If you’re leading a nonprofit ministry today, you already know:
Just putting out more content isn’t enough.

You can send newsletters, post on Instagram, publish blog articles, or film helpful videos—and still feel like you’re not making the kind of real connection you hoped for.

Why?
Because people today are flooded with messages. Their brains are wired to filter out anything that doesn’t feel immediately relevant to their current needs.

It’s not personal.
It’s not even about how "good" or "important" your message is.
It’s about whether your audience quickly recognizes, "This matters to me, right now."

That’s where the A.R.T. of Engagement framework comes in.
Today, we’re going to focus specifically on the "R"—Relevance—and how you can structure Explainer content that proves relevance immediately, grabs attention, and opens the door to deeper trust and engagement.

Let’s walk through the full process, step-by-step.

How to Create Explainer Content That PROVES Relevance

Step 1: Understand Why Relevance Comes First

Before you write a word or hit record on a video, you need to understand the role relevance plays.

Relevance is not about impressing people.
It’s not about inspiring them in some abstract way.

It’s about making them immediately think:

• "They’re talking to me."
  
  
• "This is my situation."
  
  
• "I need to hear this."
  
  

If you don't prove relevance fast enough, your content simply gets filtered out.
Their mind moves on, even if their heart agrees with your cause.

If you do prove relevance, the opposite happens.
They lean in.
They become curious.
They begin to trust that you understand their world.

This lean-forward posture is what makes real engagement possible.
Without relevance, you never get to the other steps—like building authority or trust.

Begin every piece of content by remembering:

Relevance earns you the right to be heard.

Step 2: Pick a Specific, Felt-Need Topic

Once you understand how critical relevance is, your next job is to choose the right topic.

One of the biggest mistakes beginners make is choosing topics that are too broad or too general.

For example:

• “Helping the community” is too broad.
  
  
• “How to create safer after-school spaces for middle school students” is specific.
  
  

Broad topics might seem impressive to you, but they don’t create that feeling of, "They get me" for your audience.
Specific, felt-need topics do.

A "felt need" is something your audience already feels, struggles with, or wishes they could change.

They aren’t searching for theoretical solutions.
They’re searching for relief, clarity, progress.

Before creating your content, ask:

• What problem is keeping them up at night?
  
  
• What frustration are they voicing to their friends?
  
  
• What opportunity do they wish they could access?
  
  

When you name and address a felt need, you immediately position your content as necessary—not optional.

Step 3: PROVE Relevance Using the Point-Prove-Publish System

Picking the right topic is the start.
But you still have to prove to your audience that you understand their world.

You do that by using the Point-Prove-Publish structure inside your content:

• Point: Share a real-world case study or example that highlights the problem and solution. It shows the audience that what you’re talking about actually matters—and that someone like them has seen real results.
  
  
• Prove: Offer a small, free, immediately useful resource or tip—a "quick win." This gives them a tangible experience of your help without any risk or cost.
  
  
• Publish: Reinforce your message consistently across all channels so that over time, your name becomes associated with trustworthy, helpful solutions.
  
  

Here’s why this matters:
Many ministries explain ideas. Few demonstrate solutions.
When you prove relevance through real stories, real resources, and real consistency, you move from being one more voice online to becoming a trusted guide in your audience’s life.

You are showing—not just telling—that you belong in their world.

Step 4: Structure Your Core Teaching With Past → Present → Future

Once you’ve proven relevance, it’s time to teach.
But how you teach matters.

People don’t want to be overwhelmed with too much information.
They want a simple, clear story that helps them understand where they were, where they are, and where they can go.

That’s why Past → Present → Future is such a powerful structure:

• Past: Start by reminding them of how things used to work—or the assumptions people used to have.
  
  
• Present: Show them why that approach isn’t working anymore—or why a new challenge has appeared.
  
  
• Future: Give them one clear action they can take moving forward.
  
  

This approach respects their intelligence while guiding them naturally toward hope and action.

It prevents you from sounding like you’re scolding or lecturing.
It positions you as someone who understands the journey—and is offering a better map.

Step 5: Layer in Authority and Trust (Without Sounding Like a Sales Pitch)

After you’ve explained the idea clearly and helpfully, it’s time to subtly strengthen your Authority and Trust.

Here's the key:
Don’t just make claims about your expertise.
Let your examples, experience, and tone demonstrate it.

Ways to layer Authority and Trust:

• Mention small but credible examples of how your method has worked ("In our last three neighborhood outreach events, we noticed attendance rose when we...")
  
  
• Talk about lessons learned from real work ("Early on, we made this mistake too. It’s why we changed our approach after talking directly with families...")
  
  
• Stay warm and approachable. Let people see that you’re still learning and growing alongside them.
  
  

When you position yourself as a peer with experience—not a distant expert—you create a bridge, not a wall.

That bridge is where long-term engagement grows.

Step 6: Finish With One Clear Takeaway + Action

Every piece of Explainer content should leave the viewer or reader thinking two things:

• "I learned something useful."
  
  
• "I know exactly what to do next."
  
  

To make that happen, you must end your content with:

• One clear, memorable takeaway.
  
  
• One simple, specific action step.
  
  

Avoid vague endings like, "Hope that helps" or "Let me know your thoughts."

Instead, say things like:

• “If you’re planning a community event, remember: People show up for relationships, not for flyers.”
  
  
• “Save this post for when you’re designing your next outreach strategy.”
  
  

Specific next steps make it easy for your audience to act—and to keep connecting with you.

Final Thoughts

You are not creating content for the sake of content.

You are creating real connection.

When your Explainer content proves relevance immediately:

• You show that you understand their world.
  
  
• You make them curious about what else you know.
  
  
• You invite them into an ongoing journey—not just a one-time interaction.
  
  

The A.R.T. of Engagement—Authority, Relevance, Trust—works because it’s based on how real relationships are built in real communities.

In nonprofit ministry work, that’s everything.
You aren’t trying to be the loudest voice.
You’re becoming the most trusted one.

And it all starts with proving you care enough to meet people where they are, with what they actually need, right now.