Your Words Carry More Weight Than You Think

A woman once approached a speaker after a corporate training event. She waited until the room had cleared. Then she said quietly, "You don't know this, but what you said about starting over? I was going to give up. On my business. On everything. I'm not going to now."

The speaker had no idea. She'd delivered the same talk she gives at a dozen events a year. She hadn't said anything she considered profound. But for that one woman, in that one room, on that one day... it was everything.

That's the thing about speaking. You rarely know the full impact of your words. But the impact is real. And it's bigger than you think.

The Weight of What You Do

Most speakers measure success in bookings, fees, audience size, and standing ovations. And those things matter - they keep the lights on and open doors to bigger platforms. But they're not the whole picture. Not even close.

The real measure of a speaker's impact is what happens after the applause stops. Did someone make a decision? Did someone change direction? Did someone find hope they didn't have when they walked in?

"The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit."

Proverbs 18:21 (NIV)

Life and death. Not "mild encouragement and mild discouragement." Life and death. That's the biblical weight placed on the words we speak. And if you've been called to a platform - any platform, sacred or secular - you carry that responsibility every time you open your mouth.

This isn't meant to scare you. It's meant to wake you up to the significance of what you do. Because on the days when speaking feels like just another job, when you're tired from travelling and wondering if any of it matters... it does. More than you know.

Why the World Needs Your Voice Right Now

Here's what's happening in the speaking industry today. Audiences are burned out on polished, surface-level content. They've heard the generic keynotes. They've sat through the motivational talks that made them feel good for an hour and left no lasting change. They're hungry for something real.

Brendon Burchard has talked about this shift in his training. He teaches that the speakers who stand out today are the ones who bring genuine conviction and personal depth to their message. Not performance. Not entertainment. Depth. The audience can tell the difference between someone who's delivering content and someone who actually believes what they're saying.

As a Christian speaker, you have an unfair advantage here. You're not just speaking from experience or expertise. You're speaking from calling. There's a weight behind your words that comes from knowing Who gave them to you. And audiences feel that, even when they can't name it.

That's why the world doesn't just need more speakers. It needs more Christian speakers who are excellent at their craft, grounded in their faith, and willing to step onto every stage available to them - church or corporate, ministry or marketplace.

How to Steward Your Impact Well

1. Prepare like it matters, because it does. Michael Port, in his book "Steal the Show," makes a strong case that preparation is how professionals show respect to their audience. When you wing it, you're gambling with someone else's time. When you prepare well, you're honouring the opportunity. Every talk you give could be the one that changes someone's direction. Prepare accordingly.

2. Speak to the one, not the many. When you're on stage looking at 500 people, it's tempting to speak broadly. But the most impactful speakers talk as if they're speaking to one person. That woman who stayed behind after the event? She felt like the speaker was talking directly to her. That's not an accident. It's a skill you develop by writing for one specific person and trusting that their struggle is shared by many.

3. Follow up where you can. Impact doesn't have to end when you leave the stage. If someone approaches you after a talk, take the time. Exchange details. Follow up with an email or a resource. These small acts of care extend your impact far beyond the event itself. Some of the most significant moments in a speaker's ministry happen in the hallway, not on the stage.

4. Keep a record of stories. When someone tells you that your words made a difference, write it down. Keep a folder - physical or digital - of these moments. On the hard days, when you're questioning whether any of it matters, open that folder. Let those stories remind you of why you do this.

5. Stay close to the Source. Your words carry weight because of where they come from. If you drift from your own spiritual life - prayer, scripture, community, rest - your words will eventually lose their depth. You can't give what you don't have. Stewarding your impact starts with stewarding your own soul.

"How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: 'How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!'"

Romans 10:14-15 (NIV)

You are sent. Your feet are on that stage for a reason. And the people listening need what you have to say - not a watered-down version, not a hesitant version, but the full message God put in your heart, delivered with everything you've got.

Try This Today

Think back to the last talk you gave. Write down three things you hope someone took away from it. Then ask yourself: did my preparation, my delivery, and my presence give those takeaways the best chance of landing? If the answer is "not really," that's not failure. That's awareness. And awareness is where growth starts.

Your Story, His Glory

At NCAPS, we believe every voice and every story carries the power to glorify God and change lives. That's not just a tagline. It's the conviction that drives everything we do - connecting, equipping, and celebrating Christian speakers who want to make a lasting impact. If you're ready to steward your voice alongside others who share that conviction, come join us.