Guidance for Doing a Communion Talk
Objective or Goal
- Help prepare the hearts of those at the worship service to take communion
- Help others to remember the cross and what it means to them
- Hold to the time you have, 5 min. for 10AM service
Scriptures
- Find scriptures that bring people’s hearts to Jesus and the cross
- Share the scripture in context
- Pick one that best meets your objective
- Practice reading the scripture(s) aloud to aid the understanding of the audience
What Points Do You Want to Make
- Write down a list of possible points to make
- Do the points say exactly what you want to say?
- Do the points penetrate the heart?
- Select the 1 or 2 points that accomplish your objective?
- Do you have time for two or should you just do one?
- Practice at least once to make sure that you can keep to the allotted time
Introduction
- Get the attention of the audience and connect with them
- Write down several ways to introduce your talk (personal story, current event, illustration, etc) Humor is not recommended.
- Should be brief, since the work is done in your points
- Do not use illustrations or personal stories that distract people from thinking about the Jesus and the cross.
- Write down the first 3 sentences of your talk – IMPORTANT This will do much to help you deal with being nervous.
Conclusion
- Conclude by bringing them back to a heart-felt response to Jesus or the cross?
- Should the most penetrating part of your message, short on time but long on impact
- Should be well rehearsed, practice on friend or your spouse
- End on time by going into your conclusion on time, not by omitting it
- Write down your last 2 or 3 sentences IMPORTANT – Know how you are going to end so you don’t ramble or try several different endings while you are speaking.
Personal Experiences
- Remember as many as possible that may help to make your points
- Better to expose your weaknesses rather than to show your strengths
- Share the experience only if it makes your point and does not detract from the mood you plan to establish
- Condense your story, keeping the essentials of the story to make your point.
- The experience should be shared in a minute or less.
- Is the time required to share the experience worth the value it adds?
- Is the experience appropriate for a welcome message?
Illustrations
- Think of illustrations that could be helpful
- Think through them from the audience’s perspective
- Can they be shared briefly?
- Does it help to warm the room and point people to God?
- An illustration is not required.
- Use a maximum of one and only if it accomplishes your goal.