There’s a famous line in the movie, Jerry Maguire starring Tom Cruise and Renee Zellweger. Tom is the agent for a professional football player who is his only client. He’s having difficulty with the player and at one point in desperation he says to his client, “Help me, Help you.” “HELP ME. … HELP YOU.”
It was Christmas Eve. My husband and I decided to try a new church that was nearby. It felt good inside. The service began with a procession down the aisle by the clergy as the organist played the opening hymn. Each of the parishioners was given a candle and the selection of Christmas music was superb.
And then it was time for the sermon. The minister was new to the church and the New York area. As he spoke, he mentioned that he was from Berkeley, California. He shared that he was a minister in the town of Carmel where actor Clint Eastwood was mayor, and that he served in an upscale Connecticut church as well. He talked about meeting Clint Eastwood and how the actor was nothing like his gruff image. I wasn’t sure where he was going with all of this when he launched into his theme. He implored the congregation with “I need your help.” I need you to help me”. At this point, I started channeling that scene from Jerry Maguire. We need to help him? Isn’t he supposed to be the leader who is helping us? It was not an inspiring presentation-especially for a Christmas sermon.
While a sermon may be a little different from a business presentation, the same principles apply. Preachers are the ultimate motivational speakers. Even when a public speaker loses the audience there are lessons to be learned. Here are 3 teachable moments from the pulpit.
1. It’s Not About You. To lose the audience quickly, talk only about yourself and what you care about. Yes, the audience wants to know you, but they also want to know that you understand their needs and interests. They don’t care about the presenter’s needs. They came to learn and be inspired. When JFK gave his inaugural address he said, “Ask What you Can Do for your Country.” He didn’t say “Ask What You Can Do for Me”. He inspired people to take action to participate in their government and to take responsibility.
2. Have a Point. It made sense to mention that the minister met Clint Eastwood because he was the pastor in the town of Carmel. Yes, it’s interesting to hear about the side of a Hollywood celebrity that’s different from his image. But what was the point? He didn’t connect it to any part of his message. The job of a public speaker is to have a clear point and to connect the dots for the audience. If there’s no point to the reference, the presentation turns into name dropping.
3. Don’t Name Drop. There’s a difference between self-disclosure and name dropping. The mistake some public speakers make is to share their brilliance and expertise without sharing who they are. The audience can read your content. They want to know who you are as a person. Where did you come from? Can they trust you? While the minister may have had the intention of sharing himself personally, he lapsed into name dropping. By listing his past upscale congregations, the message conveyed was that he was a big deal. Let the audience know where you’ve been and whom you served. Additionally, the minister needed to express his interest, curiosity, and excitement about his new congregation. Don’t tell your audience how important you are. Tell them they are important.