Sheila praying at a talk
So let’s begin by discussing what it means to “give a talk” in the first place. Over the next few days we’ll talk about how to get those speaking engagements, how to organize your talk, and more. But let’s get some details out of the way first.
In my opinion, a talk is an inspirational message that you deliver for the purpose of helping people transform their lives.
Get that?
You don’t give a talk to teach, though you may end up teaching. You don’t give a talk to promote yourself, though you may end up doing so. You don’t give a talk to share your wisdom, or your dreams, or your intellectual capabilities.
You give a talk to inspire someone to transform some aspect of their lives.
My goal, as a writer and a speaker, is to see lives changed. And I use both the spoken word and the written word to do that. To do so I have to connect with my audience; I have to share from my heart and my background; I have to pray; I have to share Scripture. But the point of my talk is not any of those things.
A talk must lead people somewhere, or else all they will say at the end was, “that was very informative” or “that was very enjoyable”. If there’s not something that going to change afterwards, then all that you provided was some momentary entertainment or some brain candy.
I think that’s what differentiates “talks” from “sermons”. I know that pastors have as their goal to change lives, but let’s face it. The way most pastors preach that is not what is happening.
Most pastors have seven points, or four points, or five points that all start with P, or all rhyme, or all have to do with some type of vegetation, or whatever trick they’re using at the time. They use these tricks to try to help you remember facts, because most pastors are trained to teach.
But we can know all the facts in the world and not do anything about it. A talk has to have as its goal that people will, at the end, know what change they should make, know how to make it, and feel encouraged and motivated to do so. Does it really matter if they totally understand the end times prophecies in Daniel, or if they can explain to you what grace means from the book of Romans, if they don’t do anything about it?
I am not saying that there is something wrong with speaking on Romans. Not at all! We do need to focus our talks around Scripture.
But we don’t do so just to transmit knowledge. We do so to transmit knowledge so that they will make a change.
And that’s why talks tend to be more emotional than sermons. They need to include anecdotes so people can relate. They tend to appeal to a wide range of emotions, from humour to sadness to empathy. As we connect, we reach the heart, and not only the head. And thus people are more likely to be changed.
Before you plan a talk, before you start a speaking career, before you start looking for engagements, ask yourself this question: what is it that I am uniquely called to help people transform? What is the one area where God has spoken to me that I can share with others so they can change something? What is your primary focus of transformation?
I started thinking along these lines about speaking when Family Life Canada, whom I speak for at times, gave me the book Communicating for a Change: Seven Keys to Irresistible Communication
A speaker is not a pastor. We are supposed to be more personal, more anecdotal, and more motivational. I highly recommend this book if you want to start thinking along these lines. I’ll be putting it up on my new resource page tonight, and if any of you have other resources that you want to recommend, leave them in the comments and I’ll add them!
In the meantime, what transformational change are you called to talk about? I talk about how to give up the idea of happiness and focus on God being enough–in your marriage, in your life, in your parenting. When we do that, happiness follows. But it can never be our goal. All my talks, across the different groups I speak on, focus on that. What about you?
Filed under: Purpose of a Talk, Uncategorized Tagged: | christian speaker, speaking ministry
Wow, I have taught for Years, and though I knew there was a huge difference between teaching, or preaching and giving a talk as a guest speaker, I never would have articulated it like that…I look forward to reading your other posts… Joanna
What a beautiful article. The focus the Lord has given me is to LOVE God with all of our heart, and to allow His compassion and love in us for others to totally transform our families . . . so we in reality become more mission-minded (no matter what sphere of influence we’re called to reach).
Ann – Mission-Minded LIFE
[...] all comes back to the point of speaking as a Christian ministry. We speak so that God can transform lives using our words. We are the vehicle that He uses. And to [...]
Thanks for that Joanna. I remember my first speaking engagement – with notes, which shook as much as my knees! Since those days, I’ve learned to share myself, my experience as a parent in pain (with obvious spiritual correlations) – and been rewarded with women who’ve wept with me, asked me to pray with them and for them, written to me afterwards and told me how their lives have changed by reading my books. That, to me, is one of the most thrilling things in the world. To know that the Holy Spirit takes my ordinary words, multiplies them like loaves and fishes, and makes them a feast which feeds and nourishes others – it just seems so extraordinary!
Mel Menzies, author of A Painful Post Mortem, a story of love and loss.
God has called me to speak on “What it means to be Your Father’s Daughter” and all that that entails. He has called me to women who have been wounded, bruised and shattered due to scars of abuse- and how to become a vessel restored….He has called me to share on SO MANY THINGS!! It’s hard to pick just one!
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Sheila, I can’t tell you how much this series is helping me as a speaker. You have given me a WEALTH of incredible ideas and wise, practical tips. Thank you SOOOO much for all this. I am learning so much from you! The Lord bless you!
[...] works. We’ve talked a lot on this blog about the mistakes that people often make by trying to “teach” and “preach“, or trying to sound like an expert when what people really want is to be able to relate to [...]
Great info! Funny I just got that book and started to read it tonight!!!!
I love your tips Sheila! Thanks!
Kathy
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