Based on my own experience, I learned to speak in front of people since when I was really young. I developed my skills during elementary school down to now. Writing a lot helps your communication skills. Alongside speaking in front of a large crowd.
I know it can seem a bit tense and a bit fearful but when God is for you, who can be against you?
Something I like to practice is mentally thinking that God is right there with me. Right there holding my hand, right there cheering me on. Right there supporting me.
Whenever you feel like you lack public speaking skills, you can always watch how others who are mature in the faith, do it. Down to, recording yourself speaking and seeing how it goes.
You don’t have to sound like everyone else. Just be yourself. Be the person God created you to be. Never stop being yourself. Never let others’ opinions dictate how you sound when it’s not to edify you.
I know that at times it can seem tense to get in front of others but once you lose yourself in God, none of that will really matter. The questions you should ask yourself are:
-Am I doing it for God?
Good question: you should always, always do it with God in mind. Even if you don’t know how God looks. Do it with God in mind. I’m not saying go ahead and picture how He looks and start bowing down to a made-up character of how He supposedly looks and start worshipping that false image of God. Just feel like you’re doing it for Him.
-Do I need to study online about public speaking skills? or read blog posts in regard to them? I have access to the internet, so I can view blog posts and bless others too, but where do I look?
Good question: seek God always before making any decision, but ensure that it is according to His will for your life and current season. Whether it’s in the preparation season or during your actual season to shine for God. Just know that God approves preparation. Whenever you feel this inner urge to prepare, look for resources and start to learn. We aren’t born knowing everything. So it is a learning process. You’re going to fail at first? Perhaps but not to God. God loves effort instead of no effort. Suggestions: look up keywords: how to develop public speaking skills? and it doesn’t matter if it’s written by a Christian or non-Christian but if you want to see if there are Christian blogs that share about public speaking skills just write after the question: “Christian.” Whenever it’s a blog written by a non-Christian, ensure to receive what’s constructive to you and if it has something like curse words or anything that sounds like something you wouldn’t practice, receive the good, reject the bad but don’t do the same thing as them. We live in this world but aren’t according to the norms of this world. But we must bear the mind of Christ.
-Are there any Scriptures that can help me when I’m struggling to speak publicly?
Good question: Here are a couple of Scriptures that can help you out:
Colossians 4:6-Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man. (kjv)
Exodus 4:12-Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say. (kjv)
Exodus 4:11-And the LORD said unto him, Who hath made man’s mouth? or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? have not I the LORD? (kjv)
Ephesians 6:19-20-And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the Gospel, For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak. (kjv)
You can even see how others do it in your own congregation. But understand this, whom God calls, He equips, prepares, and qualifies for their ministry. You don’t need to hide your gifting in order to make others feel comfortable. If there’s intimidation towards your gifting, pray for the person whose intimidated, knowing God loves them too (despite them not being aligned with God’s word). There’s a problem when someone focuses on someone else’s task instead of doing what God told them to do.
You must focus on the task(s) God has assigned for your life because that task will help someone else out in the long run. Public speaking is not just a skill. Some people are born naturally persuading a crowd. But others? It’s a challenge and it takes time, a lot of effort, and a lot of prayers to get through to others.
Public speaking was a skill and talent Jesus had. He persuaded the 12 disciples and He can still persuade multitudes. Just because He isn’t present, doesn’t mean He isn’t coming soon.
If you need help of any sort, don’t hesitate to speak to your leadership in your church. They’ll be able to help you at first. But once the crawling ends, you must walk. You must reap what you’ve sown in your preparation season(s).
To enhance public speaking skills, just continue to practice. But don’t overwhelm yourself. Public speaking is very much identical to singing. It does take a lot of written preparation, mental preparation, prayerfulness, and sometimes fasting preparation. But the key to succeeding is filling yourself with God’s word, God’s presence in order to go wherever He has sent you to go then you’ll be able to flow with confidence.
Don’t let the enemy ruin your parade of thanksgiving to God. Be grateful that you’re able to express yourself verbally in order to help out others. Don’t doubt your gifting, and don’t believe the devil’s lies that you can’t because you indeed can.
If God called you to online ministry, always revise your work and go over it to see what needs to be fixed. This is a learning experience (of course it is), but we must be very careful and diligent in how we present ourselves to the world when we are speaking on behalf of God.
Another way to practice public speaking is by taking part in the church, allowing your leaders to help you be molded into the leader you’re meant to be by God.
Remember that public speaking falls under communication skills. But God does call us to learn how to control our tongues in James 3. Controlling the tongue is being able to discern what to say and what not to say. God gave us freedom, correct. To choose what to say with our lips but we must discern if we are saying something to edify someone else or bring someone else down. Both definitions don’t go together and God doesn’t like bringing people down in a negative way but working with others for the fulfillment of His kingdom goals. To have further understanding of biblical study of controlling the tongue, you can look for a Bible study plan that covers controlling the tongue or search online (on Google) Scriptures related to the tongue, by writing: “tongue kjv” and Scriptures lists should be coming up as an option.
Some people can take coaching lessons but discern the voice of God so you can be taught by the accurate person or individuals He would want to use for His glory in your life.
We must always be attentive to the needs of the audience. Never denying the power of the Gospel in order to serve tables God never called us to serve. But keeping our minds, heart, and emotions at ease so God can have His way through and through.
Have supporters that God has allowed you to have in your life to speak life over you in order to continue running your race. Not everyone you were meant to run this life with because not everyone is capacitated to deal with you. Learning from others doesn’t mean they’re in your life. As disappointing as it may sound, this should free you from thinking that others were meant to be invested in 24/7. Unless you have a ministry that demands constant contact communication with others, that’s another topic.
Public speaking is a gift many of us have. Let’s use it to win souls for Christ.
To preach the good news.
To usher in God’s presence.
To pray prophetic prayers.
To intercede in prayer for others.
To allow the spiritual gift of tongues to be manifested (some of us have it, some of us don’t. It’s okay).
To motivate, encourage, and prosper others in this life journey. To rebuke, to exhort, to correct what’s crooked.
To love others with our skills because God desires us to love others.
To shine our light into the world.
Remember that leaders serve. Not just shine.
God bless you! Hoping this blog post helps someone!
Sincerely,
Your sister in the faith