Today’s teaching tip comes straight from the book Talk Like TED. I’ve used it in blog posts in the past, and today I’ve chosen to go back to it. It a super book for anyone to read who stands and speaks in public.

The book summarizes the communication practices of the 9 best TED Talk presenters, showing how they captivate audiences. One of those 9 communication secrets is to communicate with passion. Here is what the author, Carmine Gallo, says about the importance of passion:

Compelling communicators, like like those TED presenters who attract the most views online, are masters in a certain topic because of the inevitable amount of devotion, time, and effort invested in their pursuit, which is primarily fueled by their fervent passion…passion does indeed rub off on others…When you’re passionate about your topic, obsessively so, the energy and enthusiasm you display will rub off on your listeners. Don’t be afraid to express yourself – your authentic self.

So how do Bible study teachers show their passion in front of a group? What causes them to be people of passion? Here are my thoughts about how to take Gallo’s advice and marry it with biblical teaching:

1. Know your topic well. It’s hard to be passionate if you don’t know what you’re teaching. Spending adequate time studying the Bible leads to a more passionate group session when you teach it.
2. Live it out. Being a person who is authentic and in step with the message you’re sharing leads to passion and boldness.
3. Believe your source. Trust and confidence in the source of your message, in this case, God, will lead to passion in the classroom or living room.
4. Show emotion. People who are passionate often raise their voices and pound their chests. People who speak in monotone often put their audiences to sleep, and do nothing to inspire them.

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