Public Speaking Tip - Speak to Empower

One can speak to inform, speak to entertain, speak to persuade, speak inspire and speak to motivate. For students those kinds of talks are often a part of their diet, whether it’s the info they learn from school, entertained by the class clown, or some program on television that inspires. What many students are missing are people who speak to empower.
Students are informed ABOUT God, or inspired to LIVE BY FAITH as Noah did, and persuaded to keep their WALK WITH JESUS. But are they being empowered to carry out their personal relationship with Christ after you are gone?

EMPOWER verb - to give power or authority to; to give ability to; enable or permit.  dictionary.com

SPEAKING TO EMPOWER
How Do You This?

1.      Personal Example - Share with students the problem or the circumstances, followed by what you did or how you applied God, ending with the positive result!  For the greatest impact it must be YOUR personal story, not someone else’s.

2.      Ask your students... Would you like to be equipped in this or know how to do this?  Buy in. If you develop it well, they’ll be hungry for it. That yes, puts them in a posture to learn.

3.      Teach Them – Break it down. What did you do? How did you do it? Keep it simple, have your props if they are required. Depending on what it is, show them!

4.      Have them Practice it – This is the experience. Have them do the exercise on your watch. This is a part of your message. If they have questions, you are right there to ask.

5.      Have them Share – What was their experience?  Faith is contagious. Even when there are students who didn’t get anything out of the exercise, hearing the testimony of others wakes them out of complacency or helps them to lighten up and not overanalyze the exercise enabling or inspiring them to give it another chance.

TASTE and SEE that the Lord is Good. (Psalm 34:8) 

Develop talks or messages that create opportunities for students to experience God themselves. How do you hear God speak? How do you hear God speak through nature, sidewalks and lamp posts. How to pray scripture and the power of it. Don’t talk about it show them how you do it. How do you find verses on healing. Teach them or put together a list of verses on various topics so when they need to pray, they can go to their list. Teach them to write their own message. Empower them. You are giving them tools to develop their relationship with God.

 “There are moments and messages with you that I will never forget and have truly helped me in life. The first. Letting peace fight our battles. I still remember laying on the floor in the prayer room, and you speaking on peace and teaching us that when we come to a place of surrender and peace with God, He fights our battles for us. That has never left me, it has helped me through the hardest times in my life. Whether dealing with family issues, my time in Ottawa where peace literally seemed impossible, or even when I found myself drifting away, I found it was His peace and love that drew me back.”  Jeff Turner-Hayes 23          

(A facebook message I received in June from a young man who use to be in my youth group – The most memorable messages for students were the ones when I empowered them.)

When it comes right down to it, you can only empower someone if you yourself are empowered. You can’t teach them what you don’t know yourself. What do you do or what have you done that has empowered your relationship with God?  Pass that knowledge on and empower.

You Can Only Empower Someone, When YOU Have The Power

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Empower Hour - Put It To The Test

Have students lie on the ground with music or nature sounds and teach them about Being Still and Know that He is God. “When Chaos surrounds you, run to your room. Throw yourself on the floor, play this music and rest in God. Be aware of His presence. Visualize Him covering you with a blanket or God commanding the angels to fight your battle.” Youth Worker When they can’t get a hold of you...they’ll know what to do. Drop and get Quiet. And God will speak to them. But...you must do it first! Then share the results of what happened.

A member of the Canadian Association of Professional Speakers (CAPS) Alison has dedicated her time to developing her gift of Public Speaking so that her listeners would believe the truth that she shares and to raise up other strong youth communicator’s in Canada. She has been speaking full time for four years and is currently enrolled in Youth Speakers University.
Speaking Tips are from Alison’s Public Speaking Enhancement Workshop for any inquires message her today. http://www.inspiringteengreatness.com