Every youth pastor communicates. For some, it is a dreaded weekly task. For others, it is one of the main highlights of their week. Then, there are those few brave souls who desire to extend their influence outside of the walls of their local church ministry and communicate to other groups of students for the advance of the Kingdom.
Let's examine how the average youth pastor, who feels called to extend their influence, can take some some practical steps to break into the youth speaking industry.
1. Examine your heart.
Before venturing out into the world as a youth speaker, it is wise to take a step back and examine "why" you want to become a youth speaker. Is it so that YOU can make extra money? Is it so that YOU can be "that guy" up on stage speaking to thousands? Is it so that YOU can become world famous and write a book? All of these are ego-centric, selfish, pride-driven reasons for entering the youth speaking marketplace and will each end poorly with minimal impact and influence for the Kingdom. Remember, God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Be sure that your attitude is one of humility and that your motive for speaking is to put both God and the students you are speaking to first.
2. Have something to say.
Take the time to develop a strong message. Individualize it as appropriate for each group that brings you in to speak. You may be a solid speaker, but if you don't have a timely, relevant message from God's Word, there's no point in pursuing outside speaking opportunities.
PRACTICAL TIP: Need help putting together a message? Use these 10 Steps to Developing and Delivering a Dynamite Message for Students.
3. Pray for open doors.
Jesus said ask and you shall receive. Seek and you shall find. Knock and the door will be open. Many prospective youth speakers are remiss in waiting till the end of the process to pray. Those who want to make a significant impact pray on the front end, in the midst of, and throughout the entirety of the process. As Oswald Chambers states, "Prayer does not equip us for the greater work; prayer is the greater work."
4. Start small.
Do not despise the day of small beginnings. A major principle of the kingdom is that when we are faithful in the little, God will entrust us with more. When it comes to being a youth speaker, don't despise speaking for a group of ten students. Don't despise speaking at a chapel for a local Christian school. Don't despise speaking for a free meal and a gas card. Everyone starts somewhere. Smaller-sized speaking engagements help you build your credibility and get much needed experience and practice in sharpening your skills, message, and connection with students.
PRACTICAL TIP: Network and connect with schools, churches, and community groups in your area to build both credibility and references.
5. Communicate to serve, not to be served.
When you are preparing for a speaking opportunity and while you are actually delivering the message at the event, remember that you are partnering with the leaders of the group to serve them and the students... Not the other way around. As the disciple Matthew wrote, Jesus did not come to be served, but to serve and to give his life a ransom for many. It is your honor to serve the groups that bring you in to speak, not their honor to host you.
PRACTICAL TIP: Serve in every way possible. Help set up, tear down, and clean up. Take time to connect individually with as many students as possible and LISTEN to their stories.
6. Leverage word-of-mouth references.
After speaking at an event, send a thank you note to the host and request a few contacts to whom they would recommend you. Assuming that you did an excellent job, they will highly recommend you to a few to their peers. Also, be sure to get some video of student and leader testimonies. With permission, you can use these video or written quotes and recommendations for your website and other promotional material.
7. Let one speaking opportunity lead to another.
Do your best to meet and network with other leaders and groups who are in attendance at the event that you are speaking at. There is always a possibility that they will invite you to speak to their group in the future.
PRACTICAL TIP: Be sure to utilize Facebook, Twitter and other social media to stay connected with those that you network with at the events that you speak at.
8. Get some coaching!
If you are serious about taking your communication skills to the next level, presentation coaching is a must. A speaking coach will help you refine your message and content, provide you will practical feedback on every aspect of your presentation and delivery, and give you personalized tools to help your speaking go from good to great. Making the financial and time investment to receive coaching will pay huge dividends in return for you both on the skills and the business sides of the speaking industry.
PRACTICAL TIP: Check out the Youth Communicator's Cohort for communication coaching, encouragement, and feedback. It's free! If you are interested in affordable personalized, individual communication coaching, Youth Speaker's Coach provides one-on-one communication coaching as well.
9. Don't quit your day job.
I believe that the local church is the hope of the world. One of the huge blessings of being a youth pastor is the consistent relationship that you have with your students. While it may seem appealing to step out of full-time ministry, throw caution to the wind and speak for a living, it takes a tremendous investment of hard work, time and effort to build a full-time, professional speaking business. Be sure to continue to listen to the Holy Spirit and follow God's will for your life.
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