"Have you ever fumbled over your words while you’re trying to exhort the congregation, either between songs or at the end of a worship set? Well, if you haven’t, chances are that you probably will at some point in your worship leading experience. So, I just want to share with you 3 things that are really helpful for me when it comes to exhorting the congregation and knowing what to say, and to help me steer away from the area of what not to say. So, the first thing is coming prepared. Hopefully you have some measure of time to prepare before you actually say something. So I would choose a spot. If you’ve been asked to encourage the congregation in the worship set, I would choose the song and where within that song or transition that you’re going to do that. If you’re also playing an instrument, I would have a chord progression that’s nice and open, so that you’re not too confused about the complexity of the chord changes. Something that’s really fast moving, but something that has a little bit more space. And it could even be communicated ahead of time. Say you’re the acoustic guitar player, you can talk to your piano player and have them carry more of that moment, so you can just focus on talking. So if you know that you can’t play and talk, set yourself up for a space within that worship set where you don’t have to play. Somebody else is helping carry the atmosphere of that moment. So, choose your spot and stick with it. I think it’s helpful. In the preparation, I’d also come with these two thoughts here: I would have a scripture prepared. It doesn’t mean that I have to remember the scripture and verse, like the address of it - okay, it’s Psalm 150, and the exact translation. I would say that each week before I get up to lead worship, I am think through, asking and praying, what is a script that is on my heart for this actual service that I’m leading. So that even within my impromptu moment, there’s the inspiration of the Word that has life, right there. So you can just say, I referenced it before, “Psalm 150 says that everything that has breath praise the Lord.” That is something that is just locked in to my mind. Enter in His courts with thanksgiving, enter in His gates with praise. Have them locked in there at least to start. And I think that the Scripture is a great place to start. More than just, “how are you feeling after you ate pizza last night?” Or you’re looking around your congregation, looking for the inspiration of what to say. You don’t have to fabricate this, just let the Word of God do what the Word of God does. And as long as you’re filled with it, and you have at least a reference. You can just say, “the Psalmist says.” You don’t have to actually get so caught up in, “here’s the address,” because I’ve done it before, like, “Oh, is it Hebrews 12? Is it Hebrews 6? Is it…?” Just come up with what is the main thought behind the Word, and then encourage from that. Keep it short and succinct. So, “If everything that has breath created to praise the Lord,” the encouragement then, is, not the berating of the congregation, using phrases like, “I just want to encourage us today, as we have breath in our lungs, let us sing with praise to God, because that’s what He’s desires.” Bring it down to that level, and you just need to practice that one sentence or so, that helps hone in and engage the congregation. And then know what your exit strategy is. So you said your word, “Psalm 150 said let everything that has breath praise the Lord.” Encouragement to you is, “Let’s praise the Lord because we have breath in our lungs.” Over here, the exit strategy. This is where I feel a lot of us fall short. What do we do in that moment? We want to start playing and singing? So, just come up with a plan and say, “So, right now, I would like to encourage us to sing this chorus, or go back into this bridge.” Or maybe it’s at the end of the set, so, “I would like to pray over us.” Just know what your exit strategy is nice and clearly, so that you can really put the right exclamation mark and a point of finality on the thought that you shared, whether it’s at the beginning, in the middle, or at the end of the worship set. Know what you’re doing, you’re either going into a song, or ending in a prayer, or you’re having them do a big shout. Just know where you’re heading in, where you’re taking them. So hopefully that is been helpful for you guys today."