. haven't men themselves to blame.
Just fed up with the mans' world inthe church.
Blessings
Dee
Posted by: Dee on April 5, 2007
Dee has raised a a couple important issues that deserve attention in future posts.
First, male pastors must keep their female listeners in mind. Alice Mathews offers some solid help in her book, PREACHING THAT SPEAKS TO WOMEN (Baker, 2003).
Second, preaching must challenge men. But I'm not understanding the connection Dee is making between male-oriented illustrations and pandering to them. David Murrow provides an interesting perspective in WHY MEN HATE GOING TO CHURCH (Nelson, 2005).
Posted by: Steve Mathewson on May 4, 2007