Jumpstarter 7 of 10

Direct Answer Based on Bercot’s teaching, listening is not passive consumption but a form of participation that either encourages or discourages the speaker and the whole meeting. If listeners saw attentiveness as ministry, sermons and classes would become more uplifting, speakers would have more joy and energy, and the congregation would contribute to building up rather than draining the room.

Support from Transcript:

• He says many think a sermon is “a one-way conversation,” but “you need to make it a two-way conversation… by being an encouraging listener.”
• The “best and easiest way” is to “simply pay attention,” because “a speaker can tell whether you’re listening.”
• A higher level is “listen with an encouraging smile,” which he calls “uplifting… makes speaking a joyful experience.”
• He describes how one smiling listener “stand[s] out like a beacon,” and he “keep[s] returning to them” for encouragement.
• He warns about “discouraging listeners” who “suck the energy out of you as a speaker.”
• He lists active listening behaviors: “constant eye contact,” “nod your head occasionally,” “look it up and read along,” “take notes.”