Ministry Best Practices in Non-Verbal Communication

In this series, we break down the variety of ways that we communicate as church leaders; verbal, non-verbal, and in written form. In addition, we introduce cascading communication as a way for a church of any size to effectively move information through the church.

Much of how we accomplish what we do in reaching and ministering to people is through our speech and verbal communication. The importance of doing it well may seem obvious. But what may not be so obvious is the verbal message you (the sender) sends is not as important as the message that is actually heard at the receiving end. Let’s state that another way. What you think you said, may not be what was actually heard.

This makes it very important to understand how and why verbal communication may break down. The speaker may not be enthusiastic. The subject may not be of interest to the hearer. The speaker may not show concern for the hearer. Furthermore, there may be a lawn mower, or other noisy distraction which prevents the hearer from getting the message. The speaker could also be using terminology that is unfamiliar or illustrations that are outdated. The volume of verbal communication may be too soft or too loud. What causes you to “zone out” when someone is talking to you?

Obviously, many of these issues could be monitored and adjusted or repaired. But it takes practice to be an effective verbal communicator, not just as a public speaker to a mass audience, but also as a leader in a group meeting, or in a one-on-one meeting with a subordinate.

In this first video on communication, we articulate ten best practices in verbal communication. We have a very important message that needs to be effectively communicated if we are to reach people with the truth of God’s Word. This is not an exhaustive list, but we are certain these ideas will assist you in growing and refining your verbal communication skills.