Seven Habits of Highly Effective Preachers
By Craig Brian Larson
July 1, 1994
What's the difference between these two sentences?
"Washington is not an efficient, charming city."
"Washington is a city of southern efficiency and northern charm" (John F. Kennedy).
The first is flat. The second has flair. One is prosaic, the other artistic.
Artistic speech is interesting, fresh, appealing. It fires the imagination. It speaks to the heart. It reaches corners of the human spirit that plain, literal speech misses.
While the strength of literal speech is clarity, the strength of artistic speech is depth. An artful phrase communicates at more than one level. It resonates with the soul more than Webster's-accurate prose ever will.
No wonder artistic speech is used by the best contemporary communicators in speech or in print. It was certainly used by Jesus: "No one lights a lamp and hides it in a jar or puts it under a bed. Instead, he puts it on a stand so that those who come in can see the light" (Luke 8:16).
Few of us, though, have the time to do any more than salt our messages with artistic elements, primarily at the strategic points: the introduction, key sentences and paragraphs, and conclusion. Yet even a light sprinkling of artistry can add flavor. Here are seven ways to interest listeners.
COMPARISON
Good comparisons enliven the imagination and stir emotions. At a practical level, word pictures keep the interest of today's visually oriented listeners.
Scripture is full of comparisons, both metaphors ("The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer") and similes ("As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants after you, O Lord").
Metaphors can enliven an already dramatic scene and help make abstract topics tangible.
In his sermon "Tide Riding," the late Bruce Thielemann accomplished both of these ...
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