Have you ever thought about how strange “written rhetoric” sounds when it is spoken or about how the well-written, well-researched sermon actually sounds to the listener? Do sermons make the transition from the theological bookshelves into the hearts and lives of the listeners? / In Just Say the Word: Writing for the Ear G. Robert Jacks addresses these issues and offers a practical, hands-on approach to writing sermons that effectively capture and hold an audience’s attention. / Jacks draws on thirty years of experience in critiquing sermon delivery and writing styles and offers samples and examples of writing that considers listeners first. He shows how to translate the jargon of theological textbooks into everyday language and suggests methods for rewriting sermons to avoid some of the pomposity of sermonic proclamation. Jacks also demonstrates ways to retell the old, old stories people have heard so often and know so well in fresh new ways. / Just Say the Word is an invaluable resource that will help pastors find a preaching style and voice of their own.
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About the Author
(1934–2002) Was the Arthur Sarell Rudd Professor of Speech Communication in Ministry at Princeton Theological Seminary in Princeton, New Jersey.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Changed the way I write sermons!,
This review is from: Just Say the Word!: Writing for the Ear (Paperback)
Before I got a hold of this material, my sermons were dry and full of "term paper speak." It never occurred to me to "write for the ear," as Jacks instructs.
Simply put, this was impactful stuff. Highly recommended! Your listeners will be thrilled at the changes in your presentations.
10 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
This book isn't worth the money.,
By
This review is from: Just Say the Word!: Writing for the Ear (Paperback)
I feel bad about giving a negative review, especially as the first reviewer of this book, but it's just that bad. As someone with over a decade of experience in public speaking, including time as an award-winning coach, I urge you to look elsewhere. There are other books that can help accomplish the same task that are cheaper and better (see below).
This book has some major problems. First, it is organized badly. The information that is practical hasn't been organized in a manner conducive to remembering it and the table of contents and index are worthless. Second, it has no real overarching theme, except that if you are writing a speech you should write it the way you would speak, not like a term paper (now you know). It doesn't really tell you how to do so. Istead of a coherent system, Jacks provides a laundry list of isolated tips with mimimal or no explanation. The book is a collection of seemingly random thoughts on things that are nice to do when planning and writing a speech. The list of items is huge. In one section SUMMARY, the author provides a handy list of over 50 tips you would have to remember WHILE SPEAKING. Several are contradictory, some redundant, and many expressed so badly that the author's purpose can hardly be divined. The whole book is like this: confusing and impractical. Further, this book is badly written. The author bulks it up with lots of quotes and excerpts that he found interesting (although the link to the subject matter can be unclear) and lots of white space. $22 is an obscene price to pay. A list of good books: Aristotle's Rhetoric - this is the classic. It can be a little tough to read, but some translations are easier than others and there are even commentaries. The text is still taught, from high schools to graduate programs. If you have time, it's great and timeless. Inexpensive. Cialdini's Influence - the author writes about general tactics of persuasion, but they all work in speeches. The focus is more on the psychology of persuasion. It's an interesting read, and cheaper. Cialdini has a much better resume than Jack, too. Carnegie's Quick & Easy Guide to Public Speaking - not very in-depth, written for absolute beginners. It isn't the best out there, but it covers the basics and is a quick read. If you are at the point where Jacks might be helpful to you, you should buy this instead. Very inexpensive. Lucas' Art of Public Speaking - this is actually a commonly used textbook. It includes lots of training exercises, samples, and excerpts from good authors. It also covers different types of speeches. It's in its 8th Edition at the time of my review, but you can still find the 7th for a bargain. If you will be speaking often (a preacher, for example), this is the perfect book. It will give you all the tools you need. Whatever your needs, good luck on your next speech or presentation! *** Edit 4/6/08: I guess some people like "Just say the Word!" My point is this: it is terribly written, horribly organized, and contains less substantive material than other similarly priced books. You will learn better from a competently written guide. I've had the bad fortune now to come across this book in two educational settings and the only reasons I can think that someone would use this book is if they like the idea that it is specific to preaching or because they don't know any better. I've worked with preachers, studied the style, and even took a class from two prominent preachers who train preachers. My analysis of this book is not a rejection of its emphasis on preaching, but a recognition that a preacher ought to be well prepared to speak the Word. This book doesn't get better just because the writer comes from a religious perspective, sadly. The idea that you should prepare a speech differently than a written work is 1000s of years old and some folks have done a better job explaining it than Jacks. If you are a preacher, you owe it to yourself, to the Word, and to your flock to turn to the best resources available.
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Inside This Book
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Citations (learn more)
5
books
cite this book:
- Confessing Jesus Christ: Preaching in a Postmodern World by David J. Lose on page 220, and Back Matter
- A Reader on Preaching: Making Connections (Explorations in Practical, Pastoral and Empirical Theology) (Explorations in Practical, Pastoral and Empirical Theology) by David Day on page 164
- Visually Speaking: Radio and the Renaissance of Preaching by Jolyon P. Mitchell in Back Matter
- Without a Net: Preaching in the Paperless Pulpit by William H. Shepherd in Back Matter
- Preaching the Psalms by James C. Howell in Back Matter
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