Biblia.com

Have you ever stood in front of a few hundred teenagers who didn’t really want to listen to you? Oh, it’s not like they have anything personal against you. Honestly, they’d just rather play a game or talk with the cutest guy or girl in the room than sit and listen to you give a talk.

So how do you get their attention?

Better yet, how do you keep their attention?

When I first started in ministry I ran an outreach program on a junior high campus. We regularly used crazy icebreakers, fun activities, and creative discussions. But our hope was to provide more than just fun and games. We wanted to share truth with them.

The crowd was tough. I learned right away that attention spans were short. I knew that whenever I stood in front of a group, I had only a few seconds to grab their attention. Even more challenging, I had less than 10 minutes to make my point. Before long I was spending a lot of time developing effective 10-minute talks.

Many of us find ourselves with the same need. Have you ever programmed a church event where the evening is planned perfectly, but there’s no time for a full-blown sermon? For one reason or another the evening calls for a short talk or a wrap-up—maybe just 10 minutes or less. What can you do in 10 minutes or less?

My friend Andy ran a skateboard ministry that drew hundreds of kids. He made a deal with them: They could skate for an hour, then break for 10 minutes and listen to him share something, then skate for 20 more minutes. Every week Andy planned a talk that was less than 10 minutes. Even if he brought a special speaker—10 minutes.

My friend Omar used ...

Content not shown in limited preview…

About 10-Minute Talks: 24 Messages Your Students Will Love

Sometimes you don’t have their attention for very long. Whether you’ve planned for a short message or your program has run long, a ten-minute talk is sometimes all you have space for in your youth ministry. So make sure you make it ten minutes that really count! If you need to communicate something meaningful in just a little time, 10 Minute Talks has just what you need—more than two dozen ready-to-go, story-based talks. With talks for spiritual growth, targeted at your Christian students, and outreach talks, perfect for any teenager, you’ll be prepared to give them a bite of truth that they can walk away remembering. Following the method Jesus used most often, these 10 Minute Talks give you stories that can impact students with one simple point. Each talk gives you the tools you need to make it count, and the flexibility to make it work for your context. Along with each topic and title, you’ll find: • The Big Idea • Scripture • The Story • The Transition Statement • Application • Closing Don’t get caught with nothing to say—or too much to say in the time you’ve got! Get 10 Minute Talks and get a meaningful message across quickly!

Support Info

9780310309024

Table of Contents