Losing your audience's attention? Here's the fix.

No matter your topic, or your audience, no one wants to spend all the time in preparation only to look out and see people dozing, talking, texting or moving around. 

Because your topic is so important, you want them with full attention, listening to every word God has given you.

If you will take care of these two areas, I can promise you that you will have them on the edge of their seats. 

Blessings,

Dr. Vance

Here are 3 keys to speak to teens - especially if YOU are "older"!

Let's face it, most of us are older than we want to be.  In fact, my 25 year old son was commenting to me the other day that he didn't know how to communicate to teens the age of my daughter, who is 17.  

So, if you have teens to whom you need to speak, and you want them to sit up, pay attention, listen, remember and be willing to interact when you finish, then these 3 keys are the way to go.

Blessings,

Dr. Vance

We can get caught up with work, ministry, other people, other people's children and forget to foster that close relationship with our own. 

But here's the truth:  if you lose the relationship with your own children then your credibility in life, especially in ministry, is shot.

What do we all want?  We want our children to follow the Lord and impact others for Christ.  But for that to happen, we must be there for them.  They must trust and confide in us as they navigate the waters of growing up and trying to understand what it is to have faith in Christ.

So here are three things you DON'T want to do when you talk with them.

Blessings,

Dr. Vance

Challenge Your Assumptions!

Why do you do what you do? Why do you believe what you believe?

Most of your actions and your beliefs are based on assumptions that you have held for years.  Are those assumptions blessing you and those you serve?

Take the next few days and carefully go through the different areas of your life - marriage, children, family, church, beliefs, business - and ask yourself how you think things are going.  When you have thought it through, ask someone in each arena how they think you are doing - some one who will tell you the truth.

If all is well, then no problem.  However, if your wife tells you your marriage could be better, or your kids are hesitant to talk, or your church isn't growing and lives aren't changing, then ask yourself, "What assumptions do I have that are not working?"  

You may have gotten those assumptions from your parents, a book, something you decided years ago, or from someone else's example, but if they are not...

If you really want to impact the people to whom you speak, then you will want to watch this video.

I thought I'd do something special for you. This is a training video that will teach you just exactly how to capture your audience's attention, so much so that they talk about what you taught them after you are done, remember the message and want it to change their lives.

Isn't that why we do what we do?  Ultimately, it is so that people's lives are changed.  But that can't happen unless they remember what we say, and that won't happen unless we present it in such a way that God can use it.  (Yes, God can use anyone and anything for His glory, but most of the time he counts on us to do the best with what He has given us!)

So, please accept this video as my gift to you!

Blessings,

Dr. Vance

You hear it preached, taught in schools, pushed in seminars, touted in books and urged on parents to encourage it in their kids.  

All that from people who have no idea what is going to happen 1 minute, 1 day, 1 month or 1 year in the future, let alone in eternity.  

I believe it can be one of the most powerful traps in our lives.  One that will lead either to arrogance or despair.   

Don't get me wrong.  I believe in dynamic, strong, confident, incredible people.  All three of my children were raised to be this way and I am married to a woman who is not only godly, but a wise, respected incredible attorney.

The key?  The source from where our confidence flows.

In His Service,

Dr. Vance

Dr. Vance Hardisty

We know that millennials are leaving the church in droves and it breaks our hearts.  As pastors and teachers we want to speak and communicate so that they hear, listen, make changes in their lives and want to come back, bring their friends and hear more!

But we have been told:

 - there is a communication barrier

- we don't speak the same language

- we don't have the same values

- we are too old

- we ... you name it, they've said it.  

The conclusion? Millennials can only be reached by someone their own age.  

NOT TRUE!

In fact, reaching them is fairly simple.  Here are the four things that they want in every presentation.  And the funny thing is, if you put these four things into your messages, you will end up reaching everybody.

Blessings,

Dr. Vance

First, thank you for the time you gave taking our survey “What would you tell Pastors and Teachers?”.  This may have been a number of months ago, but you took a 3 question survey that I sent to you on LinkedIn. 

I know you are busy, but please know that your input will bless others.  These results help build the foundation for a series of seminars that I give to pastors, teachers, professors and chaplains internationally.  We focus on training Pastors and Teachers in nations where they cannot afford either the time or expense to get an education.  For each group, we bring the entire foundation of knowledge that they will need in order to carry out their calling in the Kingdom of God.

This survey about presentation skills is only one of over 20 topics that we teach.

To date, we have had 2868 leaders from dozens of nations take the survey and these are the results to date:

Question #1  How would you rate most pastors and teachers as speakers?

"I love you!"

"You are more important to me than anyone or anything else (except God)."

"Will you go out with me?"

3 sentences to say to your spouse for a great marriage.  

Miss these and you can mess up your ministry!  Why?  Because your relationship with your spouse radiates to everyone you meet and will either validate or negate everything you say from up front.

Blessings,

Dr. Vance

Often, because of the noise and confusion of life, we miss the 4 issues that can derail our leadership and ability to communicate. 

These 4 things are difficult for us to see in ourselves.  In fact, if you really want to know if you have them, you need to have the courage to ask those closest to you whether they see any of these 4 in you.

I know that I struggled when I heard that several of these were in my life.  It was frustrating.  I wanted to think I was better.  But that thinking only delayed my dealing with the issues and prevented me from being the man God called me to be.  

Don't make the mistake I made.  Write these 4 issues down.  Take them to your spouse or a best friend and ask them to be honest with you.  If they say one or more of these are in your life, then tell them and the Lord you want to change.  Ask them to hold you accountable, every time they see one of these beginning to show up.  Then determine...