Too Many Words: 8 Tips for Fixing Your Sermon Slides

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 by using less text on your slides.

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.

Fewer Words on the Screen

Text on a screen is troublesome. "But it's visual!" Wrong kind of visual, unfortunately.

Words are read. If your audience is reading, then they are not listening. If you are speaking the same words as are on the screen, then your audience is hearing their own "head voice" and your voice at the same time. 

When you do use words on the screen

1. keep them brief
2. Don't say the words at the same time they are being read
3. Do not use bullet points (one idea per slide)
4. If it's the same as what you're saying, delete it or put it up later

Blank Slides

1. Use them. Blank the screen when you want visual learners to focus elsewhere.
2. Make your blank slides uninteresting. Blackout is just fine.
3. Don't think that you need a theme design for your blank slides.
4. If it does not add to what you are communicating, delete it.