Larry Hollon's book "We Must Speak" discusses the importance of communication for Christians and the Church. It highlights how communication has allowed the United Methodist Church to raise millions for disaster relief, reduce malaria deaths in Africa, and inspire congregations to engage their communities. While new technologies have changed the communications landscape, the book argues that the Church must continue and expand its strategic communications efforts to share its message of hope and influence society.

1. Whatever the medium, communication
has always been at the heart of the Christian
life. We are created to be in relationship with
God and with one another. In this way, we are
created to communicate. We are called by God
to join in telling the story and communicating
God's invitation.

2. In His
Teaching,
Jesus told
stories.

3. One story he told was
about planting seed.
“Still other seed fell on good soil. It
came up, grew and produced a crop,
some multiplying thirty, some sixty,
some a hundred times.”
- Mark 4:8 NIV

4. In his book, "We Must Speak",
Larry Hollon tells stories -
stories about how
The United Methodist Church tells stories.

5. Larry Hollon is
an award-winning
communicator
with experience
in
print, broadcast
and digital
media.

7. Larry has worked in more
than 50 countries.
Early in his career as a pastor,
he hosted a radio talk show in
Omaha, Neb. From there, his journey led
him to television news, and he became a
documentary producer. Traveling
across Asia, South and Central America,
and Africa, he has used the lens
of faith to tell the stories
of people affected by poverty,
war and disasters.

8. Most importantly, Larry is a
storyteller and a child of God.
Those two passions have defined his course in life.

9. In this book,
Larry tells what
communications has
accomplished for
The United
Methodist Church
and starts the
conversation on
what action we
need to take next.
Lets start with an
overview of the
book.

10. In the foreword
Mike McCurry writes,
"Larry Hollon sets
out the case for why
we need to maintain
our voice in the
turbulence of the
modern era of
communications."

11. Mike McCurry is a former
White House press
secretary.

12. In the most connected era in human history,
as the tools of communication have
become ubiquitous and instantaneous,
one voice is missing.

13. As we rush headlong into the 21st century,
mainline denominations are not participating in a
strategic way in the ongoing public conversations
that are shaping moral and ethical values.

14. However, The United Methodist Church has
been a leader in communications, projecting the
Church's voice into the culture.
The stories in this book show that
communications as a ministry can bring change.

15. The United Methodist Church has used communications
to raise millions of dollars in response to disasters such as
Hurricane Katrina and the Haiti earthquake.

16. Deaths by malaria in
Africa have been cut in half,
with the help of collaborative
communications from
The United Methodist Church
and its partners.

17. "Fear is not the only force at work in the world today."
In the aftermath of the shock and devastation of 9-11, it was,
quite simply, a beacon. Those words delivered a message that helped to shape a
global response in the days following that horrific event. It was communication at
its most basic, providing a message of hope in a broken world.

18. The Rethink Church
effort has resulted
in 14,000 local
congregations around
the world creating
specific plans to
engage with their
communities.

19. RETHINKCHURCH
In 2011, its Impact Community program saw more than
420 churches activate nearly 25,000 people in changing their
communities, serving more than 443,500 people.

20. An effort related to Rethink Church known as
Change the World 2011 inspired more than
2,000 events in 15 countries, engaging 100,000
volunteers and impacting 500,000 lives.

21. Local congregations and general church agencies have used
a variety of media to call young adults into mission and outreach.
In 2011, about 4,500 churches mobilized more than 500,000
volunteers, serving 4 million people in 16 countries.

22. Mainline denominations must be a voice of influence
and witness in todays society, calling people to higher
ideals and expressing God’s redemptive promise of
life, peace and fulfillment to a struggling world.

23. Communications
has been at the heart of
Christianity's growth
throughout history.

24. So, what should we
do now?

25. We must continue to speak.

26. Only, now there are more
ways to communicate.
We can use communications as
a ministry, reaching people for Christ in
a digital culture and wired world.

27. Pray that I may declare it boldy, as I must speak.
Ephesians 6:20

28. We must not allow our
voice to be lost in todays
flood of information and
distractions and changing
climate of technology.

29. Communications outreach must be
done in strategic ways, geared to each audience
and using the technologies available in
different parts of the world.

30. We must raise the level
and quality of Christian
voice and witness in
todays media landscape.

31. We must engage the global church
in new and relevant ways through communications.

32. It's shown with stories...
Through communications, we can invite people into a
supportive community, offer an understanding of life lived
in relationship with a loving God and affirm values that
rest in the teachings of Jesus.
Together, through our connection, we can do this on both
a local and global scale, accomplishing more than any
individual or congregation can do alone.

33. We must empower the local church
to project its mission into the community.

34. What I tell you in the dark, speak in the
daylight; what is whispered in your
ear, proclaim from the roofs.
- Matthew 10:26-27 NIV

35. What's your story?

36. As people of faith, we
must consider our own
individual call to
communicate on behalf of
the church and the
opportunity we have to
reshape our culture.

37. We Must Speak
...because the greatest story of all, the
story of Jesus Christ, MUST be told.

38. There you have it.
A quick overview of the book
"We Must Speak"
(with some "extra" stuff thrown in).
Want to know more?

39. Read a copy today!
Download @
www.umcom.org/wemustspeak

40. Let your voice be heard!
Join the conversation.
Email: wemustpeak@umcom.org

41. The End.