4 Powerful Methods for Closing a Message
The following is a guest post by Matt Maiberger. He is a youth ministry veteran of over 16 years in small, medium, and mega churches. For more from Matt, head over to Youth Speaker’s Coach.
Many youth pastors and speakers are careful to study and prepare their content well. Some even take the time to rehearse and practice their message a few times before delivering it to a group of students. There are those, however, who consistently struggle with closing their message effectively. They work hard to deliver a solid message for 20-30 minutes, then seem to fall flat during the final 5 minutes of their talk.
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Someone once said, “People remember best whatever you say last.” How can you shore up the end of your message and close strong?
Let’s examine four different methods that a youth pastor or speaker can use to close a message effectively:
1. The Platinum Illustration
This is not just your run-of-the-mill story, but a well-told, life-altering, world-changing illustration where the main character has a major catharsis or makes a significant sacrifice to impact others.
2. The Token Response
When appropriate, consider giving the students a physical “token” that reminds them of the main theme of the message and the practical application that it should have in their life. On one occasion, when speaking about the merchant who traded everything for the “pearl of great price”, we gave each student an actual pearl (that we had picked up on the cheap during a mission trip to the Philippines) to represent their commitment to give up everything to follow Jesus Christ.
3. The Human Video
Be careful not to overuse this method with your students; however, when used sparingly, it can serve as a powerful pattern interrupt to you speaking and effectively reinforce the main theme of your message. A human video is simply a pantomimed skit set to a song. A great example of this in action is the viral Everything (by Lifehouse) video on YouTube. Aside from this type of dramatic element, you can also close your message with a monologue, dialogue or full-blown skit.
4. The Gospel
It’s always appropriate to take a few minutes and explain how the theme of your message connects to the Good News of Jesus. Intentionally sharing the truth of the Gospel plants seeds or waters seeds in the lives of your listeners; moreover, you never know when God will choose to “harvest” seeds that have come to fruition through the preaching of the Word.
PRACTICAL TIP FOR STRENGTHENING THE CLOSE OF YOUR MESSAGE:
The next time you are preparing a message, take some extra time to brainstorm with a few other communicator’s some creative ideas for a stronger closing. Don’t stop there. After you have chosen a solid closing, take some time to rehearse it with that same group of communicators and get their feedback. Tweak it until you feel like it you are comfortable sharing it without the use of a manuscript or notes. This will allow you to connect more with your audience and close your message in a much more confident way.[/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]
