addendum: public speaking advice from the public speaking teacher

For almost 20 years I’ve taught public speaking in some form at the college level. I’ve seen lots of great speeches, and I’ve seen lots of not-so-great ones. Unfortunately, like you, I’ve seen the same thing happen in Bible classes and sermons. Let me be extremely careful here and say that the style in which someone says something is not nearly as important as the content itself. There is much to be said in the Bible about not buying into what someone says simply because they sound good. Plenty of false teachers appear alluring and engaging, but their content is far from what God would approve.

Because of what I teach, I am sometimes asked about tips and tricks for how to improve presentations or teaching. The following represents some of the easiest things you can do if you’re ever asked to teach a class or lead a Ladies’ Day (or something similar). These suggestions represent the best research and classroom experience. 

• First, DO IT! If you’re asked to teach a class or lead a presentation, don’t let your nerves get in the way. If you’re too nervous to do things solo, find a trusted sister who can be your helper. In a classroom setting, it’s almost always great to have a helper, and if you’re not yet confident enough to do a full presentation at a Ladies’ Day or in a ladies’ class, ask if you could instead read Scripture or read a prepared section of materials for another sister who can manage the main class. Maybe you can’t handle an entire presentation, but you can split it with another sister who feels the same way you do. I can almost guarantee that an older, more experienced sister would be glad to help oversee things. (I’m always glad to help if I’m free!)

• The Bible itself is your best source for lesson materials. Never think that you can do a better job than the Holy Spirit did in creating content. If you’re not sure about a topic and haven’t been assigned one, pick a favorite book or chapter in the Bible and do some deep study. Topical studies can be very engaging (as I hope some of what I’ve written in these chapters has been), but you’ll never do any better than reading a Psalm, a chapter in Proverbs, or studying a chapter from Acts. Find something both you and your audience need to learn more from (hint: that’s every verse of the Bible!), and dig in!

• If you have time to provide some materials ahead of time, give your audience things to do. Give them questions to consider or verses to pre-read. You can also have certain audience members available to read verses or say prayer, as this takes some of the pressure off you to do everything on your own. (NOTE: Reading verses or saying prayer is often easier than asking questions if you’re teaching for the first time and not doing a more traditional lecture. Be aware that if you ask questions you may have someone answer in a way you weren’t expecting OR have someone ask an unexpected question. This is fine, of course, if you’re comfortable with presenting more freely and are ok if things don’t go exactly as you’d rehearsed. It’s a little more stressful if your presentation is time sensitive or if you’re not as comfortable answering a wide variety of questions.)

• The first few moments of your presentation (or class) are the most important for getting the audience’s attention. Especially if you’re nervous, make sure your first two or three minutes are well-rehearsed and engaging. You can read a memorable or engaging Bible verse, share a story (personal, funny, and/or endearing), a surprising statistic, refer to the audience or event, etc. Your overall goal is to engage the audience AND to introduce the topic. Hopefully this goes well and your audience is smiling and responding well, and you’re now beginning to relax and feel more confident about the body of the presentation.

• Don't tell the audience if you're nervous. Nerves aren’t usually nearly as visible to your audience as they feel to you. When you tell your audience about your nerves, they become much more obvious, and members of your audience may then focus on your nerves instead of your message. Don’t give your audience a reason to feel sorry for you; let your message (through God’s word) be the focus instead!

• Let’s talk about visual aids. First, visual aids are NOT mandatory. They are, however, often a good way to keep your audience engaged, and a good way to help you as a presenter, too. Your goal for each item you show – whether it’s on the screen or something you demonstrate with a physical item – should be to help your audience understand and/or remember your topic. In my public speaking classes, we talk a lot about the challenge of text on the screen, primarily for two reasons. I never want my students to use their PowerPoint or other on-screen visuals as their speaking notes, and I also don’t want them to have so much text on the screen that it distracts the audience from what they’re saying out loud. The audience can’t read and listen at the same time, and we can almost always read faster than we can listen. Another potential challenge in a Bible-based lesson is that you likely want your audience to look up passages along with you, and you’re cheating them of that opportunity if you post all the verses on the screen. I know – and understand – the potential value of having some verses fully on screen for visitors and for those who might not know their books, chapters, and verses super well yet. You can consider having tabbed Bibles available for visitors or posting full passages only for particularly important ones that you know you’ll be reading and want the audience to follow. Visual aids should always be an extra and not something mandatory (this is a primary reason not to use your visual aid as your speaking notes!). Tech can - and does - fail. Always have a backup plan, and be prepared to present without it.   

  • • So, what sorts of visuals help most? Think about things like images of the tabernacle when you’re trying to describe it. It’s much easier if the people in your audience can physically see what you’re talking about and where each item is located. If you are talking about what Jerusalem looks like in modern times, show the audience a photo. Those are great uses of visual aids. Short bullet points can also work if you like text. Just don’t overload the screen. Consider showing the bullet points as you use them, to allow your audience to follow along as the presentation goes without getting too far ahead of you.