In an ideal world, everyone would always perfectly pay attention to every word said by their preacher. However, we preach to people with ever-shrinking attention spans who are carrying stressors, carrying children, and caring about lunch. Here are a few ways to keep people focused and dialed in on the Bible content that God has laid on your heart for the congregation.
1. Tell a story.
Never underestimate the power of narrative. If you turn anything into a narrative, it is immediately more gripping. Rather than, “Some people feel there is no hope for society,” say, “The other day I was talking to someone at a café in Ikebukuro and they looked at me and said this: ‘I just feel there’s no hope for society.’” The same content in story form will always make people listen.
2. Illustrate with an example.
Just do a “For instance…” or “This is like when we…” or “This can be seen in.…” These real-life examples bring the Bible to life for people.
3. Use an analogy.
Parables work! Find a way to draw on a real or imagined scenario that hits close to home for the listeners. If you say, “You must obey Jesus to show you trust him with real faith,” it’s a true statement. But, once you say, “Someone who claims to trust a bridge but won’t set a foot on the bridge to cross it doesn’t actually trust the bridge,” the idea sticks.
“Find a way to draw on a real or imagined scenario that hits close to home for the listeners.”
4. Use visuals.
We are visual creatures. God gave us sight. He gave a temple of things that could be seen to communicate truth. He gave prophets visions. God showed people things. Let people see what you’re talking about and use technology to engage people’s eyeballs! Here are some easy ways to use visuals:
- Pictures – If you mention the pyramids, show a pyramid.
- Timelines – If you give a date, show the audience the date in relation to other events.
- Maps – When you state a place, throw a map on the screen.
- Artifacts – Many of the things the Bible mentions have been uncovered in archaeology. Show the images and make things come to life.
- Diagrams – Use graphs, diagrams, charts, and comparison models. They work in business for a reason.
5. Use a quote.
Show you are not the only one who sees this truth in Scripture. Bring in an expert. Have someone say it from another time, in another language, and from another country. This shows people how the Kingdom of God is big. Just saying, “Augustine from North Africa said it like this in the 4th century…” will get people to shake themselves awake.
6. Ask a discussion question.
The church is gathered. Let them talk to each other! Make the gathering a communal experience that cannot be replicated on YouTube.
“The church is gathered. Let them talk to each other!”
7. Use communal speech.
Have the audience read or say something together. Have them use their voice. Say a word. Say it in Greek. Get the audience to vocalize and they will likely remember that word.
8. Change your position in the room.
You can’t do this trick every time or people will start to expect it, but you can leave the stage from time to time. Or, move to a different location and say something away from your notes.
9. Involve the audience.
Ask for a volunteer. Prepare a volunteer to join you. It makes everyone on edge because they think they might be next so their adrenaline will keep them awake. Say someone’s name in an illustration, “That would be like if Hiro….” 
10. Use props.
Showing on a screen is good but when you hold something in your hand, it makes everyone’s eyes go straight to you. You could use the object. Or, just simply writing something on a board rather than putting it on the screen will make people perk up.
“Showing on a screen is good but when you hold something in your hand, it makes everyone’s eyes go straight to you.”
11. Give clear application.
Preachers should do this anyway. But clear, compelling application to someone’s life will make them think deeply and that will get their neurons firing.
12. Create clear contrast.
I’ve heard it said, “Contrast is the mother of clarity.” Once you give the opposite of what you’re talking about, the thing itself becomes crystal clear. Show the difference between Christianity and other religions. Give people the difference between virtue and vice. Explain the opposite of what someone says or does in the Bible, and the whole thing becomes gripping and clear.
13. Personalize the message.
I remember a preaching professor saying to me, “Personalize, personalize, personalize.” Make the story real. Make the truth real. Simply giving a “Can you imagine if you came home to find your younger sibling had stolen your most valuable possession while you were gone as Esau did?” Or, “How would you feel if your spouse said they only wanted to talk to you for 75 minutes every Sunday?” Or, “What did you do or buy at the store to make sure your baby was safe? The right pajamas, the non-BPA bottles, the 5-star safety rating stroller. Did your care for your baby ever involve setting your child in a basket in a river and hoping for the best?” Place the truth in terms that feel personal.
“Simply giving a ‘Can you imagine if you came home to find your younger sibling had stolen your most valuable possession while you were gone as Esau did?'”
14. Provide space to write or draw in the notes.
Most churches have bulletins or copy machines. Use them! Give people a place to fill in the blank, complete a diagram, take notes, or write their own reflection.
15. Vary your delivery.
For vocal patterns, one of the things that doesn’t work is the same thing. Here are four things to vary:
- Pitch – Go high and low. Most people do in normal conversation, and you want to sound natural and not robotic.
- Pace – Slow down and speed up. Say long sentences and then switch to one or two words.
- Volume – If the whole thing is yelling, people tune you out. If the whole thing is a whisper or gentle lowing, they will stop listening.
- Tone – You cannot do the heartfelt, tearful plea for 35 minutes straight. You can’t tell jokes for 35 minutes. There should be some degree of change in tone and mode of delivery. “Good morning, church. Make sure you open your Bible to Malachi 2…” should have a different tone from, “Jesus’ blood was spilled to atone for the sins we committed against a holy God.”
For more from Jay, check out his Substack HERE. Used with permission.
