How to Be a Great Lectureship Speaker

by gozdeo at free images.com

by gozdeo at free images.com

The title is certainly audacious.  You may even think a bit vain and arrogant.

I certainly am not claiming to be a great lectureship speaker.  In fact, I have only spoken at a few lectures.

But I have listened to hundreds of lectures over the years at various events in our brotherhood.  I have spoken to lots of preachers about lectures.  There is always one typical common denominator, in what I think and what I hear, that makes a speaker successful at a lecture.

It is not a dynamic presentation.

It is not wonderful illustrations.

It is not thorough research and tremendous scholarship.

It is not a great powerpoint.

It is not a wonderful transcript.

It is not a handout.

 [important]All of these things can add to the presentation, but the one thing that will make a lectureship speaker successful and a “great lectureship speaker” is if they speak about their assigned topic![/important]

I understand that various approaches can be taken to a given topic.  Yet, often what the attendee expected, is not what they received.

The general rule still exists in most attendees minds – a speaker is successful when they deliver the information they went to hear.  It is hard to choose which lecture you attend.  Typically there are multiple ones you consider attending with various competent speakers.  So you choose to go to a lecture because you want to learn about the topic.

Nothing is more disappointing than getting in the lecture and the speaker not staying on the topic.  This frustrates lectureship planners to no end.  Speakers need to consider seriously their assigned topic and stay on it.  Even if they think something else is more interesting, pertinent, or makes for a better presentation.  They should adequately deal with their assigned text, topic, or question.

If you want to be a great lectureship speaker just do your best to consider how the attendee will read and understand your topic and then present information about that topic in your lecture.  And please if the topic is a question — answer the question; at least share your opinion.

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