When I was a young boy I would throw rocks into water and watch them either go skipping across the water or hit the water and make a splash and sink to the bottom. Then I began to think about how the Word of God can just go skipping on by and skim the tops of our hearts, or can make a direct hit and sink down into our hearts and create a change. Now that is not where it stops. Just as a rock hits the water there are ripples, as does the Word of God. With Kingdom's Messages-To-Go this is possible. As Christians we have a choice after hearing a sermon on Sunday to just leave and retain little like the rock that goes skipping on across the water and makes little effect. Or we have the opportunity to get a message through many facets like a tape, cd, dvd, or podcast to bring the Word not only to ourselves but to the lost, broken, and needy. This will cause a ripple effect that will continue to carry the Word across the world. Acts 1:8 Which rock are you? Are you making ripples?
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Good morning Dan,
I did some Biblical thinking on memory and retention. Would you be surprised if I said I think I found a parable that applies to brain research and memory? How about the parable of the sower and its four categories of hearers? Did you ever compare the categories with each other? The first three speak of things being quickly forgotten, what is heard is crowded out by the cares of the world, and there is no mention of any fruit. [That reminds me of short-term memory. Short-term memory is where lots of events continually pass across our attention. None of these stick because other short-term events quickly displace them.] The fourth sower category says that they "retained" what they heard and it bore fruit of 30-60-100 fold. Fruit is mentioned only in this category. The word "retained" is definitely long-term memory. [So how does one get things to go into long-term memory? Probably by two ways. One is something that happens in a shocking manner and the other is by repetition. God certainly has shocking ways of getting our attention. For the repetition way, two things must happen. It must be repeated an X number of times within an X amount of time. I know for music, a melody must be repeated within 30 SECONDS or it is forgotten. Just think, 30 seconds is the critical period for music. The requirement of how many times differs from person to person. I'd bet the spoken word may not be too far off from music because they're both aural.] So I conculde from this the moral of the story is: We need to hear things multiple times to progress out of the first three sower categories into the fourth category. Do you think Jesus' ratio of three failure categories to one success category could mean that 3/4 are living in failure and only 1/4 is living in success?
Dave
Here is how I explain the concept to customers that are already recording their Sunday sermons. If there are the proper tools and equipment in place to record and duplicate the messages whether it's by tapes, cd's, or dvd's it's best to place them out available for members to take home with them right after service. It's fresh in their minds and those attending are not given the chance to forget. This will help us individually in growth by retaining more of that message by listening to it again as many times as needed. I heard it once said that when we hear a message only 1 time after a 30 day time period we will only retain about 5% of that message. Now you and I both know that is not enough. The Word of God declares that Faith comes by hearing, and hearing the Word of God. So for us to allow it to sink and resonate within our spirits we must discipline ourselves to listening again because there will always be something more we can get. Then from there we can pass it along to a friend, relative, or co-worker and help them understand as well and help build them up in the Word. It's a win win. This will help you retain and also those around you. The more we grow the more the Kingdom of God grows. Amen
Hi Dan,
I agree that we need to be outreach minded. I think your analogy of tossing a rock two ways and the ripple effect is cool. I have two questions about some things you said. (1) What is Kingdom's Messages-To-Go? And (2) how do I retain more of a Sunday message? I find myself forgetting quickly. If my wife cannot be in the service because of Super Church or Nursery and asks me later, I am hardpressed to explain to her more than one or two points. And if she asks for more, it's embarrassing.
Dave
Replies
I did some Biblical thinking on memory and retention. Would you be surprised if I said I think I found a parable that applies to brain research and memory? How about the parable of the sower and its four categories of hearers? Did you ever compare the categories with each other? The first three speak of things being quickly forgotten, what is heard is crowded out by the cares of the world, and there is no mention of any fruit. [That reminds me of short-term memory. Short-term memory is where lots of events continually pass across our attention. None of these stick because other short-term events quickly displace them.] The fourth sower category says that they "retained" what they heard and it bore fruit of 30-60-100 fold. Fruit is mentioned only in this category. The word "retained" is definitely long-term memory. [So how does one get things to go into long-term memory? Probably by two ways. One is something that happens in a shocking manner and the other is by repetition. God certainly has shocking ways of getting our attention. For the repetition way, two things must happen. It must be repeated an X number of times within an X amount of time. I know for music, a melody must be repeated within 30 SECONDS or it is forgotten. Just think, 30 seconds is the critical period for music. The requirement of how many times differs from person to person. I'd bet the spoken word may not be too far off from music because they're both aural.] So I conculde from this the moral of the story is: We need to hear things multiple times to progress out of the first three sower categories into the fourth category. Do you think Jesus' ratio of three failure categories to one success category could mean that 3/4 are living in failure and only 1/4 is living in success?
Dave
Here is how I explain the concept to customers that are already recording their Sunday sermons. If there are the proper tools and equipment in place to record and duplicate the messages whether it's by tapes, cd's, or dvd's it's best to place them out available for members to take home with them right after service. It's fresh in their minds and those attending are not given the chance to forget. This will help us individually in growth by retaining more of that message by listening to it again as many times as needed. I heard it once said that when we hear a message only 1 time after a 30 day time period we will only retain about 5% of that message. Now you and I both know that is not enough. The Word of God declares that Faith comes by hearing, and hearing the Word of God. So for us to allow it to sink and resonate within our spirits we must discipline ourselves to listening again because there will always be something more we can get. Then from there we can pass it along to a friend, relative, or co-worker and help them understand as well and help build them up in the Word. It's a win win. This will help you retain and also those around you. The more we grow the more the Kingdom of God grows. Amen
I agree that we need to be outreach minded. I think your analogy of tossing a rock two ways and the ripple effect is cool. I have two questions about some things you said. (1) What is Kingdom's Messages-To-Go? And (2) how do I retain more of a Sunday message? I find myself forgetting quickly. If my wife cannot be in the service because of Super Church or Nursery and asks me later, I am hardpressed to explain to her more than one or two points. And if she asks for more, it's embarrassing.
Dave