NETWORKING WITH FRIENDS, FAMILY, FOLLOWERS, FOLKS.

CONNECTING PEOPLE TO THE CHURCH, CHRIST, AND US.

While it is true you are being connected with us through the Internet, via the social/church networking as it is called, the purpose is two-fold at least.

ONE: It is great to have this almost instant communication with people literally all over the world in seconds. And now you can talk live with each other. Just amazing, isn't it?

TWO: You can have one 150 letter statement (Twitter) updated anytime you desire.

THREE: If you so desire you can have a group of FaceBook "friends" read what you want which

1. Gives me valuable connection to people from my past.


2. Exposes a different audience to my blog posts (through Facebook Notes) and my tweets (through Facebook status updates Is more personal.)


3. Gives me a connection with people.

FOUR: Then there is Blogger:

1. Gives me an outlet for writing. Writing gives me energy and renews my passion. Blogging gives me that outlet.


2. Is a great journaling tool. I'm not a journal guy -- but I see and appreciate the value in journaling. I can look back at a few years of blogging and re-live some of my journey along the way.


3. Is easy to archive. Pretty much anything I've ever blogged is easy to find and retrieve. All 910 posts, or articles.


4. Helps me stay connected to the thoughts of my friends, my staff, my leaders, and my mentors. I get a glimpse into their hearts and minds when I read what they've been blogging.

FIVE: THE INBOX - E MAIL Electronic mail,

• Quick. Today you can just about do anything in an email. Photo. Audio and Video.


• I like this method the best in that I can send one email to one person or a dozen.

WHAT IS YOUR HABIT OF COMMUNICATION WITH PEOPLE:

Maybe there are yet some who comunicate over the Phone, Cell Phone, Letters via USPO. And I haven't even touched the real world of communication.

THEN THERE IS THE CHURCH CONNECTION:

• The Cloud Network is a web-based tool for churches who want to do ministry online. Churches are able to upload mp3’s, post events, create social networks, send emails to people or groups in their church, manage their music, stream audio, podcast, blog, post job classifieds, gather additional visitors using our online network and other valuable options.
  
• I was amazed at the number of networks that have the church connection. Your church family can be connected over the Internet with easy access. If they all had the High Speed Internent that would be wonderful.

I remember back in 1966 when working in Danville, VA, as a Youth Director and working in the church office, I would send out post cards each week to over 100 people in the church. Communication has changed over the last 40 years, wouldn't you say.

GOOD COMMUNICATION AND GOOD PREACHING IS

WHAT REALLY IS GOOD COMMUNICATION AND GOOD WRITING

PRAISE THE LORD, I FINALLY FOUND THE PROOF THAT ANYTHING THAT'S GRAMMATICALLY CORRECT, AND CORRECTLY SPELLED IS NOT NECESSARILY WELL WRITTEN COMMUNICATION. Praise the Lord.

People always point out my spelling! They are programmed to read to see if I have misspelled a word in my sermon outline or the church bulletin or on this Blogger.

They have Obsessive Compulsive Find Misspelling Disorder. They can't read without looking for misspelled words. Really.

What I learned, just because something is grammatically correct and correctly spelled is not necessarily well written communication.

Example: Ever tried to read government memos, or the guarantee for your new digital
refrigerator. The grammar and spelling are OK, BUT THE COMMUNICATION IS LOUSY.


It's been mentioned that I would most likely not be an acceptable preacher in a certain church where there were a number of teachers in the membership.

Since I am very aware of this weakness in grammar and spelling and pronouncing words, a lot of times this affects my preaching ability.

Of course I have learned my writing is different from my preaching. And that my preaching is not necessarily good if I preach like I write. Think of that.

Now I want to speak correctly and spell correctly of course; but if I don't, it doesn't mean I am not preaching well nor writing well. Really! Cool, huh.

So I am reading some articles on this issue before us today. What is good preaching and what is good writing?




Some tell us that short sermons are better sermons. Remember the saying of Mark Twain on the Dec 12 post: “Few sinners are saved after the first 20 minutes of a sermon.” And I totally disagreed with that statement. I went off on that statement.

So I ask myself, what makes a good sermon, and what makes good communication?

You know, this was not a course in Seminary. I was never asked to read any books that would help me be a better communicator. I don't believe I was asked to read any book on preaching! While I read books that the teachers were using, I don't remember reading other books that were suggested by the teachers.

So what is good and clear communication? The technical term that professional writers use is "what puts a noise in the signal?"

And since I write out my sermons, I am writing what I want to say when preach. I would not necessarily preach what I write, but in both cases I want to communicate clearly what I want to say, and say what people will read and listen when I preach. I know -- shorter sermons, and no misspelled words in the outline and speak grammatically correct. Right? Of course it helps with those who have that disorder.

• Communication involves more than the content of the statements you make. People who focus primarily on information when they converse will often be viewed as arrogant and uncaring. Conversely, others who tend to focus on social niceties at the expense of useful information may be viewed as boring and irrelevant. Successful managers are perceived by others to be competent and good colleagues when they are able to converse in a way that establishes a social connection while passing on useful and accurate information.

• The task is to learn to have right information said in a conversable way that will connect with those to whom you are speaking. What a task this is. At least for me.

So next time I will try to answer my own question: What is good communication?