Preaching to Visual Learners: 9 Ideas for Maps and Pictures

Of the four learning styles (visual, auditory, reading/writing, and kinesthetic), 65% of people are visual learners. 65% are visual, but we see most sermons designed around auditory and reading learners.

Scroll down to see some ideas for effectively preaching to visual learners using maps and pictures.

If you are unconcerned about your audience understanding what you are preaching, then skip this article. If you are interested in getting ideas about how you can effectively communicate to visual learners, keep reading.

Maps

1. Use a map to show the geography of the place you are talking about.
2. When talking about different locations in the same message, use a map to show how far apart they are. Texas overlaid on the Holy Land is a good one.
3. Use a modern map of your community to demonstrate the distance.
4. Use Google Earth to animate zooming out from your community and zooming in to the location your story

Pictures

1. Show pictures of other things happening in history at the same time.
2. Use full-screen images, without text, to convey an emotion or provide additional details that your words can't do justice in the time available.
3. Talking about the Temple? Use a diagram and highlight the different areas.
4. Ezekiel and the valley of dry bones: clip from The Lion King in the elephant graveyard.
5. When teaching about the 12 Apostles, use images of famous people who share their names. Think of the age range you are preaching to when coming up with your image:

• Simon Peter: Peter Dinklage; Peter Pan; Peter Parker; Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson; Rocky (Sylvester Stalone);
• Andrew: Andrew Garfield; Andrew Scott; Andy Samberg; Andrew Lincoln;  
• James: Lily James; James Franco; Jim Carrey; James Marsden;
• John: John Lennon; Johnny Cash; Johnny Depp;  
• Philip: Dr. Phil; Philip Seymour Hoffman; Phil Hartman;  
• Bartholomew: Bart Simpson;
• Matthew/Levi: Matthew McConaughey; Levi's Jeans; Dan Levy;
• Thomas: Tom Holland; Tom Brady; Tom Cruise; Tom Hardy; Tom Hiddleston; Tom Hanks; 
• James Son of Alphaeus: Same as above
• Simon the Zealot: Simon Cowell; Simon Seville (chipmunk);
• Judas: Jude Law
• Other Judas/Thaddeus: Judy Garland; Judah Friedlander;