I write and speak about human communication, one of the most complex, mysterious, and satisfying activities. Good communication enables us to commune with others, to disagree civilly, and even to celebrate life. It's a gift.

This website includes information about my efforts to rediscover ancient wisdom about human communication. St. Augustine (circ 400) said that "all truth is God's truth." The same could be said for all wisdom about communication.

The beginning of all good human communication is listening. Listening is not merely "hearing." We "listen" with our whole beings — with all of our senses and with our hearts as well as our minds.

The more we try to communicate without first listening, the more confused, frustrated, and ultimately manipulative we become. This is partly why so many people's lives today are technologically rich and relationally poor. Listening is an under-appreciated art in the information age. The monastics often lived by a wonderful rule: "Speak only if you can improve upon the silence."

I explore the importance of listening in my book Habits of the High-Tech Heart: Living Virtuously in the Information Age. I also address it in a short book on using PowerPoint and video appropriately in worship: High-Tech Worship? Using Presentational Technologies Wisely. Another book, Here I Am, considers how human beings can listen for their calling. I published online an annotated bibliography on vocation (or "calling") that includes many of the sources used in the latter book.

An Essential Guide to Public Speaking: Serving Your Audience with Faith, Skill, and Virtue, is a short, practical, and inspiring guide to public speaking from a Christian (Augustinian) perspective. I show that one noble purpose of speaking is to use the gift of speech to serve the audience — to be a "servant speaker" who loves the audience as " neighbor." A website demonstrates some of the principles of servant speaking.

A recent book is Understanding Evangelical Media: The New Face of Christian Communication, co-edited with Robert H. Woods, Jr. An accompanying website includes information about everything from evangelical video games to evangelical theme parks and podcasting.

So have a listen — here, there and everywhere. You might discover some wisdom and deepen your communion with others.

home
bio info
in the news
speaking
projects
publications
reporter info
contact me

visit my blog