SAYING IT WELL

Tuesday, January 31, 2012

SAYING IT WELL

Touching Others With Your Words

By Charles R. Swindoll

OVERVIEW: Bestselling author and master communicator Charles Swindoll has been effectively speaking to others for over fifty years. In Saying It Well: Touching Others with Your Words he shares his secrets on how to talk so people will listen. Filled with techniques, stories, and models that clearly explain the formulas for successful speaking, Swindoll teaches readers the foundational principles for how to communicate, from preparing for a speech, organizing thoughts, and filtering out the superfluous to overcoming fears, grabbing the listener's attention, and knowing how and when to stop. With humorous stories and inventive, practical tips, one of America's premier communicators shares decades of experience on how to speak with authority in every situation, persuade others to consider the reader's perspective, overcome the reader's fears of public speaking,and love others more effectively with the reader's words. He also shares his personal story and his journey to becoming a world-famous speaker.

AUTHOR: Dr. Charles Swindoll has devoted more than four decades to two passions: an unwavering commitment to the practical communication and application of God's Word, and an untiring devotion to seeing lives transformed by God's grace. Swindoll graduated magna cum laude from Dallas Theological Seminary and has since been honored with four doctorates. For his teaching on Insight for Living, he has received the Program of the year award and the Hall of Fame award from the National Religious Broadcasters, as well as multiple book awards.

MY REVIEW: "Who is the best preacher you have on tape?" I asked the lady in the church office. She didn't hesitate. "Have you heard Charles Swindoll?" "No." I said. "I have never even heard of him." That was many years ago. I borrowed a couple of cassette tapes from the church library. That was over thirty years ago. I have been listening to Charles Swindoll ever since. I have heard him preach from his pulpit when he lived in California and I have heard him speak at Bible conferences. I have listened to more of his sermons on tape than I can remember and I have read most of his books. He is one of my favorite preachers!

I recommend this book to all preachers―especially young ones and to anyone who speaks publicly and wants to touch others with their words. Swindoll not only knows how to say it well from the lectern he says it well in writing. Because of my great fondness for him as a person, I especially enjoyed the way he shared his personal life. Even though it is only January, I can say without doubt―this will be one of my favorite books of the year.

(I am thankful to FaithWords of Hachette Book Group for giving me this book for review.)