3 Tips To Improve Public Speaking and Communication Skills

In ministry, there are so many forms of public speaking, and it can be intimidating to practice. These three tips from Life.Church Campus Pastor Chris Beall are the perfect place to start practicing—and refining—your public speaking skills. Take your communication to a more effective level with the three Cs.

#1: Content

If you have a natural ability to spontaneously create great content, Pastor Chris challenges you not to rely only on that gift. Or, you may be the opposite and struggle with finding the right thing to say or the right way to transition. In either case, do the work of combing through your life and the world around you to find stories and leadership moments that matter. If they inspire you, more than likely they’ll inspire your church, too. Do the hard work of really thinking through and preparing strong content.

#2: Clarity

In Hollywood, there’s a phrase: “on the cutting room floor.” Production teams shoot hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of scenes for movies, and many of them never make it on the big screen. Those scenes were moments that were good, but not great. As we craft our content, we need to cut out all of the words that don’t bring value to the story or provide the listener with clarity. If you can say something in 10 words, never say it in 100. Everything you say after those words is diluting the potency of that leadership moment.

#3: Conviction

How moved are you by what you’re saying? If you feel as though you’re just making announcements and pushing information out, chances are your audience feels the same. Routine, the ups and downs of life, and distractions can sometimes be a hindrance to the passion behind your message. When you’re planning content, take a moment to remember why what you’re saying is important. As you’re stepping into a team meeting, on stage, or before any crowd, scan your audience. Look at their faces. Think about their lives, routines, and how God sees them. Know that the Gospel you’re about to deliver is what they need to hear and that God will use it to unlock something in their lives.

More Communication Training

Want even more communications tips? Watch more trainings on the Open Network, including these popular trainings:

• Stage Drills
• Communicating Tough Topics with Attenders
• Developing Stage Communication Skills