OK, I admit it. I’m biased. I cringe when people call a presentation “PowerPoint”? I know, it’s that anti-Microsoft bone in my body. But if it helps you understand, I’ll use the term. I don’t use PowerPoint, but I do use software that creates the same sort of presentation. (Being a Mac user, I use the Keynote program)
With that out of the way, let’s get to the thought question of the day: do projected slides have a place in sermons? In a recent issue of Christian Chronicle, David Fleer says no. (I haven’t been able to find that article on their website; I guess they don’t put all of the articles there) Many others, from education circles to business environments, have decried the use of PowerPoint. Even the creators of PowerPoint don’t like many of the ways it’s being used.
Visual aids are hardly new; preachers of old would take bedsheets and fill them with diagrams that they would carry from place to place. I remember, back in the 1960s (yes, I’m that old), a preacher that would draw images on a chalkboard while he preached. Overhead projectors were used for years. So the concept isn’t that new.
But I dare say the use of visuals was never as prevalent as it is today. And, in some places, churches are beginning to back off from this trend. They like the “novelty” of a man preaching with no visuals behind him.
Personally, I think that most of the criticism of presentations comes from the vast number of really bad presentations that are out there (you can see a good illustration of bad presentations vs. good over at Presentation Zen; a more entertaining post contrasts Darth Vader’s style with Yoda’s). I think that, used well, presentations can help visual learners understand more quickly and more in depth. I use presentations when possible. [Once when the projector was out at the church in Stockdale, I drew a couple of slides on poster board]
But, believe it or not, I can be wrong sometimes. That’s why I’m asking my always wise readers: should preachers use PowerPoint? In what way? How does it help, how does it hurt? I’m interested in hearing your views.
PowerPoint is fine as long as it is used to assist the speaker and not to take the place of. It has been proven we learn more by visuals, seeing is better than hearing.
I appreciate a well-made “Power Point” presentation. However, too many times, these are used because the presenter has not done a good job in his sermon preparation and is using the PP presentation as filler. If the speaker repeats everything that is on the screen, then the screen is not needed – even though I am a visual learner more than a listening one.
I remember the preacher I think you are writing about – JM – who kept me focused on his lessons by the “chalk talks.” I also have lived long enough to remember the sheet presentations and overhead ones. There was a time when flannelgraph lessons were criticized in Bible classes.
Anything new will bring about criticism from some folks. The main thing (IMHO) is to keep focused on the Word, and not let other things pull our minds away from it.
I have used it for 10 years now and integrate sermon prep and PPT as one unit in the way the sermon develops. Sometimes PPT triggers an application or way of telling that would not work otherwise. And, of course, sometimes nothing beats a picture. But I also find it a great way to highlight and focus on a word or phrase in a text or the repetition of it in several texts. As for style, I advise a more conservative approach in preaching than in a classroom setting. Few “bells and whistles.”
The question is really the use of non-verbal visuals. For me, this would be just the same as not using word pictures or props or even physical illustrations. Of course preachers should use them. Power Point is just one type. Here are the guidelines I use:
#1 No presentation is better than a bad one.
#2 The presentation supports the sermon, not visa versa.
#3 What you’re saying is to be carefully determined before your determine “how” you’re going to say/present it. If you open Power Point before you open your Bible…the cart and horse are in the wrong spots.
#4 For people who are deaf, the use of visuals is very helpful. We have a deaf ministry.
#5 Read the screen only for key points or to draw 100% focus to what is being projected.
#6 Don’t program “blank” or “black” slides between key slides. This is now more distracting than it is helpful. People glance at the screen based on their needs. What you place up there should almost always be secondary to what you’re saying. (see #5 for exception)
#7 Don’t put your sermon on a screen…write it on their hearts. If people are in contact with the screen more than they are with you, you’re probably missing the greatest effectiveness.
#8 Finally, I put scripture references or highlights on the screen, not the entire scripture. If people can read from the screen, they won’t open their Bible. I prefer people opening their own copy of God’s Word.
Jesus used a number of illustrations both verbal and physical. It’s rarely either/or, but both/and.
Thanks everyone for the comments.
And Chris… welcome to the Kitchen. It’s great to have you. Those are great thoughts.
For those who don’t know Randy, he does a great job with presentations in his preaching. He shared some great tips at the sermon seminar at the GST in Austin.
Two Californians, two Texans, and one Floridian. We covered the country today.
Curious – who is the Floridian? And I am in NC.
Oops… I thought you were in Florida. Sorry about that.
preparing 3, sometimes 4 lessons a week is plenty for me, if I had to add slides for even the Sunday morning sermon, I would resent it, and not want to spend the time, and it would probably end up being pointless or boring, b/c I didn’t have time to find the best slides/background, etc.
Both of our preachers us them. Even in some of our classed visuals are used (Powerpoint). They do nothing for me. I am likely older than you Tim, so perhaps its an age thing, or maybe I’m just odd, but I like to hear a speaker speak and follow along in my Bible.
When I think back over my adult life, most of the most effective preachers I have heard did not use visuals.
My wife, and all of my friends, love the Powerpoint presentations. For me a picture painted with words is far better.
Royce
The picture versus the spoke word thing I think has a “personal” aspect. I find myself looking, thinking, day dreaming…. then realizing that the speaker has moved on.
I like scriptures used in PP and bullet points that stay up there because they help me with notes and to keep my mind on track.
But “pictures” tend to bring the art critic out in me and that gets me lost.
I do not use power-point/presentation to have a slide by slide go along with my sermon. But I am making more frequent use of video (YouTube is a great resource) and pictures (for which I will use power-point). I believe it would be easier to use power-point if I were preaching a 3 or 4 point deductive sermon or a verse by verse expository sermon but since I mostly employ an inductive narrative preaching style, I find it difficult to work power-point with that. Also, to make a great power-point presentation each week would take a lot more time that I often do not have at this point (or at least not as the sole ministers for one congregation).
Grace and peace,
Rex
Seems like the discussion is reflecting the diversity that’s out there. Thanks to everyone who has commented.
Grace and peace,
Tim
Tim, I brought up this question over at my place and got a lot of good feedback. I think that whoever puts the visuals together needs to read up, or take a course, or whatever’s necessary to do the dos and avoid the don’ts. A preacher’s notes are dumped onto slides helps no one. It’s also distracting when a preacher turns to read text projected on the screen. It tends to disengage the audience. Less text and more artwork would improve most of the visuals I’ve seen at church recently.
Frank, I agree. That’s not only true for churches, of course, but preachers especially should be aware of what makes a good presentation. Sometimes after I present somewhere, someone asks for a copy of my “powerpoint”; I willingly share it, with the reminder that it probably won’t do them much good. If reading slides tells you what the lesson was, there is too much written on the slides!
Great…just about the time we GET the system in place people are abandoning it. ha! I used it extensively in my previous work, and believe it is mostly appreciated. No matter what you do there will be a variety of opinions about it…but most everyone in our pews was raised watching images in a box in their home. It is natural. There are lots of resources for backgrounds and videos, so these should be exploited by the ones putting the presentations together. I subscribed to a service and will likely do so again once we’re up and running.
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