I cringe every time I go back into the archives to review a past message. They were so bad and it was a wonder that I didn’t get fired. My messages weren’t blasphemic they were just poorly executed. They lacked a central theme, they ran on too long and some of my analogies were far fetched. I know I might be a little hard on myself; however, over time I got better. My improvements in speaking and writing came from:
- Practicing
- Having Others Read It
- Watching A Recording Of My Delivery
- Observing Other Speakers
All of these strategies definitely helped; however, what took me to the next level was understanding the BASIC STRUCTURE of my message. By knowing the components that make up a good message I’ve been able to write with more ease and practice confidently. The 5 COMPONENTS of every message I deliver are:
- Stories – Everyone is drawn by a story, especially if it’s personal. You might feel as if you have nothing interesting to say about your life; however, people will think differently. Sharing a story in your message will allow teens to see the humane side of you. It’s especially affective when you use it to open up your talk. It’s an icebreaker.
- The Hook – Once you draw them in with a story you need a phrase, a question or a quote that’s going to hook them in deeper. Without the hook you can’t draw anyone into the meat of your message. Doesn’t matter if you are speaking purely about God’s truth, you need a hook. Lastly, the hook’s impact isn’t just about what you say; but, how you say it.
- God’s Word – This seems obvious; however, I’ve heard many speakers talk about God’s word without using it. The students need to hear the actual text because no one says it better than God. You might need to emphasize certain points and give analogies to help them understand the structure, just don’t leave it out.
- Application – What good is a message if it doesn’t provoke a movement? Your message needs application because as a youth minister you are called to lead students into action. Give your teens steps or a plan that will make the theme relevant to their lives.
- Vision Casting – A message needs to be inspiring and the best way to do that is through vision casting. Never shy away from telling students what their lives can be like when they embrace a relationship with Christ. Don’t over elaborate, simply inspire by giving them hope. Paint them a picture.
There are different structures and each work differently for different people. Your job is to find one that you feel comfortable with and to fine tune it. Becoming an effective speaker takes craft and practice; however, it also takes patience. The more you work on the components of the message the more it will enhance the content.
What does your speaking structure look like?