How to Not Ramble When You Speak
Have you ever had one of those moments where you're leading worship and it's time to say something? So you find yourself with words flowing out of your mouth but you're not even sure what you're communicating. That is called rambling. Rambling is when you fill dead air with unnecessary words. It's talking just to fill space or because you don't know how to end your thoughts.
Here are 3 tips to help you not ramble when you speak:
1 | Be prepared
It's okay to know what you want to say before you say it. The Holy Spirit works the same way on a Thursday evening as you prepare as he does on a Sunday morning. So allow the Spirit to lead you in your preparation. Cover your transitions in prayer - then listen. What does God want you to communicate? Write those thoughts down and use them as a guide for when you speak while leading worship.
2 | Know your crutch words
All of us have crutch words. These are the words that we say when we don't know what else to say. They're usually fluff and don't actually mean anything. If you don't know what I'm talking about, grab a few recordings of your speaking transitions and listen to them side-by-side. You'll start to hear phrases that you resort back to when you run out of things to say.
Once you've identified these crutch words, you can use them to your advantage. They literally mean that you have nothing else to say. So when you feel yourself about to say one - wrap up your thought and stop speaking.
3 | Keep it short
Don't feel like you have to fill space for something to have an impact. 5 minutes of you talking without any point can be less impactful than you speaking for 15 seconds and pointing people to a really powerful thought. Keep it short - keep it succinct. No one is asking you to give a mini-sermon between songs. Connect the dots for people. Point them to God. Allow them time to reflect.
Be honest: What are your crutch words? Let us know in the comments!