Preachers and teachers of the Bible have the most important task in the world—carrying the gospel message from their heart to their backyard and beyond. To do that, they must become effective communicators who artfully hold the interest of their listeners. The twenty–first century has created people with short attention spans. The most successful way to seize and hold their interest involves telling a story or illustrating the passage in some creative way. Every Ten Minutes helps with that challenge, by offering stories plucked from history and the headlines that are designed for use in applying the Biblical text to the listener's life. So… grab a story and grab their attention every ten minutes!

Pastor or teacher… Have you ever looked out over your students, audience, or congregation while speaking and noticed sleepy yawns, glazed-over eyes, or bored posture? The key to catching and keeping your listeners engaged depends on your ability to keep their interest. Shorter-than-ever attention spans plague us today due to our never-ending entertainment culture. The average American can listen about ten minutes before their mind begins to wander. Preachers and teachers can grab the attention of their audience at the beginning of any session and then keep them engaged throughout with fresh, applicable, and interesting stories. Every Ten Minutes holds a collection of heart-warming stories drawn from the pages of history, the lives of everyday people, and even a few personal reflections from the author. They work perfectly to open a class, close a sermon, or illustrate a point when teaching or preaching from the Scripture. Relax and rely on Every Ten Minutes to help you keep them engaged. The countdown just began… 10…9…8…7…6…5…4…3…2…1… quick, tell a story!

Cheryl Salter has taught Bible studies and ministered to hundreds of adult students for more than twenty years. She holds a Master of Arts in Biblical Studies from Dallas Theological Seminary and is currently a doctoral student in Educational Ministry.