As I mentioned yesterday, this summer will be the fifth anniversary of my first sermon/talk/message.   As I realized this anniversary was coming, I wanted to reflect on what I have learned…more from failure than success.  I started yesterday with lessons 1-5 and I continue today with lessons 6-10.

6. Never underestimate the power of personal stories.   In the beginning, I was all about the importance of the messages I wanted to bring.   As I went on, I learned that I needed to reveal more and more of who I was as I spoke.  I discovered that my own experiences added a level of humanity and accessibility to my messages that enabled people to connect more .  Whether you have 5 or 45 minutes, share stories about your own connection to that message.

7. Be funny.  Humor is one of the most undeveloped talents in speakers I have encountered.  Laughter breaks up tension and opens up the heart.   Humor lengthens our attention spans and reconnects our focus to the speaker.  I have needed a lot of development in this area.   My focus and attention in preparation do not always go here.  I am still growing a lot in this area.  

8. Maintain your voice – have a conversation.  One of my greatest struggles – and that of many other speakers – is developing “preacher voice.”  A friend has been coaching and working with me on being more conversational in my delivery.  I often change my voice and posture from a lunch with 4 other people vs. standing in front of 120 people. He reminds me, “Relax!  Have a conversation with your audience.”

9. NEVER ASSUME!  If you teach or preach in a church, this lesson is for you.  Never assume that your audience knows where to find Deuteronomy or Matthew, that they know why Abram is later Abraham.   Share how to find Philippians.   Give people time to find the six pages of Jonah.   There may be 1 person or 100 people in the room who do not know what you are talking about, but it is our responsibility to not lose anyone by assuming they are insiders with knowledge.

10. Own it, so that you can be transparent.  One of my biggest pet peeves is speakers who urge and preach to others, without giving any indication to their own weakness and struggle.  I feel this disconnect often occurs because we spend too little time letting the message we bring work on our own lives before we share it with others publicly.  When we own a message and let it marinate in our own hearts and lives, we can own it and share with passion  AND compassion.  We can share about our own failures and successes because we are preaching a message that we need just as much as our audience.

Thanks for letting me share my journey and lessons with you.  

-Scott