As a new believer, I tried my best to live up to the standards of God and what I thought He expected of me. Like Paul confessed in Romans 7, I learned that it was not possible to always do the things I have to do and to stop doing the things I shouldn’t. We all have to go through this process to find the real life in God, where we are no longer putting any confidence in the flesh (Philippians 3:3).
Some think there is little difference between being religious and being spiritual, yet to God it is the difference between bondage and freedom, between law and grace (Galatians 5:1-4). The religious man is preoccupied with the “letter of the law” while the spiritual man walks by the leading of the Holy Spirit and the “spirit of the law”. The religious man tries to please God through human effort, a “good showing in the flesh”, while the spiritual man is resting in his faith in God, knowing that there is nothing he can do to make God love him more. The transition from the religious life to the spiritual life is illustrated in the principle of the temple.
We are the temple
At Mount Sinai, God introduced the concept of the temple to the people of Israel in the form of a tabernacle, a temporary structure where the people would meet God and fulfill the requirements of the Law of Moses throughout the wilderness. Later, Solomon’s Temple was constructed in Jerusalem as a permanent dwelling for God. This temple was rebuilt under Zerubbabel and Ezra and then later, after its destruction a second time, under King Herod.
In John 2, Jesus entered the temple and began turning over the tables of the money changers, exposing their unfair treatment of visitors by extorting excessive payments for animal sacrifices and the exchange of foreign currencies for the temple tax. Many religious people were profiting from the poor in the temple. Jesus’ anger demonstrates just how important it is to have a cleansed temple.
Later in the chapter, Jesus identified the temple as His body rather than that large structure in Jerusalem where religious people met. In John 4, He spoke to the Samaritan woman about worship no longer needing to take place in any particular location, but rather the Father requires the proper heart that motivates worship (John 4:20-24). These passages reveal a change in the meaning and role of the temple in the New Covenant. In 1 Corinthians 6:19, our bodies and not any physical structure are now the temple of God.
Cleansing the temple
The Old Covenant temple was a grandiose place of splendor and awe where the believer visited to fulfill his religious duties and to receive all necessary teaching. In this way, he could go there to be religious while maintaining his personal life separate from the religious. It reminds me of the view of the Emerald City that Dorothy and her friends had with all of its magnificence and associated expectations. It was a great place to visit, with the hope of receiving everything they needed to defeat the evil witch, but in the end, it was not home. The New Covenant temple goes with us wherever we go because it is us! God wants to make His home in us.
Many times, the avenue from religious to spiritual requires a refiner’s fire (Malachi 3:2-3). God promises to “purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver.” Consider this story:
A woman went to see a silversmith in action. The silversmith explained that he had to put the silver in the hottest part of the flame in order to burn away the impurities. The woman asked if it was necessary for the silversmith to be present at all times. “Absolutely,” he answered. “If the silver remains on the fire for a moment too long, it could be destroyed.” The woman asked, “How do you know when the silver is refined?” The silversmith answered, “That’s easy. When I can see my image in it.” This story illustrates that this work of God in each of us is so that the reflection of Christ would be visible to others.
Choosing that which is profitable
In 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, Paul tells the believer that he no longer belongs to himself, but he now belongs to God because he has been bought with a price. It means that the spiritual man no longer has a personal life and he can now begin to recognize God’s work within, as the temple is being built. The religious man compartmentalizes his life in order to fulfill his religious requirements while maintaining his own personal life. The spiritual man recognizes he is now a work of God, being transformed by God rather than conformed by human effort. In verse 12, Paul says, “All things are lawful for me, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be mastered by anything”. In God’s economy, I can choose to do anything, but I choose the things that are beneficial for me, the things that will not control me and cause me to sacrifice my liberty, my right to choose good.
The transition from religious to spiritual is the process of embracing the reality that we are the temple and Jesus will cleanse us from all unrighteousness. The night before His crucifixion, Jesus took time to demonstrate this principle to His disciples when He washed their feet (John 13). Peter had a hard time with it until Jesus explained that “If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me.” Spirituality happens when we let Jesus do His work in us.
“A daily glimpse at the Holy One would find us subdued by His omnipresence, staggered by His omnipotence, silenced by His omniscience, and solemnized by His holiness.” – Robert Murray McCheyne
Inner Revolution examines our heart before God and His heart toward us. Simple agreement with the nature of who God is creates lasting transformation. Through this life journey of grace we discover and learn the riches of the almighty God. These pages, if taken prayerfully and transparently, could start a revival fire and mission that will consume your life. God has called you to an abundant life!
Passionate about reaching people with the Gospel, Jason Moore has traveled extensively. Since age 16, he has been involved in mission work and discipleship in eastern Europe, among the former Soviet-bloc countries, and in Asia and South America, as well as the United States. A graduate of Maryland Bible College and Seminary, he faithfully serves in his local church, Greater Grace World Outreach in Baltimore. Together with his wife, Leah, he helps disciple people to discover the riches of God’s grace.
“He who fears God fears no man. He who kneels before God will stand in any situation.” – Leonard Ravenhill
As we near the rapture, the religious landscape is becoming more secular. Ignorance and misinformation makes a more dangerous environment for the believer. Many young people see the church as “archaic and not relevant, nor valuable, to their everyday lives,” Every culture represents Jesus as a reflection of itself. This results in ignorance and misinformation.
As we move away from an absolute view of Christ we enter into what I want to call a “hipster view” of Jesus. A hipster is a person who follows the latest trends and fashions, especially those regarded as being outside the cultural mainstream. Feelings and image drive the hipster to be culturally accepted and culturally relevant. The 21st-century hipster is a subculture that is defined by claims to authenticity and uniqueness yet, ironically, is notably lacking in authenticity and conforms to a collective style.
A hipster view goes hand in hand with the “freethinker view” that saturates our culture. Webster defines a freethinker as a person who thinks freely or independently : one who forms opinions on the basis of reason independently of authority especially : one who rejects or is skeptical of religious dogma. A person who rejects accepted opinions, especially those concerning religious belief. Psychology Today refers to free-thinkers as “often defined by their rejection of religion, or at least of any organized form of religion. Freethinkers include atheists, agnostics, and rationalists. No one can be a freethinker who demands conformity to a bible, creed, or messiah. To the freethinker, revelation and faith are invalid.” Their definition of freedom is not the liberty a believer experiences in absolute truths.
An ecumenical belief ties in with these two previous views which makes up this cosmic lie. Ecumenism is a movement or tendency toward worldwide Christian unity or cooperation, through compromise. The avoidance of absolute truth delivers a broad definition of truth that is acceptable avoiding offence. This progressive way of thinking produces a cultural liberalism in which elevation of feelings and what is acceptable defines values on culture.
Compromise
As a Bible-believer, we are called to guard what is sacred. General or non-biblical views can lead to compromise. What feels right is not always right in Proverbs 14:12. As we study and learn absolute truth we are precise and informed of the character and nature of the true Jesus. Our savior and Lord came as the promised messiah, to seek and save the lost.
The world says that the historical Jesus was weak and irrelevant and his power operated from another source. Many misunderstood what he stood for and thought he was a failure. In 1 Corinthians 1:25, “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. […] For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength.” Jesus is the Absolute Truth–He is something that is true at all times and in all places. It is something that is always true no matter what the circumstances. This fact cannot be changed and surpasses all barriers.
Was Jesus a revolutionist? Yes! He was not able to be manipulated by people but rather he rallied people unto His Father and His teaching. He was not a conformist or having duplicity, but with a singularity of purpose, He was loyal to His Father. The world says that Christians are “narrow-minded” but in actuality, but absolute truth brings us into a large place in our heart. He satisfies the longing heart for what it was designed for–Him! He was radical, reflecting the truest form of truth for He is the Source.
Many today have relegated Jesus as a sort of “nice guy” and “cool teacher” status. Actually, He was far edgier than that. “Jesus was a total revolutionary,” writes Dave Burchett in When Bad Christians Happen to Good People. “He granted status to women where none existed in the culture. His views were strange and upsetting to those in power…”
Here is a good contrast of Jesus’ mindset to the worlds:
Kingdoms are about ruling people. God’s “Kingdom” is about serving people.
Kingdoms are about hierarchy. God’s “Kingdom” is about equality.
Kingdoms are about dominance. God’s “Kingdom” is about openness.
Kingdoms are about control. God’s “Kingdom” is about freedom.
Kingdoms are, ultimately, about power. God’s “Kingdom” is about weakness.
Jesus overcame everything that was thrown at him–even the grave! As we follow Him, we will be like Him!
Unadulterated Truth
Don’t lose sight of the biblical Jesus. Jesus is not meant to fit into our culture–we are meant to fit into His reality. The church and believer loses their effectiveness the more it looks or acts like the world. No wonder our methods don’t work; they are mixed with “hipster” ingredients.
Peter states in 1 Peter 3:1, “Beloved, I now write unto you; in both which I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance:” Peter is pointing to absolute truth, thinking in a pure mind. A true seeker of the faith may know what they want, not necessarily what they need. As we present the Jesus of the Bible, we discover the mystery of who He really is.
Our personal interpretation loses the true meaning of the biblical Jesus. There are many things in life we will not understand by natural means, but when we consider who Jesus is we will interpret Him correctly. His truth will set us free every time.
The best book I’ve ever read on the subject of the finished work of Christ is “The Reign of the Servant Kings” written by Joseph Dillow. On page 100, he includes the above diagram to illustrate the relationship between the journeys of the children of Israel and the Christian life. This illustration is worth a closer look.
The four columns show the four different states of any person from a New Testament Christian perspective. They include the natural man (unregenerate, unsaved), the carnal Christian (saved but not spiritual, of the flesh), the spiritual Christian, and the rewarded Christian. The diagram compares each of these New Testament conditions to the plight of the Jewish people from bondage in Egypt to finding their inherited land in Canaan. Scripture is full of these Biblical illustrations of spiritual principles.
Natural Man
In 1 Corinthians 2:14, Paul says, “But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised.” This man is comparable to the Jew still living in bondage in Egypt as illustrated in the first 11 chapters of Exodus. He has never acknowledged Jesus as Savior and is totally preoccupied with his worldly presence and priorities. The Jews were dealing not only with their bondage to Egypt, but also to the plagues that God was bringing against the Egyptians and their land and peoples. The natural man is totally subject to his environment and his desires.
Carnal Christian
Paul explains the carnal Christian in 1 Corinthians 3:1-3, “And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual men, but as to men of flesh, as to infants in Christ. I gave you milk to drink, not solid food; for you were not yet able to receive it. Indeed, even now you are not yet able, for you are still fleshly. For since there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not fleshly, and are you not walking like mere men?”
Carnal Christianity represents a true believer who has yet to find deliverance from the power of the sinfulness of his nature. The powers of his fleshly desires continue to govern his life in spite of the presence of the Holy Spirit within. His life is defined by continuous struggle similar to the Jews represented by Exodus 12 (the introduction of the Passover lamb–a picture of salvation) and Deuteronomy 34 (all of their wanderings in the wilderness). These are the ones who never make it to the promised land since they believed the bad report of the 10 spies in Numbers 13-14. They never find a home in their faith in God, but are always complaining about their situation. They are in the kingdom, but not able to find real joy in their salvation, so they continue to wander.
Spiritual Christian
Then there is the spiritual Christian, who has found deliverance from the power of his nature and the world and the devil. These are the ones who find their promised land, just as the second-generation Jews did in Joshua 1-11. Romans 12:1-2 says, “Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.”
The spiritual Christian has crossed the Jordan River into the promised land and recognizes that the quality of his life is not derived from his circumstances, but has allowed the Holy Spirit to lead, direct, and guide his life and decisions. He recognizes the warfare within the world itself and pursues spiritual maturity through his surrender to the will of God. He has made himself available to God’s purposes.
Rewarded Christian
The final step in the process to complete maturity in Christ is the rewards associated with that reality. These rewards are not only in the next life, but many are for our current existence. In 2 Corinthians 5:10, “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad”. Then there is 1 Corinthians 3:13-14, “each man’s work will become evident; for the day will show it because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the quality of each man’s work. If any man’s work which he has built on it remains, he will receive a reward.”
The Jewish counterpart to this state is found in Joshua 12-22 where the twelve tribes are given their promised lands. The New Testament equivalent to receiving the inheritance of land is faith-rest. Just as New Testament believers are rewarded for their works in heaven, these believers also find the victorious life in their ability to rest in any situation. The Apostle Paul says it this way in Philippians 4:11-13, “Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.”
The victorious life depends only on God, at His banquet table.
The following is a Facebook discussion that I tripped into one evening. Over the course of a couple days, the conversation developed until I felt compelled to offer a constructive rebuttal to the false doctrine of Immaculate Conception (the Catholic doctrine that Mary had to be without sin so our Lord could be born into our fallen world through a pure vessel.) I’ve reconstructed that conversation below.
Initially, JL posted the following graphic. The caption reads, “If the land that Jesus walked on is holy, imagine the womb that bore Him.” This obviously pins upon a very literal interpretation of Jerusalem’s romantic “Holy Land” title, forgetting Jerusalem is also called “Sodom and Egypt.” (Revelation 11:8)
Reads “If the land that Jesus walked on is holy, imagine the womb that bore Him.”
[MD] Required an Immaculate Conception
[JL] So few nonCatholics get that. Actually a lot of Catholics don’t even get it! Thanks for being aware.
[CA] JL, isn’t that why she’s called the ‘Virgin’ Mary?
[JL] CA, No. She was a dedicated virgin before she was incarnated by the Holy Spirit. Immaculate Conception means she was conceived without original sin inside her mother’s womb. So she never had to suffer the effects of original sin like the rest of us. God did this so she would be a pure vessel for His Son to be nurtured and grown in.
[MD] CA, Original sin is Eve’s disobedience and she and Adam eating the forbidden fruit. It was taught that every human was born with this sin on them. The Immaculate Conception means that Mary was miraculously absolved of Original Sin.
[Matthew] ? Then you’re saying she didn’t need a Savior?
[MD] God made a bargain with her in order that she could be worthy to carry God in her womb. I guess that she was the first human that was saved, and all Three were involved. God the Father sanctified her by removing Original Sin, God the Holy Spirit impregnated her, and she grew and bore God the Son.
[JL] She is the only human ever born who did not need to be saved from sin because she was created without sin. This is why Gabriel greeted her with the words, “Hail Mary full of Grace..” No one before her could be full of grace because they were under the influence of Original Sin.
[Matthew] Fascinating. Then you’re saying there were two spotless lambs; one spotless lamb gave birth to the one was slain before the foundation of the world.
[JL] Matthew, not quite. John the Baptist called Jesus the “Lamb of God” because He would be sacrificed on Calvary. Mary was never considered a “spotless lamb” because she was not sacrificed for our sins. Even so, we call her Immaculate Mary honoring her being conceived without sin. I’ve considered her my other mother ever since I was a small child.
It was here that MD suggested I join the Jesuits to further my studies and nods at JL who apparently has a Dominican educational background. While I let the offer pass me by, I’ll confess I looked into the origins and validity of the Jesuit Oath that has made its way around the Internet. I chose to stay out of those weeds.
[Matthew] JL, thanks for explaining. I want to assure you I’m not trying to be a jerk. Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts with me on this. Tonight, this conversation pushed me into an area of study I knew I needed to eventually do! I now know “Mariology” is a term; I had no idea!
I grew up Catholic and still have plenty of beloved family members in the Catholic church. Since coming to Christ, I’m learning there are plenty of doctrines in Christendom that just aren’t Biblical. Beyond that, there are also doctrines that may be Biblically-argued but are actually built upon misunderstandings of the text (I’m thinking of pre-Tribulation rapture as I write this. :) )
Before I start pitching Scripture at you, I want to recommend using a resource like Bible Hub to place different translations alongside one another for gaining consensus within the text. It is also a great resource for quickly diving into the Greek using the Strong’s Concordance. (e.g. https://biblehub.com/matthew/1.htm) You’re probably already aware of it, but I wanted to mention it, just in case.
Back to our conversation…
Yes, honor Mary for her role in our Lord’s life. Absolutely. But the notion that Mary was without sin is a fabrication by the Catholic church that was only recently ratified in the 1800’s; it’s not Biblical. In fact, it actually conflicts with the Word of God. Here are some verses toward that end:
“All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23);
“If any man says he has no sin he is a liar and the truth is not in him.” (1 John 1:8);
“My spirit rejoices in God my Savior” (as spoken by Mary herself, recognizing she too needed a savior.) (Luke 1:47).
Regarding Mary’s sinless purity, a good place to start might be by looking at her marriage to Joseph. Some people try to deny Mary and Joseph ever consummated their marriage. This flies in the face of first-century Jewish wedding customs where the marriage wasn’t considered complete until it had been sexually consummated (known as the yichud, this harkens back to Genesis 2:24 where we see the idea of two becoming one.) The Word tells us they waited to consummate their marriage until after Jesus was born:
“Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife: And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS.” (Matthew 1:24-25, KJV)
This is the same “knowing” we see Mary use in Luke 1:34: “Then said Mary unto the angel, ‘How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?'” Mary and Joseph were already betrothed to one another (v27), so we can be certain Mary isn’t speaking to an absence of available bachelors in Nazareth.
This is further supported by additional witnesses—the subsequent siblings of Jesus!
“Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at him.” (Mark 6:3)
“Is not this the carpenter’s son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas? And his sisters, are they not all with us? Whence then hath this man all these things?” (Matthew 13:55–56)
When Paul returned to Jerusalem following his conversion, he reports meeting with Peter (Cephas), “But of the other apostles saw I none, save James the Lord’s brother.” (Galatians 1:19)
The Lord’s brothers are also referred to with (and separately from) the apostles in 1 Corinthians 9:5.
Finally, one of the more thorough accounts of Jesus’ siblings: “There came then his brethren and his mother, and, standing without, sent unto him, calling him. And the multitude sat about him, and they said unto him, ‘Behold, your mother and your brethren without seek you.'” (Mark 3:31–32) I believe this ties back to v21 where the NIV and ESV say, “And when his family heard it, they went out to seize him, for they were saying, ‘He is out of his mind.'”
Shocking to think that there might have been moments when Mary wasn’t fully tracking with Jesus’ ministry, right? In fact, Jesus’ brothers didn’t join His ministry until after His resurrection: “For even his own brothers did not believe in him.” (John 7:5, NIV)
Though Mary may not have always been fully on-page with Jesus’ ministry, she was there with Him at the cross when none of Jesus’ brothers were. This is likely why our Lord entrusted Mary to John who was there with her. (More on that here: https://www.gotquestions.org/Jesus-Mary-John.html)
We see mother Mary again–and now Jesus’ brothers as well–with the 120 in the upper room, per Acts 1:12-14: “14 They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.” Several days later, the Holy Spirit descended upon them and the prophet Joel’s prophesy began its fulfillment.
The best thing for anyone to do in studies like this is to hold what we believe loosely and get clear on what the Word of God says. We do not want to be held in bondage by the doctrines of fallible men (this includes popes) but we do want Him to grow us up into all things unto Christ. (Ephesians 4:15)
Thank you, sister!
[JL] I’m not going to respond very much because I’m one day post-op on my knee. I’ll just ask you to start looking into the Church Fathers and their writings. These are the men who were taught by the apostles and wrote about the miracles and teachings of these holy men as they explained the Gospel.
[Matthew] Rest up, J! Feel better soon and merry Christmas!
This was the last of the conversation. Notice JL’s response was for me to go seek the teachings of the early Church fathers instead of dealing with the text itself. The Scriptures I cited were from the first Church fathers!! Why would I seek third-century teachings—several generations removed—to help clarify texts that read as clearly as these? (I’ll save that research for understanding the book of Revelation!)
My prayers are for both sisters, JL and MD, to be open to releasing this man-made doctrine. (John Calvin pointed out once that not even Mary herself would be comfortable with the amount of glory she’s being paid.) I deliberately stayed away from exposing the connection between Marian worship and the Egyptian goddess, Isis, because I didn’t want to overwhelm them; it would just muddy the waters. Furthermore, I wanted to bring them back to the Word of God which we know doesn’t return void; those were the seeds I wanted to lovingly, but truthfully, plant.
UPDATE 2/6/2021
For further extra-biblical support on this position, Jewish historian Flavius Josephus, in his Antiquities of the Jews, references James and identifies him as the brother of Jesus. Scholars date the final books of Antiquities in the 13th year of the reign of Roman emperor Flavius Domitian which was around AD 93 or 94. From The Antiquities of the Jews:
And now Caesar, upon hearing the death of Festus, sent Albinus into Judea, as procurator. But the king deprived Joseph of the high priesthood, and bestowed the succession to that dignity on the son of Ananus, who was also himself called Ananus. Now the report goes that this eldest Ananus proved a most fortunate man; for he had five sons who had all performed the office of a high priest to God, and who had himself enjoyed that dignity a long time formerly, which had never happened to any other of our high priests. But this younger Ananus, who, as we have told you already, took the high priesthood, was a bold man in his temper, and very insolent; he was also of the sect of the Sadducees, who are very rigid in judging offenders, above all the rest of the Jews, as we have already observed; when, therefore, Ananus was of this disposition, he thought he had now a proper opportunity. Festus was now dead, and Albinus was but upon the road; so he assembled the sanhedrin of judges, and brought before them the brother of Jesus, who was called Christ, whose name was James, and some others; and when he had formed an accusation against them as breakers of the law, he delivered them to be stoned: but as for those who seemed the most equitable of the citizens, and such as were the most uneasy at the breach of the laws, they disliked what was done; they also sent to the king, desiring him to send to Ananus that he should act so no more, for that what he had already done was not to be justified; nay, some of them went also to meet Albinus, as he was upon his journey from Alexandria, and informed him that it was not lawful for Ananus to assemble a sanhedrin without his consent. Whereupon Albinus complied with what they said, and wrote in anger to Ananus, and threatened that he would bring him to punishment for what he had done; on which king Agrippa took the high priesthood from him, when he had ruled but three months, and made Jesus, the son of Damneus, high priest. (The Antiquities of the Jews Book 20, Chapter 9, 1.)
Virtual events are NOT going away anytime soon, so we had better get used to them. Many of us have been pushed into the unfamiliar waters of conducting virtual events. While we may be getting bruised egos and skinned knees out of the deal, we also have the uncomfortable opportunity to grow our reach well beyond the walls of our typical efforts.
In this season of virtual summits and webinars, we’ve compiled a checklist and an introductory letter template for your presenters. While having a diverse panel of presenters can bring well-needed variety to your event, having a diverse range of technical prowess and presentation quality on a virtual event can make for a rough experience for producers, presenters and the audience.
IMPORTANT: You will want to test your virtual event platform (Microsoft Teams, Zoom, Cisco Webex, etc.) weeks in advance of the big day. Set up the link early and test with your core event support team first. You may find your core team works through their slides and the event agenda several times before they are ready to open up a couple dry runs to the larger presenter team. This is healthy and preferred. Count on at least four or more dry runs depending upon the size and complexity of your event.
Here is an example of a letter from the event coordinator to the presenters. The virtual presenter checklist follows.
Letter Sample from Event Coordinator
Thank you for agreeing to present at the virtual [name of the event] this [date(s)]!
[Your organization] event staff will be scheduling a time to either record your presentation or schedule your dry run rehearsal, but in the meantime, we have compiled a checklist to help ensure your success as a presenter.
A couple things:
Before Your Dry Run Date
Please work through the Virtual Presenter Checklist below. If you have questions, please contact [name, email and phone number of the event coordinator or speaker handler].
On the Day of Your Dry Run
During your dry run session, event staff will review the Virtual Presenter Checklist below. Please use the same phone, computer and Internet connection you plan on using the day of your presentation. Event staff will ensure you know how the web conferencing software works and will discuss how to interact with the audience and your slides. We will also check the flow of your slides and will work out in advance any speaker/moderator rhythms. If possible, use your dry run rehearsal as your own final content deadline.
We’re looking forward to working with you!
[Your organization] event team [or use the event coordinator’s name here]
VIRTUAL PRESENTER CHECKLIST
Connection & Computer
Plug directly into your network if you can; WiFi connections can be flaky.
If you must use WiFi, disconnect all unnecessary devices from your WiFi (i.e. smart TVs, Alexa/Google home, cellular devices, etc.)
Shut down VPN, email, instant messaging, and any programs NOT being used and reboot your machine.
Turn off all cell phones and mobile devices.
If you have two phone lines, make sure that the second line will not be ringing.
If possible, do not use a speakerphone or cell phone to deliver your presentation.
Use a modern browser such as Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge or Firefox.
Close unnecessary browser tabs and pause software updates or backup routines running in the background.
Get the video call link in advance and test your ability to connect to it.
If you plan on sharing a movie or audio clip, our first recommendation is: don’t. Streaming such content through a second stream often doesn’t play well. Movies may lag and pixelate, and sound often digitizes and breaks up. If you must share a movie or audio clip, we would encourage you to share the link in advance, or–for longer clips–maybe take a break to have your group review the content and then reconvene your session.
Camera & Lighting
Adjust web camera position to center yourself leaving a small margin over the top of your head and having both shoulders in the frame.
Position your camera at or slightly above eye level.
Use a front-facing light source to ensure the audience can see you clearly and to reduce shadows.
Avoid back-light (or lights from above) as it creates shadows. Where needed, supplement by putting a lamp or ring light behind your webcam.
Sound & Clarity
Test your computer’s microphone well in advance. External headphones or microphones often work better and can be a good investment.
To avoid an echo, make sure to join with your microphone and speaker muted.
Plug in and turn on or un-mute your earphone, headphone or microphone prior to beginning your presentation.
Try not to use a speakerphone or cellphone. Speakerphones pick up background noises like rustling papers and squeaking chairs. Cellphones may drop signal, offer fuzzy sound or run out of battery power.
Before the presentation, moderators may ask you to speak into the microphone so they can test audio levels. Simply speak the same way that you would while giving your presentation.
Avoid “non-presentation” comments or conversing with anyone else until the moderator signals the recording has stopped. This should be right after your closing comments and releasing the audience.
If using a lapel microphone, clip to your lapel or tie, or on the outside of your clothing away from any jewelry.
You & Your Environment
Try to wear solid colors, pastels, medium shades or off-white shirts and blouses. (Pro tip: Darker color clothing tends to offer better contrast.)
Don’t wear busy, striped or wavy patterns. Some cameras struggle with stark white, stark black, stripes, checkers or other patterns.
Avoid shiny, loud, noisy or distracting jewelry or accessories.
Remember: you are not talking to the camera, but rather through the camera. Imagine the audience on the other side.
Reduce clutter in your background. Is there a way your background can align with the message you want to convey?
Use neutral and subtle colors in the background to keep the focus on you. Plants, appropriate artwork and bookshelves may add visual variety without competing with you.
Ensure your background is free of visual distractions such as windows to public areas or other workers.
Our recommendation is to avoid using virtual backgrounds, due to their ghostly “disappearing body parts” quality. Still, if you feel you must use a virtual background, make sure it is professional, simple and not distracting.
Make sure you are in a quiet room. Have plans for avoiding interruptions from children, pets, contractors, neighbors, etc.
Your Slides & Timing
Please use the slide template provided by the event team (if applicable). This will help carry the event look and feel throughout the audience experience.
You are the presentation, not your slides. Too many words on a slide hurts readability. Slides should be used to bring color or reinforce the idea you are proposing.
Try to limit to one idea on each slide (one image, one chart, less than 6 bullet points, etc.)
Your slides are not your handout. If you want to offer a leave-behind or your presentation notes, please provide those to the event coordinators and talk about when that material should be delivered to summit attendees. Usually this will be after you present to avoid competing with your presentation.
If you wish to protect your copyrighted material, it is your responsibility to inform the organizers of the event in advance.
Run through your presentation to practice your timing, content and delivery. Please try not to go over your allotted time, but also try not to fall substantially short of your expected time.
Recommended viewing: Please enjoy this TEDx talk “How to avoid death By PowerPoint” by David JP Phillips: https://youtu.be/Iwpi1Lm6dFo
On the Big Day
Have a printout of all your presentation slides in front of you in case technology fails.
Have water handy in case your throat becomes dry.
Be online 30 minutes prior to the start of the webinar.
Check your posture. Sit up straight or stand for best vocal clarity. Enunciate clearly; avoid shouting or mumbling.
Make sure to acknowledge your online audience.
Don’t point or wave to items on the screen and remember not to use references like “as you see over here”, or “right there” – instead refer vocally to the actual item of slide content you are presenting – e.g. “…as you can see on the red bar of the chart” or “as per the third bullet point on the slide”, etc.
Avoid excessive movement like swaying or pacing.
Be conscious of your body language and realize that you are being watched continuously by your viewers. (No pressure!)
Fielding Audience Questions
At the start of your session, your moderator should request that your audience write their questions in the chat field. Once your presentation is complete, the moderator will collect any questions from the chat and present them to you.
