Ron Harris

Are you listening?

Have you ever met someone who told you their name...and you promptly forgot it? That has happened too many times to me. Guess what? I probably wasn’t really listening. Steven Covey once wrote, “Most people do not listen with the intent to understand; they listen with the intent to reply.” Ouch! That hits home.

If I am trying to come up with my next comment or response, I’m not listening carefully to the person in front of me. G. K. Chesterton pointed out the problem when he said, “There's a lot of difference between listening and hearing.”

Most great leaders are good listeners. They are genuinely interested in the person they are talking to, and they give them full attention. For most of us, that is a trait that must be cultivated.

Steve Gutzler has become a friend of our MEDIAlliance ministry, and he specializes in helping leaders become more effective as they serve others. Steve recently pointed out the value of listening in our role as leaders. He says:

• It shows ultimate respect.
• It builds trust.
• It grows your relationships.
• It increases your knowledge.
• It generates the best solutions.
• It fosters ironclad loyalty.

It improves your reputation.

OK...those are the benefits. Now, how do we become better listeners? Here are some of Gutzler’s suggestions:

1. Look intently at the individual. Give the other person your undivided attention.
2. Do not interrupt. Give people time to express themselves.
3. Identify your emotions. Don’t just react. Reign in your emotions and just listen.
4. Suspend judgment. Wait to hear the whole story before responding. If you interrupt you may miss the most important thing they intended to say.
5. Ask questions for clarity. People will see you care and will be even more open.

James writes about this in his New Testament letter:

Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry.

James 1:19

I like the way the Amplified version expands on this instruction:

Understand this, my beloved brothers and sisters. Let everyone be quick to hear [be a careful, thoughtful listener], slow to speak [a speaker of carefully chosen words and], slow to anger [patient, reflective, forgiving]; …

Steve Gutzler recommends you set up appointments with a team member or two this week. Work at giving them undivided attention and listen at least two-thirds of the time. Then...see how they respond. You may be surprised by the impact.

God’s best...

by Ron Harris

The Voice...

The premise for my memoir book I recently published, The Voice Behind You, came from so many people commenting about my voice. While I often mention that it is a gift from God, I know in my heart that I had to work at making it more effective in communicating to listeners. I spent much of my first radio station announcing experience trying to eliminate my natural Texas twang.

A textbook on the voice in broadcasting talks of the value of using your voice well. In a poll of news directors and production leaders, there was an emphasis on the importance of a well-trained voice.

• If you are going to make your living with your voice, you should learn to use your voice effectively. It is as basic as learning how to type....
• Even the most brilliantly written and produced news story can be ruined by a poor delivery or an untrained voice.
• The effect of a broadcaster's voice is immediate and overpowering. No amount of excellent writing or good on-air presence can compensate for a poor voice.

If you lead or are part of a broadcast ministry, do you evaluate the voices on the air or on the podcast? Do you have the broadcasters check themselves? I often mention that for my 15 years in Christian radio I would record my time on the air each morning. And almost every day I would listen to at least a part of my presentation to see how I could improve it.

Broadcast consultant Valerie Geller, who has helped our MEDIAlliance partners on several occasions, says that our voices need to be able to express emotion, tell stories, and draw in the listener. “Nothing beats the authenticity of the human voice. It is the most powerful communication tool.”

What are some of the tips that will help announcers and speakers better utilize the voice God has given them? Here are some thoughts from voice coach Ann Utterback:

“The best delivery sounds like a conversation with a good friend. I call it “enlarged conversation” because you should be a bit more careful with your articulation, but the general feeling should be one of conversation.”

Utterback also emphasizes the importance of breath control. Standing, breathing deeply using the diaphragm, and speaking above your lowest voice pitch are all things that can help improve the quality of the voice and the overall communication process. Utterback says:

“Breathing is the energy for speech. Not having good breath support is like driving a car with watered-down gasoline. It won’t take you very far.”

Jesus spoke on a hillside to thousands. He taught from a boat to the multitudes on shore. Do you think He spoke clearly and distinctly? Do you think He used the best vocal production needed for His message? Yes, because what He had to say was important. What you say on radio, television, or on your podcast is also important, and often it is critical for the listener to understand the truth of your words and your message. Take time and be sure you and those who are presenters in your ministry are using their best voice to communicate God’s greatest news for our world today.

God’s best...

by Ron Harris

What is your dream worth?

Do you have a life dream? Is there some compelling goal before you that drives you forward? Is that dream the thing you invest your time, energy, and heart in?

What if it isn’t the right dream?

In his book The Inspired Leader my friend Richard Blackaby raises that question. He talks of the goal of Bill Gates, who declared in the 11th grade that by the age of 30 he wanted to be a millionaire. However, by the time he was 31 years old, Gates was worth a billion dollars! His dream wasn’t big enough.

Others have set goals they never attained. Still others achieved their goals, only to realize they paid too high a price to reach their dream. Some lost family. Some lost their very souls.

A man named Saul had a big goal. Blackaby says, “As a young man, Paul had a compelling vision for his life. He aspired to be a prominent national leader who dominated his day’s religious scene.” He pursued that goal with great fervor. Yet one day, on a quest to achieve his personal goal, Saul/Paul had an encounter with the risen Christ. And, as Blackaby puts it, “His life dream was upgraded!”

If we dreamed our dreams and set our personal goals before we began our spiritual journey with the Lord, there is a good chance our ego has influenced those goals and dreams. Solomon wisely penned this:

For in many dreams and in many words there is futility. Rather, fear God.

Ecclesiastes 5:7 NASB

Richard Blackaby asks these probing questions:

1. What is driving your life today? To earn a living? To become rich? To pay off debt? Or is it to fulfill God’s purpose in your life?
2. Do you know what God’s will is for you? Would you recognize God’s voice if He was communicating it to you?

Moses wrote these strong words of instruction that can guide us today:

Serve only the Lord your God and fear him alone. Obey his commands, listen to his voice, and cling to him.

Deuteronomy 13:4 NLT

Our dreams and goals in Christian ministry should start and end with Jesus.

God’s best...

by Ron Harris

I mean no disrespect...

Have you ever found yourself bogged down in Scripture? You set a goal to read through the Bible in a year...and you come across long chapters that are just tedious to plow through. My advice...read it anyway.

I mean no disrespect, but a while back I was doing my “through the Bible in a year” reading. It was in Ezekiel. The Israelites were in captivity. God was showing the prophet in a vision the details of the temple to come. Length of the walls. Thickness of the walls. Width of the gate openings. Yawn. Height of the walls. I’m sorry, it felt like I was slogging through the Scripture. But I kept reading. And I got to a curious passage.

But when the people come in through the north gateway to worship the Lord during the religious festivals, they must leave by the south gateway. And those who entered through the south gateway must leave by the north gateway. They must never leave by the same gateway they came in, but must always use the opposite gateway.

Ezekiel 46:9 NLT

What was that all about?

Let me take a pause and tell you a brief story from my childhood. My family would take short vacations, sometimes several states away. My Dad would drive...and drive...and drive, rarely stopping for much of anything. However, my dad liked a certain soft drink. Root beer. At times he would tell us three kids in the back seat, “If you see a root beer stand, we’ll stop.” Now, there weren’t many root beer stands back then. Not like McDonald’s today. But it was amazing how quickly we could find a root beer stand. Why? Because we were intently looking for it.

The lesson I learned at that early age was that it was easier to find something when you were focused on finding it.

Fast-forward to my Bible reading. I asked the Holy Spirit to help me understand the passages I read. And there are times (slogging times) I really need His help. So, what about this “go in one way and out the other way” passage? What was the Lord saying?

My interpretation is this: When we enter into the Lord’s presence, in worship, in Bible study, in our prayer life, we should never leave the same way. Never. We should never read God’s Holy Word and then toss it down and go on. Never. We should never show up for church, sing, listen to a sermon, then head out the door the same way we came in.

My friend Dr. Henry Blackaby in his daily devotional Experiencing God Day by Day puts it this way:

“Have you lost your sense of awe that the Creator still chooses to speak to you, His creation? Do you approach the reading of your Bible with a holy expectation, listening for the life-changing words that God has for you that day?

“When God speaks, nothing remains the same.”

When people in Bible days encountered God, their life was never the same. They usually were driven to the ground by what today’s songwriter calls “awe-struck wonder.”

I am so amazed and grateful that God...the great God of the universe... still has a personal word for me. A message for me. A plan for me.

Awe-struck wonder. What about you?

God’s best...

by Ron Harris

Interesting words...

Our English language is interesting and sometimes quirky. We talk about being overwhelmed, even underwhelmed. But you never hear of anyone just being whelmed. I’ve sometimes noted we have booklets, which are smaller books. And though we have something called “pamphlets,” we don’t...to my knowledge...have any full-sized pamphs! A crazy language.

I got to thinking about that when I came across the word “squander.” First, it just sounds funny. Some suggest it may be a blend of the words “scatter” and “wander.” Most understand it to mean wasting something of value. We may think of the Prodigal Son who squandered his inheritance. Eugene Peterson used the word in his version of 2 Corinthians 6:1, as Paul instructed the Corinthian believers:

Companions as we are in this work with you, we beg you, please don’t squander one bit of this marvelous life God has given us.

I came across the word “squander” in the book by Henry and Richard Blackaby, Spiritual Leadership. In a chapter on the leader’s schedule, they write:

“Good leaders are keenly aware of how valuable their time is. Even the most gifted leaders will struggle if they squander their time.”

In his book, The Effective Executive, leadership expert Peter Drucker says, “Effective executives...do not start with their tasks. They start with their time.”

John Maxwell has some sobering news on the topic.

“Time cannot be managed. It cannot be controlled in any way. Everyone gets the same number of hours and minutes every day.... Twenty-four hours is the best any of us is going to get. You can’t manage your time. So, what can you do?

Manage yourself! Nothing separates successful people from unsuccessful people more than how they use their time.”

Steve Gutzler, who was with us at our MEDIAlliance Summit, tells leaders to be wise in how you use your time.

“...the single most important investment of your time is “thinking time.” In order to make your life, leadership, and professional pursuits thrive and succeed, you have to “draw out” your best thoughts. King Solomon said, ‘The purpose of a man’s heart are deep waters, but a man of understanding draws them out.’ It’s important to take time to “draw out” your purpose, your desires, and your motives.”

Critical to managing our time well is understanding God’s specific will for us as a leader. Blackaby says, “It is important for leaders to realize they are surrounded by other people’s agendas.” You will not be productive in the areas that God has for you if you are trying to fulfill someone else’s agenda.

In Psalm 90, Moses prays, “Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” And Eugene Peterson translated Paul’s words to the Ephesians this way:

Don’t waste your time on useless work, mere busywork, the barren pursuits of darkness...watch your step. Use your head. Make the most of every chance you get. These are desperate times! Don’t live carelessly, unthinkingly. Make sure you understand what the Master wants.

Ephesians 5:15-17 MSG

Yes, “squander” is a funny-sounding word. But it carries a strong message. When it comes to leadership in the areas where God has called us...don’t squander a single minute. Use time wisely.

God’s best...

by Ron Harris

That got me thinking...

Every so often I see something that gets my attention and then starts me thinking. That happened the other morning. My email inbox had a devotional from YouVersion. Since I use their app for some of my Bible reading, I wanted to see what they had for me. And I was surprised. It was a headline.

You weren’t created for a life you don’t have time for.

MEDIAlliance is in the middle of some of our busiest days. International conferences, a Summit, fundraising, many opportunities and much planning, and... oh, yes...family time. Very busy days. And there are those moments where you wonder where the time will come from to get everything done. (No one has yet invented a way to stretch 24 hours into something longer.)

But there is important ministry, and there are important moments with family. And... we all need some “me” time. What do we do?

To be honest, there will be times that are busier than others. There will be special events and occasions that call for an extra measure of time and energy. But that shouldn’t be the norm. The folks at YouVersion explained:

“God created us for purposeful work. But there’s a difference between doing meaningful work and letting that work become our identity. The second we cross the line, we’re caught in a vicious cycle.”

Does that sound familiar? That busyness that crosses the line? Dr. Henry Blackaby addressed that in one of his devotionals in Experiencing God Day by Day. He compares the busyness of Martha to the quiet devotion of her sister Mary.

“It is good to want to serve Christ as an expression of love for what He has done for you. Yet when your activity consumes your time and energies so that you have no time for Him, you have become too busy!”

Blackaby goes on to talk about the balance we need in our lives.

“We are not called to continually sit at the feet of Jesus, otherwise our service for Him would cease. Neither are we called to serve Him incessantly, without taking time to find restoration in His presence.”

Here are some suggestions from YouVersion on how to find a way to do that...to manage your ministry time, family time, personal time, and God time.

• Find your why. Don’t let everything that comes along demand your time and your energy. What is it that God has called and gifted you to do? Focus on that and leave time for the Lord.
• Schedule it on your calendar. Without being totally legalistic, carve out specific times when you are alone with the Lord, in His Word, listening to His voice. For many, that is in the early morning hours when there are fewer opportunities for distraction.
• Give yourself something to look forward to. When you schedule time to rest, plan to do something that brings you joy or peace. Enjoying God’s nature. Being creative. Refreshment for the soul.
• Be relentless. It is easy to let that valuable time of rest...stillness with the Lord...slip away. Protect the time, and relentlessly pursue a time of quiet rest.

YouVersion closed their devotional with these important thoughts:

• Rest helps us enjoy God’s presence and realign our priorities.
• Rest allows us to trust that God is working even when we aren’t.

Jesus said it best.

“Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.”

Matthew 11:28 NLT

Remember...you weren’t created for a life you don’t have time for.

God’s best...

by Ron Harris

I’m just amazed!

On my shelf of media books collected through the decades is one called simply...Microphones. No guessing what that book is about! But here is the amazing thing. It’s over 340 pages long. As the young boy who was forced to do a book report on penguins said, “This book told me more than I cared to know about penguins.” I think this book on microphones might tell me far more than I care to know about microphones.

Yet there is something intriguing about a book this size on just one topic. Microphones. Yes, it tells about the different connector types, and how to use the mics in different situations. But still... Three hundred and forty pages?

Part of my amazement comes from the fact that I am a generalist. I know a little bit about a lot of things. What’s the saying? “A mile wide and an inch deep.” So, to think of someone writing such a book boggles my mind.

Yes, there is something to be said for those who dig deeper than that one inch into a topic. In fact, through the years I have wanted to surround myself with people who were experts in their own areas. Whether that’s microphones, digital media, fundraising, or other things related to media or ministry.

There was a time when I thought I had to know everything about everything. Those days are long gone! As a person leading a ministry, it is better for me to see the broad picture than just one or two parts. Believe me, those who are experts are extremely valuable. But someone needs to be able to lift his or her head and see the many things needed for ministry to ensure the organization is heading in the right direction, not just accomplishing today’s job.

As the leader of a Christian ministry, there is one area where I need to go deeper, much deeper. I need to know Jesus. If I am to pattern my life after Christ, then I need to know Him and know Him well. Jesus’ disciples spent three years with the Savior. After his conversion on the road to Damascus, Paul spent three years in Arabia learning from the resurrected and risen Christ. That is certainly going deep. Someone has said Christianity is primarily a growing relationship with the infinite God who has revealed Himself through the Lord Jesus Christ. I need to ask myself, “Am I growing in my knowledge of Christ?”

How can I possibly know about an infinite God unless I spend time with His Son Jesus? So, look at your To Do list or your calendar. What time is there carved out for spending time with Jesus, in His Word, listening for His voice? If it’s not there, why not readjusted your schedule and see how the Lord might reward that time spent with the Savior?

The Psalmist certainly knew of the importance of time with God.

Oh, the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand around with sinners, or join in with mockers.

But they delight in the law of the Lord, meditating on it day and night.

Psalm 1:1-2 NLT

Or consider this command from the Lord found in the Psalms:

Be still, and know that I am God!

Psalm 46:10a NLT

As tempting as it is, I think I’ll pass up learning about the capacitors on a condenser microphone and spend more time learning about the One with whom I will spend eternity.

God’s best...

by Ron Harris

Do you see a face?

Some radio stations have been known to put a picture of someone in their studio or even on the audio console. It might be a female, around 35 years old. They may even give her a name. Alice. Or Jane. Do you know who that person might be?

The picture they post in their studio represents the target person they want to reach with their programming. It is a reminder that they are not just broadcasting, playing music, sending commercials, and giving weather reports to anyone. They are reaching individuals. And they are reminding their announce staff that when they are on the air, they need to talk to that one person. Alice. Or whatever name they assign.

That’s a great reminder for us in media ministry that we are not just sending things out, we are trying to connect, to communicate, with our audience. The Greek philosopher Aristotle centuries ago told us there is no communication unless there is a receiver of the information sent. Talking isn’t communicating. Connecting when we present is critical when we talk to others, both personally and through various media tools.

That’s the way Jesus communicated. When the Lord started one of his parables, “A farmer went out to plant some seeds....” He was talking to people who fully understood the sowing and reaping process. When Jesus talked to the woman at the well, he didn’t talk about planting seeds, He spoke of water. The Lord understood his “audience” and spoke words that connected with them, so He could deliver a powerful, eternal truth.

When you write copy for a social media post, how do you picture your audience? Could you narrow it down to a person, a face, maybe even a name? When you present on the radio, TV, or on podcasts, are you thinking of the individuals who will be your audience? Do you picture them?

In your daily life, do you talk to a seven-year-old the same way you would talk to someone your age? Would you use the same words? We have to think in terms of our audience and how we can best connect with them if we are going to be effective in delivering life-changing truth from God’s Word. It’s more than just building an audience. It is critical that people hear and understand biblical truth. And you are God’s agent to proclaim it.

So... whose face do you see as you deliver your message today?

God’s best...

by Ron Harris

When leadership gets hard

I call it the “down” side of leadership. Most of us, in whatever leadership role we have, enjoy the good days when everyone seems on our side. All things are humming, and great things are being accomplished. We even get a bit energized when we have to have to deal with the “enemy,” whomever or whatever it is. Many times, that pulls the team together.

But what about the days when you have to go against the grain, against what the rest of the staff thinks or feels? What about when you must discipline someone for their actions, or worse when you have to let someone from the team go? Those are not fun or great days.

Someone once said you don’t learn to sail a boat in calm waters. It is in the storms...the wind and the heavy waves...that you learn the most. I’m sorry...but if you are facing a major challenge right now, that is probably not what you want to hear.

My recent walk through Nehemiah’s life and actions reminded me that he faced lots of opposition as a leader. Maybe the most striking to me was after the wall in Jerusalem was built, the people had praised and worshiped the Lord, and then Nehemiah had gone back to King Artaxerxes for a while. Upon his return, Nehemiah learned that one of the priests had provided a special room right on the Temple grounds for Tobiah, one of the men who had opposed Nehemiah in the building of the wall. Not a good thing. Here’s how Nehemiah described what happened next. Just picture this!

When I arrived back in Jerusalem, I learned about Eliashib’s evil deed in providing Tobiah with a room in the courtyards of the Temple of God. I became very upset and threw all of Tobiah’s belongings out of the room. Then I demanded that the rooms be purified, and I brought back the articles for God’s Temple, the grain offerings, and the frankincense.

Nehemiah 13:7-9 NLT

It doesn’t stop there. If you keep reading in Nehemiah 13, you learn of many other wrongs that this leader had to set back right. I’m sure there were a lot of people very unhappy with this man and his leadership.

What makes this story stand out to me are three things:

1. Nehemiah was following God’s plan, not his own.
2. Nehemiah was not doing these things for personal gain or acclaim.
3. Nehemiah was less concerned about what men said or thought and was more concerned about pleasing the Lord.

Of course, that doesn’t make those days fun. I’m sure this great leader wished for calm days for himself and for God’s kingdom. But Nehemiah knew what he had to do, and he was willing to sail into the storm to set things right.

Computer scientist and U.S Navy Rear Admiral Grace Hopper once said,

“A ship in port is safe, but that’s not what ships are built for.”

The smooth, calm waters are not always what leaders get to sail in. As you lead, be sure you know God’s will...through prayer and Bible study. Don’t act out of a desire for personal gain. And remember...you are serving God, not man.

Set your sail, leader. With the Lord by your side, you can weather the storm.

God’s best...

by Ron Harris