When I teach at Colossae, I use something I call a “Thread.”
The thread is the main point of the passage we are teaching, boiled down into a phrase or a very short sentence. On a fantastic week, if we’re honest about it, people will (maybe) embrace 1 thing they heard us say in our message. So, my thought is…why not make the entire message about the one thing you want them to walk away with?
That’s where the “thread” comes in. I really wrestle with the wording with our staff. It can take up to an hour sometimes. But it’s really important to make sure we are clearly articulating the biblical authors’ point. We want to word the writers point in a fresh, boiled down and consumable way – but certainly in an accurate way.
Then, as I prepare my notes, I make sure everything I say somehow points people toward understanding and embracing the thread.
- If I share information about the historical background of the passage, I want to only share that info that would help people wrap their minds around the thread.
- If I want to unpack the meaning of a specific word or grammar of a sentence, I want to only unpack the that which will be beneficial for people to to better understand the thread.
There is a phrase that people sometimes use that goes something like this: If you can’t say it in a sentence, you can’t say it in 30 minutes.
I believe that. It keeps the message simple, but not shallow. It keeps the message clear, but you can dive into the depth of it.
Do you use a “thread” or something that helps you keep your messages clear and on point?
Tell me your thoughts!
Chuck
Great post! I would agree. I always try to start with my “main point”: what is the one thing I’m trying to communicate? What’s the one thing I want them to walk away with? Then I add the meat around that to enhance and expand the message. I could probably do better weaving the point throughout the message instead of saving it for the end though – often times I build up to it and drop it on them at the end.
Totally agree! I do the same thing, but I call it the “nugget.” My students now that every lesson will have one nugget. I give them a heads up that it’s coming so they don’t miss it. It gets some chuckles whenever I say “here’s the nugget” but it is quite effective!
*know, not now 🙂