Tips for Missionary Speakers

• Where Can I Be a Speaker?
• How to Take Them There
• How to Partner with the Audience

Where Can I Be a Speaker?

• On Mission Celebrations—An association-wide event
• Local Churches—Mission Conferences, Mission Fairs and other Mission Events
• Woman's Missionary Union (WMU) activities— annual meetings, teen weekends, regional meetings, national events, Acteen and GA Retreats
• Camps for Royal Ambassadors, Challengers, or other student groups

How to Take Them There

• Lead your audience in visualizing the field in which you serve through energizing their sense of touch, sight, hearing and smell.
• Display photos of the setting in which you serve.
• Display photos of the faces of people in which you interact with.
• Is your area famous for foods, or other products?
• Is your area known for a certain type of clothes? (Example: ski resort, prison)
• Does your ministry utilize clowning, other type of costumes or uniforms that you could wear in a display hall setting?
• Are there objects that are highly recognizable with your area? (Example: St Louis’ Gateway Arch)
• Are there demographic figures or other unique facts that could be shared through interactive computer activities?
• Display any mission statement or scripture that your ministry is driven by.

Take some of the above elements and display them on a display backdrop. Some of our North American Missionaries have access to professional display backdrop, while some will have to construct their own. Here are two simple ideas for affordable backdrops for any display:

• Commercial Display Boards are inexpensive, adaptable, and available at most office supply stores and even retail stores such as Wal-Mart.
• Metal Shelving Material is designed for closets and other at home storage. It can be pricey from some retailers, however when it comes to adaptability, durability, functionality and overall attractiveness you can’t beat this material. Suppliers will cut the material to size for you right at the store. 3’-4’ panels make a wonderful tabletop backdrop. Hinge the panels together with plastic cable ties (also found at builder supplies and most Wal-Mart type stores). Use cable ties in securing display items to this type of backdrop as well.

How to Partner With Your Audience

• Lead your audience to anticipate their role in being on mission with God through establishing a personal partnership with them and your ministry.
• Develop intercessory prayer partners through developing and sharing cards or sheets that state specific needs that fellow Christians can commit to lifting up to the Lord on your behalf.
• Introduce the current copy of the NAMB’S On Mission Prayer map. This prayer activity leads believers to pray over North America for a 31-day period. It is ideal for a church-wide, mission education organization, Wednesday Night Prayer Service, Sunday School class or other small group strategy for involving people through on mission praying. For information regarding the On Mission Prayer Map click here.
• Strengthen church families’ financial support at North American Missions through promoting how giving through the Cooperative Program and to the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering for North American Missions impacts your ministry.
• Partner with your audience through volunteerism: Share specific needs for short and long term mission volunteers regarding your ministry. Invite and challenge church families to send volunteers to join God on mission through serving Him “hands on” through your ministry.