Patrick: I'm posting this because I think the author's critique of Jindal's style of delivery in his recent response to the president's address to congress has some important lessons for Christian communicators. Many commentators thought that Jindal didn't seem to come across in as genuine a manner as we often does in interviews. I believe the author of the article understands why.
Not many speakers (including preachers) can come across in a genuine, persuasive way unless they're "gripped by the truth" of what they're saying and carried along by it, speaking from their hearts. It doesn't work when they're thinking about how their presentation will affect their hearers. But, it's awfully tempting for me to get distracted by the latter consideration.
Now and then, I have the experience of being carried along by the power of God's truth when I'm speaking. I stop thinking about how I'm coming across, and that is very freeing.
I'm not posting this article because I claim to know much about the current economic crisis or how to help resolve it. The debate between Obama and Democrats vs. Republicans and Jindal is absolutely over my head; and I'm not too hopeful that anyone's ideas about how to fix the economy will work very well.
I tend to think our country is only beginning to reap a tragic harvest of consequences from decades of greed and a "gambling" approach to investing. And I'm not so sure God will help us out of this right away. Maybe Americans need to be humbled. And maybe God plans for churches to make inroads into people's lives by focusing on helping people in their communities who are most affected by the economic crisis. God often uses suffering to plow up the ground of hard hearts. Our compassion and concern for people out of work can
be used by the Holy Spirit to gain a hearing for the gospel.
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