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Communicating for a Change: Seven Keys to Irresistible Communication
When You Talk, Are People Changed?
Whether you speak from the pulpit, podium, or the front of a classroom, you don’t need much more than blank stares and faraway looks to tell you you’re not connecting. Take heart before your audience takes leave! You can convey your message in the powerful, life-changing way it deserves to be told. An insightful, entertaining parable that...more
Whether you speak from the pulpit, podium, or the front of a classroom, you don’t need much more than blank stares and faraway looks to tell you you’re not connecting. Take heart before your audience takes leave! You can convey your message in the powerful, life-changing way it deserves to be told. An insightful, entertaining parable that...more
Hardcover, 208 pages
Published
June 1st 2006
by Multnomah Books
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Jul 20, 2011
Al Garlando
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Pastors, preachers, Bible students
This is the sequel (sort of) to "7 Practices of Effective Ministry.
It will challenge the way you think about sermon preparation and delivery.
For me, it means a return to what I was originally taught regarding sermons, especially the difference between preaching and teaching.
Teaching is imparting information, whereas preaching is aimed at changing the listener.
To do you need to keep it simple. This maximises your impact and focus.
One of the "7 Practices" is expounded further in this book - Less f...more
It will challenge the way you think about sermon preparation and delivery.
For me, it means a return to what I was originally taught regarding sermons, especially the difference between preaching and teaching.
Teaching is imparting information, whereas preaching is aimed at changing the listener.
To do you need to keep it simple. This maximises your impact and focus.
One of the "7 Practices" is expounded further in this book - Less f...more
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I probably would not have chosen to read an Andy Stanley book on preaching, but as part of the ChristianAudio.com reviewers program, I took a chance. To be honest, I found exactly what I expected: a well-written book with some very helpful advice, but with a philosophy of preaching with which I do not agree.
Stanley and Jones are effective at writing in a winning style. For the most part, their points are clear and thought-provoking. I think that anyone who regularly communicates publically can...more
Stanley and Jones are effective at writing in a winning style. For the most part, their points are clear and thought-provoking. I think that anyone who regularly communicates publically can...more
When my pastor told me I "had" to read this book, I was skeptical. When he told me it was "the" book on communicating effectively, I became concerned. Then I read it. He was right. The first half of the book is a parable that helps to convey the principles that are laid out in the second half. Stanley does an exceptional job in informing his reader that the bottom line to having your message heard, applied, and remembered is to only teach the bottom line of the message, while having everything e...more
I belt the writer has some unresolved chips on his shoulder towards certain styles of preaching, especially anything that is 'bible heavy,' that being said, the second half of this book raises some solid points about communication and things that anybody getting up to preach the gospel should think about. This is of-course after you wade through 100 odd pages of some drawn out retelling which honestly disproves his whole argument about storytelling being an effective way to communicate informati...more
Some of my friends will really bristle at Stanley's concept of a one point sermon. I probably would have too if it were not for two factors. The first is that my preaching professor, Dr. J. Ellsworth Kalas, encouraged his students to lean in this direction. The man is in his late eighties and has been preaching and studying the art of preaching since he was a teenager, so I trust him. The second reason is that I have sat through all kinds of multi-point sermons since infancy and the ones that I...more
This book is a pretty quick read. The writing style is simple and clear, yet full of good content. The first half of the book goes through a story illustration to discuss seven points of preaching for life change, while the latter half of the book is written as non-fiction--straight from author to reader.
While this book is easy to read, it's also challenging for any preacher. Stanley is great about explaining his own process and methodology without bashing anyone else's. (However, if you believ...more
While this book is easy to read, it's also challenging for any preacher. Stanley is great about explaining his own process and methodology without bashing anyone else's. (However, if you believ...more
I did enjoy this audiobook from Andy Stanley and Lane Jones. I particularly enjoyed the parable which makes up the first part of this audiobook. I found this made the book far more engaging, rather than just the teaching part. I am not a preacher or involved in public speaking of any kind, but I still learnt a lot. The narrator Lloyd James is perfect for this audio as he narrated the parable just as well as the teaching section. I am unfamiliar the authors voices so Lloyd James became them for m...more
If this book was sold in your local grocery store it would be found in the CHEESE isle where only struggling communicators/preachers would pick it up. Therefore, it was the perfect book for me to revitalize and refocus my sermons. The fictional story was cheesy but it did effectively communicate the great truths found throughout the book.
I went from the pressure of what felt like presenting a 3 point term paper each week to being freed to keeping it clear and focused for the sake of leading othe...more
I went from the pressure of what felt like presenting a 3 point term paper each week to being freed to keeping it clear and focused for the sake of leading othe...more
Stanley & Jones' Communicating For A Change is my new go-to book for practicing homiletics. The five-point sermon made sense in an age when people were used to hearing and following one to two hour discourses. That's not the current culture and preaching needs to adapt. While the method Stanley & Jones present is clear and simple, the practice will be difficult, less so for those practiced in story-based preaching, but certainly for those schooled to the classic academic Protestant style...more
This is really two books in one. While the first half narrative interested me, it was the second half's principles that really hit it home.
My style of speaking is on disseminating a lot of information, and I usually let my personality do the audience engagement. People pay attention, but there does not seem to be a lot of action after the fact. Some of these principles challenged me to be a more challenging speaker.
Stanly's writing is very easy to follow and he does make some valid points for a...more
My style of speaking is on disseminating a lot of information, and I usually let my personality do the audience engagement. People pay attention, but there does not seem to be a lot of action after the fact. Some of these principles challenged me to be a more challenging speaker.
Stanly's writing is very easy to follow and he does make some valid points for a...more
7 clear and practical steps to teaching/preaching/speaking in such a way as to engage your audience as well as help them to remember and be able to apply godly principles. Some of this book you may have to consider whether you agree fully on the approach but there is certainly a foundation presented that you can build on. I wish preachers would read this and learn from it. Too many sermons and Bible teachers present too many points and lack clarity. I'm humbly learning and excited for the opport...more
By far the best book on public speaking I've ever read. It covers how to speak with a major focus on today's audience. This method is referred to as Me-We-God-You-We. I find it interesting though, that I speak in a very similar method when I'm not following my school's method for public speaking.
I felt that a lot of principles and things brought up in the book were very similar to the Emergent Church's view on today's society. It emphasis meeting people and appealing to them in their culture. An...more
I felt that a lot of principles and things brought up in the book were very similar to the Emergent Church's view on today's society. It emphasis meeting people and appealing to them in their culture. An...more
I have rebelled against Andy Stanley in the past for reasons beyond this review...but in an effort to keep improving my communication skills and preaching style I read the book. I have to admit that much of what he has to say makes sense. In fact, I am putting together a test run of the principles of the book this Sunday to see what happens.
Stanley comes across rather arrogant at times. Again, maybe it is my personal bias here, too. But, with that said, the topic and the information is too valu...more
Stanley comes across rather arrogant at times. Again, maybe it is my personal bias here, too. But, with that said, the topic and the information is too valu...more
Though you can’t argue with Stanley’s approach to the one-point-sermon as being an effective way to communicate, the book brings up the Biblical illiteracy issue in the American church. Stanley favors preaching on passages that have more application to people’s lives than treating the entire Bible worthy of presenting from the platform. At some point people are going to open their Bibles, I hope, and find stuff in there that they have never heard from the pulpit. There has to be a push to get pe...more
There is a lot of good, even great advice on how to deliver a sermon in Communicating for a Change. To get to the good stuff however, you need to read through the first part of the book first and that was a bit of a struggle for me, because I didn’t care much for it. Don’t let that deter you from reading the book though, for you’ll miss out on good insights into preaching that really connects with your audience.
Communicating for a change is written by Andy Stanley, founder and senior pastor of N...more
Communicating for a change is written by Andy Stanley, founder and senior pastor of N...more
This was my first exposure to Andy Stanley, and I really enjoyed the book. The first half was really corny, and I skipped over it. The second half was practical and extremely helpful. Stanley sees preaching as telling people about themselves from the Bible. While I'm not sure I agree, I must say that the book's strength is it's focus on learning the dynamics of effective communication and sticking to one central idea.
GREAT book on communication. It is specific to preaching, but easily applicable to other arenas of communication. The format is the same as The 7 Practices of Effective Ministry (another incredible book by A. Stanley)--a story for the first half of the book that illustrates the ideas and principles, followed by detailed coverage of each principle in the second half of the book. I highly recommend this book!
Anyone who has to talk or teach in church should read this book. Main points of the book:
* Engage your audience
* Me-We-God-You-We (you'll have to read the book to find out what this is all about...)
* Make ONE point
* Know your subject well enough that you can speak without many notes
* Practice- especially the openings and closings
* Make it stick
* Engage your audience
* Me-We-God-You-We (you'll have to read the book to find out what this is all about...)
* Make ONE point
* Know your subject well enough that you can speak without many notes
* Practice- especially the openings and closings
* Make it stick
Jul 29, 2011
Jason Retherford
added it
good book. very helpful for communicators to think through what they are doing. i was challenged, pushed and thinking of centering everything around one point is a new idea. i enjoyed reading how andy stanley fleshes out his ideas. it will be fun to try to incorporate his ideas to become a better speaker, a better communicator, a better travel guide.
I actually really enjoyed this besides some ridiculous straw men about traditional preaching. Andrew Stanley is definitely an effective communicator and the Reformed world would do well to at the very least listen to some of what he says. He recommends 'one point' sermons as an effective communication device. I was skeptical at first but tried it out on a week where I preached everyday to high school kids. I was amazed to find that they all were able to remember the major point from each session...more
Great read! Easy to follow, super practical and memorable - I thought Stanley's main point was great and at the heart and purpose of Christ' teaching as well. Communicating for life change. I have come that they may have life and have it to the fullest. I hope I can put into practice some of the advice he gives in this book and become a more effective communicator!
Aug 15, 2008
Andrew Neveils
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Anyone who feels the calling to become a more effective communicator
This book was great! It does a great job of explaining the imperatives by way of a parable. Then Stanley starts writing and his conversational tone helps to better understand his points - which he follows, even in his writing.
I feel as though I will be better able to communicate for change.
My only pull on the book is Andy sets his ideals a bit unrealistically, and biased. They are great to use but they seem to require more than a few speaking engagments to test them out. If you follow these impe...more
I feel as though I will be better able to communicate for change.
My only pull on the book is Andy sets his ideals a bit unrealistically, and biased. They are great to use but they seem to require more than a few speaking engagments to test them out. If you follow these impe...more
This book was really good! It is such a fast read. Andy Stanley walks the reader through his techniques in preaching a message. It is very helpful if you are going to preach. I am aspiring to be a public speaker and found many useful tips that I know I will use. Very good book.
Mar 07, 2012
Bill
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Pastors, preachers
Shelves:
pastoral-reads
This is a great book for any communicator. Andy is practical and to the point, pushing the reader to honestly look in the mirror and think a bit about the importance of their work communicating to others. A great read and one that is worth rereading regularly to stay sharp.
There were some very helpful points in this book, however if you teach expository sermons through books of the bible the "one point" sermon doesn't work, at least not if you want to teach the whole passage. To be fair he says the same thing himself in the book.
Great book on preaching/speaking.
His outline is very practical and helpful, especially if you are speaking to new people on a regular basis.
Also, his emphasis on 1-point preaching is very insightful. I have found it all to be very helpful in my ministry.
His outline is very practical and helpful, especially if you are speaking to new people on a regular basis.
Also, his emphasis on 1-point preaching is very insightful. I have found it all to be very helpful in my ministry.
Interesting presentation of the 7 imperatives via story and a good discussion on a non-story level of each of the imperatives concerning communicating, particularly for pastors. Good practical information that can easily be applied to every sermon, talk.
Jun 26, 2011
Matthew Melville
added it
Great book on communicating for Change! It challenges the status quo for preaching. He does establish a difference between teaching content or communicating for a change!
I have already used the Me-We-God-We-You outline...very helpful to focus in on ONE point!
Looking forward to putting this into practice time & time again!
I have already used the Me-We-God-We-You outline...very helpful to focus in on ONE point!
Looking forward to putting this into practice time & time again!
This book should be read alongside of Haddon's book on developing sermons. It was a refreshing take on how to construct a message and build around one main point to reach what should be our ultimate goal to change lives.
This is by far the best book on preaching that I have ever read. Andy Stanley gives very practical advice and structures for crafting a message that will engage and be remembered by the audience. Highly recommended!
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Andy Stanley is the senior pastor of North Point Community Church, Buckhead Church, and Browns Bridge Community Church. He also founded North Point Ministries, which is a worldwide Christian organization.
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