Weekly Thought – March 3, 2026
Fred studied communication throughout his life. He sat down in the 1980s and wrote our ten material elements of good speaking. Often, speakers and speakers-to-be visited with Fred for clarity on the process.
Thanks for including BWF in your prayer life. We seek to continue Fred’s work of stretching others while blessing them to the glory of God.
Commanding Communication
These didn’t come from Sinai, but from years of trial and error. Somebody asked me to outline the speaking process and this is my shot at it:
1) Be believable – The first step to being believable is to believe in your message. Then, your style, dress, speech patterns, vocabulary must be in agreement. Speaking with authority without talking down to the audience allows them to relax and believe in you.
2) Be audience oriented- have the attitude of the servant, never the master. There should always be gratitude for the opportunity to be there. And, importantly, speak to the audience about a subject, never about a subject to the audience.
3) Be personal – There should be a one-on-one relationship between the speaker and the audience. Good communication occurs when the speaker is not removed, or even worse, accusatory.
4) Be prepared – Speak out of the overflow of preparation. Have enough material that appropriate shifts can be made when needed. Be a well-spring of freshness, not a dry hole. Keep on reading, learning, studying before speaking.
5) Be enjoyable – Always give illustrations that allow the audience to take away the key points. Audiences respond to stories – but keep them to the point. Rabbit trails confuse the audience. Giving hope is your job as a communicator. Share good news.
6) Be human – You are not the Messiah, you are not inerrant, you have a message from one human to other humans. Use humor appropriately to move the message. Never use blue humor – it demeans the speaker and the audience.
7) Be empowered – Speak with a pure motive and a clean heart. You are the pipe, not the pump. Let the message flow through you.
8) Communicate to change behavior – Move the audience to take action, but never “work them.” Inscribe on your brain: my job is to motivate, not manipulate.
9) Pray before you speak – I prefer praying before to having the audience praying as I speak, “Help him, Lord; Help him!”
10) Leave them wanting more from you and about the subject. And never violate the time you’ve been given. If the program shortens your time, shorten your speech.
Bottom line: Speak to express, not impress. Communicate to bless.
This week think about: 1) How can I apply these points to my speaking? 2) Which one is most helpful right now? 3) What message do I have to communicate?
Words of Wisdom: “Speak to express, not impress.”
Wisdom from the Word: “For you were made rich in every way in him, in all your speech and in every kind of knowledge.” (1 Corinthians 1:5 NET Bible)