In this episode we sit down to talk about the what’s and why’s behind choosing guest speakers, as well as some “good manners” for guest speakers to abide by.
Part of the reason to have guest speakers is to bring something to your church that doesn’t exist on your team… like a new voice or a new thought… the body of Christ is much broader and more diverse than most churches can represent out of their own pulpits…
Another reason to have a guest speaker is because I want my church to know who my friends are… I want them to know who our overseers are… who is speaking into my life and the life of my staff…
When our guest speakers come in, they are interested in us… they want to check in on us… there’s a sense of spiritual enrichment…
95% of the time, when I invite a guest speaker, they are pastors of their own congregation… they understand what I’m after and trying to accomplish… they are there to care deeply for the sheep… they’ve come in to add to my work and love the people who are in front of them…
Here are some good manners for guest speakers… first, find out how long they want you to speak for and finish on time…
Secondly, dress for the culture of the church you’re speaking at… if they do suit and tie, you do suit and tie… if they do jeans and a t-shirt, do jeans and a t-shirt…
Third, don’t create any messes… there are sermons I can preach to my congregation that I could never preach to another person’s congregation…
Fourth, let other people sell your books… I believe in my books but when I go to another person’s church, I don’t sell my product… if they want to sell them, that’s fine, but that’s not why I’m there…
Fifth, don’t be demanding… be low-maintenance… if you’re going to be a blessing, then go to be a blessing…
Lastly, go there to learn… a lot of times, my best ideas have come from my preaching trips… if we go in as learners, prepared to ask a lot of questions, it’s amazing the ideas we’ll get…
A good guest speaker is a person who, when they leave, the congregation is more in love with their church, and not with the ministry that just got on a plane and left town…
I tell young pastors to find older, faithful leaders who are finishing the race well, and have them be your guest speakers… your young congregation will thank you…