“And Moses said to the people, ‘Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will work for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall never see again. The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent.’ ” – Exodus 14:13-14 (ESV) These […]
Archive | Communication
How Writing Helped Me Over-Prepare And Become A More Effective Speaker
An Important Speech Last week I had the privilege of being the keynote speaker for Metrolina Christian Academy’s athletic kick-off for the 2023-2024 school year. First let me say how impressed I am with athletic director Ronnie Plyler, his coaches, and the parents and student-athletes of this incredible organization. They have created as healthy a […]
The 7-Step Sequence Of A Great Speech – Steph Curry’s Template From His Epic Game 7 Pre-Game Speech
A Historic Performance This past Sunday, April 30th, Steph Curry scored a Game 7-record 50 points to lead the Golden State Warriors to a 120-100 win over the up-and-coming Sacramento Kings. You can see the highlights in the above video. But what made Curry’s performance so memorable was not just the scoring record, but his […]
2 Complaints Boring Sermons Create (And How to Avoid Getting Them)
Haddon Robinson, in his fantastic book, Biblical Preaching points out an unfortunate reality in the early portion of his book. He points out what all of us have experienced: “Dull expository sermons usually lack effective applications.” In other words, we preachers can preach some boring sermons and what often makes them boring and ineffective is […]
7 Steps To Crafting A Motivational Speech Which Changes Lives
Regardless of the size of the audience, many people who first begin giving speeches simply want to do a good job. They want to be engaging, not boring, and quite frankly, just don’t want to embarrass themselves. If you are like me, you were also looking for validation which came from the applause, standing ovations, […]
A Big Mistake Most Communicators Make When Casting Vision
Leaders LOVE casting vision! A vision is a gift solely given to the leader. The team doesn’t get the vision, the leader does. As a result, a vision of a preferred future is so exciting leaders can’t wait to tell other people about it. They can’t wait to invite others to be part of it […]
A Tale Of Two Communicators: : Comparing and Contrasting The News Conferences by Mike Tomlin and James Franklin
Communication is an essential part of great leadership because every leader must at one time or another stand up and say, “Follow me!” On Monday, September 13th, the University of Southern California fired its head football coach Clay Helton. Immediately afterwards prominent names began to surface about who would be selected to say “Follow me” […]
5 Things We Must Communicate For A Sermon Or Speech To Be Effective
The ability to communicate is an essential quality to develop in every leader’s life. This is because at some point, every leader must stand before their team or a group or people and say, “Follow me!” Your ability to communicate, as well as the level of trust you have built up and your track record […]
Chuck Swindoll’s 4-Part Plan For Powerful Preaching
I am currently reading Chuck Swindoll’s incredible book Paul: A Man of Grace and Grit from his Great Lives Series. In the chapter entitled “Preaching as Paul Preached”, Swindoll analyzes Paul’s message to the Athenians found in Acts 17. The following are his 4-Part Plan For Powerful Preaching he uncovers in the text as well […]
15 Facts About The Most Underrated (But Possibly Most Important) Leadership Skill
There is one leadership skill which is the most underrated but possibly most important. Interestingly, I have never heard it discussed at a conference. I have never listened to a podcast focusing on it. And while it is discussed in individual chapters, I have never read a book solely dedicated to this skill. Yet, […]
4 Ways Leaders Can Tell Better Stories
Storytelling is a buzzword tossed around frequently these days, especially in marketing circles. It’s true that telling stories are one of the best ways to stand out among the constant onslaught of content and advertising. But newsflash: not everything is a story. Good leaders know the difference between what is and isn’t a story. They […]
24 Signs Of An Elite Preacher
Last week, I was unable to attend my home church, Piedmont Church in Marietta, GA, because I went to see a family member’s baptism. However, I heard from multiple sources about the incredible message delivered by Nate Galloway, our pastor to families. If you don’t know Nate Galloway, you should. Nate is a Godly man, […]