The late pastor John Hall was asked by someone to give a description of the "Hearer I appreciate."

This is what he wrote:

1. One who has prayed for the preacher and for the blessings of the Lord on the congregation which is meeting that day.
2. One who is punctually in his pew with his family beside him.
3. One who has a Bible open and who devoutly follows the scriptures read as hearing God speaking to him.
4. One who takes a hymn book and joins in the praise of the Lord as earnestly as does the leader of praise.
5. One who in his heart joins in the prayer time.
6. One who remembers that we are in the presence of God and bears himself with reverence of manner and conversation.
7. One who looks for Christ and grace in the sermon and not for rhetoric, elocution, and clever statements.
8. One who listens, takes the message to himself, and has a comment afterward regarding the subject.
9. One who has a look and a word of Christian greeting for those near him in the church after the service, and a word of appreciation to the preacher.

John Hall