Valerie Geller’s recent presentation at our MEDIAlliance Institute was powerful as she shared things that will help communicators…on radio, television, podcasts and more…connect with their audience and be more effective. Most of us have spoken at meetings when we saw by the expression on the faces of the people in the room that we were not getting through. Unfortunately, the media tools we use today rarely give us such immediate feedback.

Geller’s main premise is based on three simple principles.

  • Tell the truth.
  • Make it matter.
  • Never be boring!

Simple, right? Simple to say, not always simple to do.

To be honest, Christian broadcasters have a great advantage. We have the first two items on her short list already taken care of. First, if we are proclaiming God’s Word, it is Truth. Jesus said:

“And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:32 NLT

Jesus was not just talking about any truth, though that is how those in the academic world often apply it. He was talking about God’s Truth. And that is what we present to our audiences. The Truth that can set a person free from the bondage of sin and free to live an abundant life as the Lord directs. That is powerful.

And what about Valerie Geller’s point, “Make it matter?” What we deal with in Christian media doesn’t just improve the quality of life for us living in the here and now. The Truth we present has eternal implications. It can change a person’s destiny from death to life, from an eternity separated from God to one enjoying the presence of the Lord Jesus for all time. It matters!

Now the hard part. Never be boring. Geller says if what you are talking about isn’t important to you it will be obvious, and it will be boring to your audience. Sometimes the word “passion” comes into play here. Are you passionate about what you are sharing with others? Often your enthusiasm for a topic will draw in an audience. Likewise, your lack of passion causes listeners and viewers to quickly be bored and lose interest. And whether that is in a conference room, a church, on radio, television, or a podcast, once you lose the interest of the audience communication ceases to take place.

You don’t have to be a stand-up comic to keep the audience’s attention…though sometimes humor can be a great tool to both keep them listening and make your point. You do have to think and communicate creatively. And that takes effort, discipline, and work to do so consistently.

Think of the ways Jesus taught. He made it clear how hard it was for a rich person to get to heaven by talking about a camel going through the eye of a needle! Vivid and humorous if you try to picture it. He painted word pictures of a house built on sand and what happens when the storms of life come. I suspect no one ever got bored when Jesus spoke Truth.

So…as you present to your staff, your on-air audience, your potential podcast crowd, or your television viewers, see if you can hit all the marks that Valerie Geller says are ways to compelling communication…

  • Tell the truth.
  • Make it matter.
  • Never be boring!