Criteria I Use to Select Someone to Speak at PCC

In the past 6+ years, we've had a handful of people who have spoken for me in my absence.  Most have done a good job, some have done a great job.  But this kind of language is subjective. What does it mean to do a good, great, mediocre or poor job when standing in for me?  To be sure, beauty is in the eyes of the beholder.  One person will think a joke is funny while someone else won't even get it.  One person will be moved to tears and the person next to them will be offended.  So the point is not to make everyone happy.  If that was the goal, it would be an effort in futility, because it's simply impossible.  Any given Sunday I get a word from somebody somewhere that I've upset them in some way.  I understand that in a church our size.  

But there are some criteria that I use to evaluate a person to determine if I will ask them to speak, and if I will ask them to return to speak again.  Here are a few of the guidelines I consider:

1)  Do they have the gift of preaching?  I don't use this word - preaching - very often.  It's a churchy word that has lots of negative connotations.  People remember mean 'preacher', a boring 'preacher', and a judgemental 'preacher'.  So I try to avoid the word.  But the truth is that the Bible says that God gives every Christ follower at least one spiritual gift, and among the list of options from which He chooses is the gift of preaching.  People who want to preach who do not have the gift of preaching end up being bad preachers.  Unfortunately, there are lots of these folks out there.  So, I try to look at a person and ask, "is the gift of preaching inside of this person somewhere?"  I've sometimes thought it was there and been wrong, but usually I can spot it.

2)  Are they coachable?  I am not the world's gift to public speaking.  I still have so much to learn and I am still growing.  One, Five and Ten years from now, I'll be so much better than I am today.  But, having said that, it's not a prideful statement to also recognize that this is something I have a good bit of experience, training, and a gift at doing.  I've learned a lot of lessons.  When I work with someone, I want to know that they are going to actively seek out my advice and that they are going to take some or most of it.  I want them to ask questions and seek feedback from me.

3)  Do they want to learn?  In short, I don't want anyone who thinks they already know it all.  I'm looking for someone who will take advice on books to read, CD's to listen to, other speakers to go online and seek out and learn from.  I want them humble, hungry, and hopeful that they can be better than they are.  

4)  Do they understand our church?  Almost always, I use people who are already at PCC because I don't want to have to worry about whether or not they understand who we are.  I don't want a mess to clean up.  At PCC, there is a certain structure, a certain theology, a certain style, a certain leadership, etc. that is important for a speaker to honor.  If someone were to stand on the stage and violate certain boundaries, it would hurt our church.  

5)  Can they meet deadlines?  We work as a team.  There are certain things that I do that are acceptable because they are the norm because I am the normal speaker.  When a guest speaker comes, he or she has to live within a set of deadlines.  Being on time to meetings, with early copies of outlines or manuscripts or pictures or slides is important.  

That's probably more than you ever wanted to know, but just in case anyone ever asks, now you can tell them to come to the blog and find the answer!