At some point in your life, you are going to be asked to make a presentation. It may be reporting the work of a task force where you work. It could be an idea for the high school booster club to use in fund-raising. Even teaching a Bible study session qualifies as a presentation! Life is a series of presentations and it is up to us to make sure our words count and that we communicate in a clear, understandable way. Here are several suggestions for making your presentation count: 

• Think about what will keep your audience interested in what you are saying. What information do you have that is new? People want you to tell them something they don’t know, so plan that as an integral part of your presentation.
• There are certain phrases that will enhance the impact of what you say:
  Say “I believe” not “I think” – there is more power behind “I believe.” Making a recommendation with “I believe” has more strength than anything you might say following “I think.”
• No one likes to be confronted with statements that make them feel they don’t know something, that their knowledge is incomplete. No one likes to have to say “I don’t know” or “I don’t remember.” Feeling boxed in, many listeners will tune out everything else you have to say. It is better to say something like “as you recall.”
• When answering questions or referencing something, it is advisable to say, “I will get back to you” rather than a blatant “I don’t know the answer.” Sounding confident increases your credibility. If you appear ill at ease, the audience will be uncomfortable.
• Especially in business situations, it is important that you speak concisely. In other words, use your words carefully and make them count! Learn as much as you can about your audience in order to gauge how much information they need. As you prepare your presentation, avoid “filler” phrases. Being wordy does not necessarily mean that you will be effective. In this case, less is more!

So, as you lead teams, make reports, facilitate Bible studies or mission groups, remember that your words have power. Your words can motivate and empower others to accomplish great things. As the writer of Proverbs said, “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver” (25:11).