Using Props in the Pulpit
Dec 18th, 2005 by Kevin Purcell
I have often said that some of the best multimedia that can be used in preaching has nothing to do with videos or PowerPoint. It is the old fashioned object lesson that people often think of when they are looking for a good children’s sermon. Many pastors quip that their children’s messages are often more effective than their “real” sermons. That is true for this reason. The kids and the congregation have an item to focus on that allows them to see, maybe even touch it, as they hear the message. Seeing and hearing are two powerful forms of multimedia. Each by itself is not as effective. Together they are very effective. Studies have shown that using two media simultaneously to communicate is more than twice as effective; it is many times more effective than the spoken word alone.
I was listening to a recent Preaching Today CD. They had a preacher by the name of Kevin Miller. He is the VP of resources for Christianity Today Journal. He had some rules that I want to summarize.
- Simple is usually more effective. Don’t get too complicated because then you spend more time managing the illustration. I once used something as simple as a Hershey’s Kiss to illustrate the concept of the power of something very small.
- Make sure it is big enough to be seen by the entire congregation. If it is too small for your venue, then people won’t see it.
- Make sure it is appropriate to the message. It has to really match the idea. If it feels stretchd or gimmicky, then it will detract from the message rather than add to it.
- Use them sparingly. If you do one every week, then people will begin to expect them. Then when you do not use one, the message will feel like it is missiong something. Also, if you use one every week then you will diminish the power and impact of using an object. Make it sparing enough to keep it interesting but not so seldom that it always seems very strange. I use one at least four to eight times a year in my own preaching. And I never use more than one in a single sermon.
Hope this helps.
