Customer Reviews

Look After Your Voice: Taking Care of the Preacher's Greatest Asset (Ministering the Master's Way)

5 star:		(0)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

There's just not much here. The book is barely more than a pamphlet at only 82 pages (which includes a couple of appendices). While the title looks promising the book delivers little more than what every preacher already knows: avoid coughing and clearing your throat frequently, rest your voice, and (amazingly) don't strain your voice! Who would have thought? Nothing is treated in any thorough or in depth way. No discussion of cough drops (good or bad?), little on how to change your voice to speak deeper, although such is recommended. Very trite and superficial. For example, on page 39 the subheading says "When trouble strikes! What are we to do when we arrive at that painful conclusion that something is wrong?" This looks good - every preacher has been in a situation where he had to preach but he had a sore throat. What should he do? Answer? "The term 'vocal abuse' may sound a little extreme, but it does accurately describe what has led to the problem encountered -- that is, improper use of the voice, such as speaking too loudly or at an unhealthy pitch for too long and failing to rest when necessary. It is vital to understand that such misuse can damage the vocal cords and, if not heeded, can lead to permanent damage." Thanks for nothing! How does that help the preacher with a cold who still needs to fill the pulpit the next morning?

There are a few good tips and ideas here but tips and ideas do not a book make. Someone who is a vocal expert, preferably an ENT specialist, needs to write a real book about the speaker's voice and how to care for it. This is most definitely not that book.