Every format seems to have a default setting – what it reverts to without proper care and feeding. Some can sound cluttered, others can be inconsistent.

I’ve found that the CCM format has the tendency to default to sameness. Songs can sound alike. Air talent can sound instructive rather than inspirational. Sometimes it can sound like nothing more than…

…nice Christian people talking to nice Christian people about nice Christian things.

Well, that may be nice, but it doesn’t necessarily make for compelling programming.

Perhaps you’ve heard me say…

There is no format as compelling when done well … and no format as uncompelling when done poorly.

Too often we revert to facts and instruction rather than storytelling and emotional connection. I recently heard one station talk about how they would pray for their listeners, a noble thing indeed.

But the fact that they say that they do it isn’t compelling, it’s just a statement.

No one would find it compelling if we simply said that we had a conversation with someone. The potentially compelling part is the conversation. What transformation occurred because of the conversation?

Consider this…

“Research shows when people think analytically, they are less likely to think emotionally. The mere act of calculation reduces people’s charity. Once we put on our analytical hats, we react to emotional appeals differently. We hinder our ability to feel.”

In “Made to Stick,” Chip and Dan Heath share that the goal of the message is to make people care.

“Feelings inspire people to act. For people to take action, they have to care. To make people care about ideas we get them to take off their Analytical Hats.”

Don’t give me more data. Paint me a picture of why I should care.

And give me a free taco. With purchase.