Connecting Like Jesus

A hands-on resource for all Christians who want to communicate with more passion and power. Tony Campolo and Mary Albert Darling have teamed up to explore the dynamic connection that occurs when spirituality/spiritual practices are combined with effective communication practices. Churches and other religious organizations depend on the ability of their leaders and members to communicate (speak, teach, and preach) within their congregations and beyond. This important, practical guide will reveal Campolo's preaching secrets and Darling's wise counsel as a professor of communication. Includes interviews with prominent Christian leaders and thinkers Written by two experts on the topic of communication and spirituality Tony Campolo is one of America's most remarkable and beloved Christian communicators This is a key resource written for any Christian who would like to become a more skilled and spiritually mature communicator.

Acknowledgments v An Introduction to Spiritually Charged Communication 1 Part One: Connecting Like Jesus 5 1 Spiritually Charged Communication: Relational Practices for Connecting Like Jesus 6 2 Soul Healing: Connecting Like Jesus through Care of the Soul 20 Part Two: Practices for Soul Healing 33 Mary Albert Darling 3 It Is About You: Knowing Yourself as the Starting Point for Soul Healing 34 4 From Fear to Freedom: Overcoming What Keeps Us from Others 52 5 Sacred Listening: Hearing with the Ears of God 64 6 Connecting Through Questions: Why Asking Is Better Than Telling 87 7 Conflict: An Opportunity to Connect 98 8 Redeeming Conflict: Prayers and Other Practices for Oneness 116 9 When Stories Tell the Story: The Power to Shape a Narrative 128 Mary Albert Darling and Tony Campolo Part Three: Practices for Teaching and Preaching 149 Tony Campolo 10 Preparing the Soil: Laying the Groundwork for Spiritually Dynamic Speaking 150 11 Planning Your Message: Crafting the Shape of Your Talk 171 12 Presenting Your Message: Why It All Leads Up to the Finale 192 Postscript for Spiritually Charged Communication 209 “One Another” Verses 211 Using This Book in Small Groups or Classes 213 Notes 217 The Authors 225 Index 227