Anyone who has ever stood to sing, teach or preach has wondered: "Am I connecting?" "Do they hear me?" "Am I making sense?" Corporate communication is a desperate reach into the lives of the listeners; a call to response. It is a scary thing to get close enough to touch and be touched by a multitude of fellow-humans. Most will choose to shout out orders from a safe distance rather than physically/spiritually reach their hearers. If you've been involved in public communication for any amount of time at all you have found yourself standing in a phone booth on the moon trying to communicate with earth. The temptation is to think: "with enough technology, I can connect wether I'm in the room or not!!" On the opposite end of the spectrum ministers are saying: "Jesus never used multimedia bless God, and I don't need any either!!" Which one is right?? Neither!! While no amount of technology could ever replace the face to face, voice to ear impact of human communication, you should utilize the resources available to you.
But for a moment let's think beyond the pianos, PA systems and powerpoint projectors; there is a third element that we will never be successful without. I'll never forget my dad's words of advice that he gives me over and over: "Son!! Preach with PASSION!!" Recently I discovered what that word truly entails. Passion is the synergy of Spirit and flesh. It is the third element of cooperate ministry that may go unseen and unheard, but never goes unfelt. We can be talented, anointed, accurate and eloquent; but without connecting God with everyday life we will never make a lasting impact. Go to the moon of modernity if you like. Bury your head deep into the traditions earth of if you want. Nobody is going to care what we have to sing or say unless we live what we're singing and saying!! Unless we bridge the gap between God and Man with passionate communication the lost will never be saved.
