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"Encouraging. Sharpening. Training."

"It's like Proverbs 27:17 lived out in the youth speaker universe!"

Just a few words to describe the experience of participating in the Youth Communicator's Cohort (YCC).

If you want to improve your communication and speaking skills with students, join us for the cohort beginning in September 2013. Registration opens in April and it's FREE!

YCC members commit to participating in a monthly conference call for encouragement, training, and feedback. Each participant will submit a video of a recent message for the rest of the cohort to view and feedback on. Also, cohort members take turns facilitating discussion each month on a communication-centered topic. Topics include:

Biblical exegesis
Blocking, movement, and gestures
Message outline and structure
Storytelling
Refining your message
Best practices of preparation
Improved illustrations
Vocal & speech techniques of the pros
Openings & Closings
And more...

Finally, YCC participants get the benefit of being a part of occasional "Master Class" calls facilitated by seasoned youth communicators, preachers, and teachers.

Registration for the Youth Communicator's Cohort opens this April. Participant skill levels range from newbie-speaker to seasoned-professionals and everyone in between. The only requirement is that you are currently communicating/preaching/speaking/teaching to students on a somewhat consistent basis.

As youth ministry veteran Josh Griffin of Saddleback Church states, "A team approach to communicating makes everyone on the team a better speaker."  

10 Steps to Creating and Delivering Solid Messages

Creating new and fresh messages on a regular basis can be a somewhat daunting task in the busy life of the hard-working youth pastor. Here is a simple 10-step process to help you ensure that you are investing the time and effort necessary to deliver a solid message each time you speak.

1. Pray - What does God want to say?

Usually, this is the most overlooked step in the process. It's easy to try and take a shortcut on this one. Resist the temptation. The work you do in communicating the Word of God to students is too important. When in doubt, remember what MC Hammer said, "We've got to pray just to make it today."

2. Study - What does the Word of God say?

I believe in exegesis over eisegesis. It is imperative that we take the time necessary to see what God is saying from the text rather that us reading our own ideas, thoughts, and assumptions into the text. Let's be sure that when we speak our message is Biblical.

3. Brainstorm - What is everything I could say?

In this step, you write down every idea that comes to your mind surrounding what you feel like God wants you to say. Whether you write each idea on an index card, a Post-It note, or your iPad, no thought is a stupid thought (at this point). Be sure to include specific illustrations, stories, quotes, supporting scriptures, and one-liners.

4. Theme - What is the one thing I should say?

This is the one main point of your talk. Each message you deliver should have one main theme. You should be able to summarize it in one sentence. If you find yourself with multiple themes, cut it down to one.

5. Refine - What should I not say?

Go back to your brainstormed index cards and remove all of those ideas that don't fit with your singular theme. Then, organize the body of your talk with the remaining ideas and thoughts in a logical and interesting flow.

6. Opening - What is the first thing I should say?

Spend some time thinking through how you want to open your message. Will you open with a personal story? Should you open with an attention-grabbing video or statistic? Always work toward a strong opening and introduction. If you begin your talk in a weak or boring way, you will have lost the students' attention from the get-go and it is hard to get it back once you have lost it.

7.  Closing - What is the last thing I should say?

Be sure to finish strong. People typically remember the last thing you say. Ensure that you have included the main theme somewhere in your closing as well as any application of the message you have shared.

8. Rehearse - How should I say everything?

Aside from skipping prayer, if there is a step that youth workers are notorious for short-changing it is rehearsing and practicing the message. Rehearsal is crucial to figuring out the HOW of what you are saying. At which points during your message will you pause to add emphasis? How will you purposefully move to add character to the stories you tell? What are you going to do with your hands? Not only does rehearsing help you answer these different questions, it also allows you to get comfortable with the flow of your talk so your communication is as seamless as possible.

9. Deliver - Now say it.

Now that you have studied and prepared well, deliver the message God has given you allow the Holy Spirit to speak to your audience.

10. Review - How could I say it better next time?

Reviewing is an integral part of the message creation process. When you allow feedback from the students, leaders, and even yourself, you will be the kind of youth leader who is constantly growing and improving in the area of communication. If possible, use video recording to review from time to time so that you can evaluate not only what you said or how you sound, but also how well you communicated the message nonverbally.

How about a FREE illustration of the month?

I figured it would be fun to begin offering a free illustration each month that you can put into use immediately (or save in Evernote for future use).

This month's free illustration is one of my favorite openers. I have used it over a half dozen times in the last 6 years at various retreats, conferences, and events. It is an older illustration that I picked up from a speaker named Michael Rowan back around 2002. My hunch is that it originated from Reader's Digest or something back in the 90's. Here it is...

(Be sure to read with great enthusiasm, gusto, and oversell the characters and dialogue)

YOU'RE A JERK!

Now get this. I was sitting at my desk, when I remembered a phone call I had to make. I found

the number and dialed it. A man answered nicely saying, “Hello?” I politely said, “This is Patrick Hanifin and could I please speak to Robin Carter?” Suddenly the phone was slammed down on me! I couldn’t believe that anyone could be that rude.

I tracked down Robin’s correct number and called her. She had transposed the last two digits. After I hung up with Robin, I spotted the wrong number still lying there on my desk. I decidedto call it again. When the same person once more answered, I yelled “You’re a jerk!” and hung up.

Next to his phone number I wrote the word “Jerk,” and put it in my desk drawer. Every couple of weeks, when I was paying bills, or had a really bad day, I’d call him up. He’d answer, and then I’d yell, “You’re a jerk!” It would always cheer me up.

Later in the year the phone company introduced caller ID. This was a real disappointment for me, I would have to stop calling the jerk. Then one day I had an idea. I dialed his number, thenheard his voice, “Hello.” I made up a name. “Hi. This is Herman with the telephone company and I’m just calling to see if you’re familiar with our caller ID program?”

He went, “No!” and slammed the phone down. I quickly called him back and said, “That’s because you’re a jerk!”

And the reason I took the time to tell you this story, is to show you how if there’s ever anything really bothering you, you can do something about it. Just dial 555-4822.

The old lady at the mall really took her time pulling out of the parking space. I didn’t think she was ever going to leave. Finally her car began to move and she started to very slowly back out of the stall. I backed up a little more to give her plenty of room to pull out. Great, I thought, she’s finally leaving.

All of a sudden this black camaro come flying up the parking isle in the wrong direction and pulls into her space. I started honking my horn and yelling, “You can’t just do that, Buddy. I was here first!” The guy climbed out of his camaro completely ignoring me. He walked toward the mall as if he didn’t even hear me.

I thought to myself, this guy’s a jerk, there’s sure a lot of jerks in this world. I noticed he had a For Sale sign in the back window of his car. I wrote down the number. Then I hunted for another place to park.

A couple of days later, I’m at home sitting at my desk. I had just gotten off the phone after calling 555-4822 and yelling, “You’re a jerk!” (It’s really easy to call him now since I have his number on speed dial). I noticed the phone number of the guy with the black camaro lying on my desk and thought I’d better call this guy, too.

After a couple rings someone answered the phone and said, “Hello.”

I said, “Is this the man with the black camaro for sale?”

“Yes it is.”

“Can you tell me where I can see it?”

“Yes, I live at 1802 West 34th street. It’s a yellow house and the car’s parked right out front.

I said, “What’s your name?”

“My name is Don Hansen.”

“When’s a good time to catch you, Don?”

“I’m home in the evenings.”

“Listen Don, can I tell you something?”

“Yes.”

“Don, you’re a jerk!” And I slammed the phone down. After I hung up I added Don Hansen’s number

to my speed dialer.

For a while things seemed to be going better for me. Now when I had a problem I had two jerks to call. Then after several months of calling the jerks and hanging up on them, the whole thing started to seem like an obligation. It just wasn’t as enjoyable as it used to be.

I gave the problem some serious thought and came up with a solution. First, I had my phone dial Jerk #1.

A man answered nicely saying, “Hello.”

I yelled “You’re a jerk!” But I didn’t hang up.

The jerk said, “Are you still there?”

I said, “Yeah..”

He said, “Stop calling me.”

I said, “No.”

He said, “What’s your name, Pal?”

I said, “Don Hansen.”

“Where do you live?”

“1802 West 34th Street. It’s a yellow house and my black Camaro’s parked out front.”

“I’m coming over right now, Don. You’d better start saying your prayers.”

“Yeah, like I’m really scared, Jerk!” and I hung up.

Then I called Jerk #2.

He answered, “Hello.”

I said, “Hello, Jerk!”

He said, “If I ever find out who you are…”

“You’ll what?”

“I’ll kick your butt.”

“Well, here’s your chance. I’m coming over right now Jerk!” And I hung up.

Then I picked up the phone and called the police. I told them a big gang fight was going down at 1802 West 34th Street. After that I climbed into my car and headed over to 34th Street to watch the whole thing.

I turned onto 34th Street and parked my car under the shade of a tree half a block from Jerk #2′s house. There were two guys fighting out front. Suddenly there were about 12 police cars and a helicopter. The police wrestled the two men to the ground and took them away.

A couple of months go by and I get a call for jury duty. I was picked to be on a trial of two guys charged with disorderly conduct. As luck would have it, it happened to be the same two guys. I might have influenced the jury, because when they announced the verdict, they said, “We the jury find the defendants to be guilty, and a couple of jerks!”

What is the Youth Communicator's Cohort? Listen in...

Once a month a group of 6 youth speakers, communicators, and preachers from around the United States gather via conference call for an hour of discussion, training, encouragement, and feedback around the topic of becoming better communicators. Who is this communication-centered group, you ask? The Youth Communicator's Cohort.

On a typical call, we spend about half of our time encouraging a fellow communicator regarding a recently-preached message. The other half of our time is spent discussing a relevant communication-centered topic. This year we have covered topics such as hermeneutics, storytelling, and gestures to name a few.

To hear a snippet of our call from last month click here (approximately 6 minutes in length).

My favorite part of the call each month is the sharpening and encouragement that we provide to one another. As King Solomon so wisely advised, "As iron sharpen iron, so one man sharpens another." (Proverbs 27:17)

Register today for the Fall '13 YCC... Space is very limited.

You can register by clicking here.