The art of presenting - PART 1

11:28:00 Kikoprincess 0 Comments

I am about to start preparing for my first conference presentation today. Presenting information is an art. When I went through my undergraduate degrees, I paid special attention to speakers and presenters who were inspiring, those who were average and those that were just unintelligible. What set those inspiring presenters apart were their abilities to motivate and communicate their passion, it was their ability to reduce complicated ideas into simple manageable bits, and provide the audience with a punchline/take home message.

I have a long way to go before I am at that level. Currently, I am just trying my best to communicate my passion in a structured and organised way. Skills of signposting, leaving room for questions/comments can not be taken for granted. What is particularly difficult is to be able to condense hours, weeks, months of research findings into a 2 hour lecture or a one sided poster.

That leads me into a more spiritual conversation. If we are to spread the gospel, we too must use adequate presentation skills. We must plan. We must structure. We must understand the information needs of our audience. We must make sure we are intelligible. But we cannot do this without God's guidance and gifts...

1 Corinthians 14
Intelligibility in Worship
 1 Follow the way of love and eagerly desire gifts of the Spirit, especially prophecy. 2 For anyone who speaks in a tongue[a] does not speak to people but to God. Indeed, no one understands them; they utter mysteries by the Spirit. 3 But the one who prophesies speaks to people for their strengthening, encouraging and comfort. 4 Anyone who speaks in a tongue edifies themselves, but the one who prophesies edifies the church. 5 I would like every one of you to speak in tongues,[b] but I would rather have you prophesy. The one who prophesies is greater than the one who speaks in tongues,[c] unless someone interprets, so that the church may be edified.  6 Now, brothers and sisters, if I come to you and speak in tongues, what good will I be to you, unless I bring you some revelation or knowledge or prophecy or word of instruction? 7 Even in the case of lifeless things that make sounds, such as the pipe or harp, how will anyone know what tune is being played unless there is a distinction in the notes? 8 Again, if the trumpet does not sound a clear call, who will get ready for battle? 9 So it is with you. Unless you speak intelligible words with your tongue, how will anyone know what you are saying? You will just be speaking into the air. 10 Undoubtedly there are all sorts of languages in the world, yet none of them is without meaning. 11 If then I do not grasp the meaning of what someone is saying, I am a foreigner to the speaker, and the speaker is a foreigner to me. 12 So it is with you. Since you are eager for gifts of the Spirit, try to excel in those that build up the church.
 13 For this reason the one who speaks in a tongue should pray that they may interpret what they say. 14 For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful. 15 So what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my understanding; I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my understanding. 16 Otherwise when you are praising God in the Spirit, how can someone else, who is now put in the position of an inquirer,[d] say “Amen” to your thanksgiving, since they do not know what you are saying? 17 You are giving thanks well enough, but no one else is edified.

So until next time, even if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can move mountains :)

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