Top 5 Books on Communication

One of the best ways to sharpen your skills as a communicator is to read good books on communication, speaking and preaching. As a youth pastor, or someone who speaks to students, there are a few "niche" books which you will find helpful below:

1. Communicating for a Change (Andy Stanley)

Great preaching book about how you can master the "one point message."

2. How to Speak to Youth (and Keep Them Awake at the Same Time) (Ken Davis)

In this student ministry classic, Ken Davis gives a practical, step-by-step guide of how to organize and outline a message from the ground up using his SCORRE method.

3.  Resonate (Nancy Duarte)

Although not specifically a book about speaking to students, per se, it is a motherlode of information on how to communicate. Duarte breaks down the process from start to finish. It's like master class training on communication from one of the experts in the field. You can read my specific book review of her book by clicking here.

4. Biblical Preaching (Haddon Robinson).

This homiletics classic has become the standard to which all other homiletical books are held.

5. Story Theater Method (Doug Stevenson)

This obscure communication method book is probably the most practical, in-depth, how-to book available on the subject of storytelling.

Only 9 Days Left...

Hurry... The FREE registration period for this fall's Youth Communicator's Cohort expires on May 31! If you are interested in joining dozens of other youth pastors, youth speakers and youth leaders from around the nation and sharpening your communication skills, get registered!

Due to the personalized nature of the Cohort, space is limited and this FREE offer ends May 31!

Register by CLICKING HERE...

Did You Get Your Invitation Yet?

If you have not had the privilege of receiving an invitation for tomorrow's Youth Ministry Coaching Network call, there's still time. All you need to do is CLICK HERE and fill out the quick FREE registration to receive the instructions of how to jump on the call tomorrow at 11a/10a/9a/8a (ET/CT/MT/PT).

The topic of the call is, 7 Tips to Connecting With Students Every Time You Speak. Here's a look at what you will learn:

-The #1 method you should implement as a youth pastor or youth speaker to increase your connection with students when you speak.

-The secret that professional speakers use to tell a great story.

-A few easy and practical movement tips that you can implement immediately the next time you get up to speak to a group if students.

-The tip that most youth pastors overlook... And it KILLS their connection.

-Plus much, much more!

4 Quick Insights for Speaking to Middle School Students

There is nothing quite like communicating to a room full of middle school students. The smells. The sounds. The zaniness. How do you survive the onslaught and yet make a difference communicating for the Kingdom?

Here are 4 quick insights to help you the next time you find yourself standing in front of a room of 11-14 year olds:

1.  Remember that they are kid-ults.

Middle school students are an interesting breed. They are still in many ways children, and yet, they are also adults in numerous ways as well. Remember, when talking theology, try to use more concrete examples and illustrations than abstract ones.

2.  Appeal to their oppositional brains.

By the time a student is 11 or 12 years old, their brains have usually already made the switch to oppositional independence toward their parents and other adults in their life. As a youth speaker, you can actually appeal to this new part of their personality and thinking by challenging them to take action, own their faith and make decisions for themselves.

3.  Keep it brief.

Middle school students are known for their short attention spans. Be intentional to prepare messages that are no more than 20 minutes in length. Even in doing so, break them into 3 or 4 different segments so that you keep the flow of the message moving forward at a dynamic pace.

4.  Energy is key.

Telling a story? Use energy. Conducting an interactive activity? Use energy. Whatever you choose to do for those twenty-or-so minutes, be sure that it is high octane. That doesn't mean that you can't be serious. Just temper your high energy communication with a few well-placed pauses or moments of silence and you will do well in getting your theme across.