Summary, Scope, and Argument

In short, UX Preaching is about applying principles of design and usability from media and engineering industries to communicate effectively to the broadest subsect of hearers possible.

UX, short for User Experience, is the study of interactions between producers and consumers. UX is essentially the quality of a consumer’s interaction with a company’s product. UX refers to the viewer’s interaction with a digital media product, application, or marketing piece in visual communication. UX principles engage UD (Universal Design) priorities to support an ideal universality in the function of all things, especially media applications. UD seeks to communicate through any available means to be usable, useful, and understandable for all people. UD utilizes UX to produce communication designed for ease, equity, and flexibility.

When preachers apply UX principles to public speaking, they lighten the listeners’ cognitive load. They communicate broadly across more ethnic and cultural lines and are flexible in allowing listeners to hear in their own way. Therefore, these principles will increase the subsect of society that can benefit from a preacher’s message and the number of listeners who experience long-lasting life-change as a result.

The book is short and concise, applying the 22 UX principles as much as possible, given the written word is different than the spoken word.

Length

• 100 Pages
• 30,000 Words
• Introduction, 7 Chapters, Appendix

Completion Date

The full manuscript is complete and awaiting editorial.

Qualification and Justification

The book brings together two significant worlds: Biblical Communication and Digital Media.

I’ve spent years working in website development, social media and search engine marketing, and graphic design. I hold teaching credentials in Digital, Visual, Media Arts (DVMA) and Software, Systems Design (SSD). I also have a CSET in Music Education and hold a Level 2 certification as an Adobe Creative Educator and a Level 2 Certification as a Google Educator. Creative education is the world I live in.

But, I am not merely an educator. I am first-and-foremost a follower of Jesus, who God has called to lead and shepherd. I am the Lead Pastor of Palmdale Church in Southern California. We are shifting our education models to creative education platforms and pursuing digital and culturally relevant ways to communicate effectively in the digital world. I hold degrees in Christian Reason (BA, Sterling College) and Biblical and Theological Studies (MA, Knox Theological Seminary).

I completed several degrees and certifications online but have extensive physical classroom experience as a student and an educator. I believe my unique background and a blend of expertise have allowed me to write a truly unique book with great significance today.

In the future, I hope to write more books to develop UX Principles for many ministerial applications such as discipleship, evangelism, and small group ministries.

Audience

I geared this book towards regular preachers and seminary/Bible students. I believe that the principles apply broadly across theological, cultural, and ethnic definitions so that any theological tradition can utilize them. I avoid ethnic, gender, age, and denominational language wherever possible to highlight the communicatory principles for all audiences. (I felt it beyond the book’s scope to define who is or is not a biblical preacher or homiletician).

Of note, the UX communication principles in this book apply broadly to any type of public speaking. I hope to further develop public speaking resources in secular fields that demonstrate the underlying intelligent design features of UX and UD as a proto-evangelistic tool.

Competing Works

I could not find any works that precisely deal with this topic. However, some books hit on similarities on some points. The first addresses UX laws in the field of visual design. The next three address issues of preaching for a contemporary audience. Following is a fantastic work about design in the broader culture. Finally, the primary resource on TED communication is the most comprehensive review of effective TED strategies.

Laws of UX inspired this book in many ways. What separates Laws of UX from the rest is the focus on real science. The other works focus on observation as evidence rather than the sciences. UX Preaching does not get into the weeds of scientific data and research. It is founded on scientific and philosophical principles rather than merely experience and observation. For that reason, UX Preaching is set apart from all other related works.

• Laws of UX (2020) by Jon Yablonski
  • Addressed in the book, Yablonski presents 20 laws of UX for visual and product design. This work’s strength is that Yablonski connects psychology and hard science to principles of design. Yablonski, however, does not address audible communication in any way.
• Preaching: The Art of Narrative Exposition (2010) by Calvin Miller
  • Miller highlights the need for dialogue and visual images in preaching, designed to communicate effectively to younger audiences.
• The Laws of Communication for Preaching (2018) by Dave Snyder
  • Snyder presents a narrow set of laws for communicating the Gospel, guaranteeing that following his rules will produce results.
• The Shape of Preaching: Theory and Practice in Sermon Design (2007) by Dennis M. Cahill
  • Cahill addresses current issues in preaching. It is a process-based approach to following a theoretical framework for contemporary preaching.
• How Design Makes the World (2020) by Scott Berkun
  • Berkun demonstrates how design helps or hinders us in every avenue of life. He views design principles broadly to all areas of life and offers a new way to think about the world.
• Talk Like TED: The 9 Public-Speaking Secrets of the World’s Top Minds (2015) by Carmine Gallo
  • Reviews 9 principles most successful TED speakers utilize to engage and convince audiences.