StepUP and KKIM Christian News and Talk, are excited to announce Strictly Speaking, an all-day workshop teaching attendees how to build an oral presentation from the ground up. Shona Neff and Shonda Savage-Whitworth use their training and own experiences to teach others how to build and present a power message.
Learn how to use The Spiral Method to not only format your talk, but to incorporate all the nuances that build a powerful presentation. Hear from other speakers affiliated with KKIM Christian talk radio including Dewey Moede, station manager.
The workshop includes a working lunch where attendees have the opportunity to ask questions and chat with established Christian communicators.
If you are in the Albuquerque area and are interested in attending, the workshop will be held on Saturday, October 22 at Heights Christian Church on the corner of Lousiana and Comanche (6935 Comanche Rd. NE), from 8:30 to 3:30.
I procrastinate. There -- everyone knows my dirty little secret now. I have a natural tendency in my personality to put things off until the last minute. I'm a work in progress, so please do not throw stones at me.
Because of my propensity to postpone activities, it easily carries over into my speaking preparations. However, due to training, I have incorporated methods to overcome my natural delay tactics. When invited to speak, I ask, "Lord, what do I say?"
At this point, based on the topic and my personal experiences, I start to work on the message. But way before I am ever invited to speak, I prepare. Here are my two "top secret" preparation methods.
Due to cooler weather, I got a late start with my planting this season. I went to the greenhouse and was one of two customers.
As we quietly shopped, I noticed a perplexed look on her face while she stood looking at pretty plant with yellow blooms; I struck up a conversation. She proceeded to share her thoughts about the lanky plant sitting on the shelf before us.
"Back east, this plant is a weed, but it looks like they purposely plant it in this part of the country." I chuckled and commented that things are considered things of beauty depending on what type of garden they are planted in. I find this premise holds true in the world of Christian communication.
Just like that plant in the nursery, each of us are unique. As speakers, there are "gardens" where we are more likely to bloom.
If you follow StepUP posts with any regularity, you know I recently joined a ladies' golf league. Each time I attend it seems some sort of similarity between Christian communication and golf reveals itself. This week I learned about hit and miss. Stepping out into the world of golf and Christian speaking is all about hits and misses.
Proper Preparation
In my post We All Get By with a Little Help From Our Friends, I shared how ill-equipped I was at my first golf outing with the ladies. I had a saggy bag, no balls, no tees, no markers, and an ancient putter. That was a definite miss! But, I learned my lesson and have been properly prepared ever since.
Speaking is the same way. There will be times when we are not properly prepared, but we need to go on as best we can. It's okay to miss here and there, but as we progress in our journey, the hits need to become more frequent. Get the necessary training, prepare properly, and polish your message.
It doesn’t matter how many presentations you give, unexpected events are always laying in wait, eager to disrupt your and your message.
As Christian communicators, hopefully we will never experience a wardrobe malfunction as revealing as Janet Jackson’s infamous faux pas during the 2005 Super Bowl halftime performance. But, expect the unexpected.
The Show Must Go On
During a recent episode of American Idol, finalist, Lauren Alaina, ripped her panty hose. Even though she takes the stage as a singer, this same scenario could happen to a speaker and the show must go on! To compensate for the holy hose, a make-up artist quickly worked magic on Lauren’s legs and the singer lit up the stage. She was a trooper and earned a spot in the top two. Expect the unexpected!
I met Amy Dillon a few years ago when I was on faculty and she was an attendee at some communication training. It has been fun to watch her accomplishments with that training, her life experiences, and, of course, with God. I am delighted that she agreed to do an interview, and I know you will enjoy hearing about her adventures in the world of radio.
Shona: Radio shows do not just happen. Before we talk about your show, I want to ask you about your pre-show experience. Would you share the things you did prior to your program that prepared you for this opportunity?
Amy: One of the major things I did was work as an account executive and then Director of Business Development at a major radio station in Austin back in the 90’s. Who knew God would plan for me to use that experience to some day serve him! I learned how to create proposals and marketing plans for clients and also learned the ins and outs of being on air.
Another major thing I did was speak. I have been speaking in varying venues on and off for about eight years. Therefore, I felt comfortable sitting down behind a microphone, which can be very intimidating.
Even though I stumbled into radio work it was a very deliberate step God put in my path. My unexpected stint on the airwaves not only opened up many opportunities, but it provided me a way to improve my speaking and technology skills.
Speaking
My show, Practical Christianity, required a polished speaking voice. I am not a trained broadcaster, but listeners have told me I have a great radio voice: soothing with good inflection. However, listening to my recorded shows alerted me to the importance of good diction and not dropping the ending sounds off of words. It is hard to do 100 percent of the time, but it is a skill I continue to develop. Although diction is extremely important in radio, it also helps a speaker sound more professional when doing in-person presentations.
Technology
I am not a natural techie . . . I avoid technology when I can. I am also a slow learner. However, as a result of my radio gig, I can operate a mixer (those things you see in recording studios that have all the sliding knobs), add music to my message, and finalize CDs. I recently learned how to upload my shows on my personal website. I’m not ready for a job in a radio station, but the knowledge I’ve gained gives me a few more ways to enhance my ministry message.
Do you have a story? Have you received a call to share that story? Is God expanding your influence to include speaking? While such a call can be exciting, for many it quickly turns frustrating. Sometimes the "how to" of accomplishing that goal is not as obvious as the call.
If you find yourself facing the New Year in such a quandary, Sho and Sho are here to get you started. We are excited to announce our Strictly Speaking webinar scheduled for January 24, 26, and 28 (Monday, Wednesday, and Friday). Because our speaker training is available from the comfort and convenience of your own home or office, it saves the financial and time investment involved with most training venues which often require travel and lodging expenses, and substantial registration fees.
Our Strictly Speaking webinar is a four-session, three-day event which prepares aspiring speakers to step up and step out with confidence as Christian communicators. Each session lasts 1 to 1.5 hours, and attendees will receive immediate feedback on their presentations. We are finalizing the times, but the sessions will be held in the early afternoon (MST).
In order to provide the maximum training experience, each attendee will need to have a computer with high-speed Internet, a webcam, and a microphone (if not combined with the webcam.)
For more information, visit our Strictly Speaking webinar page. Registration for all four sessions is $60. Hurry! The registration closes on Wednesday, January 19.
We hope to see you there as you take one step closer to answering your call to speak. If you have any questions, please email us at snsstepup@gmail.com.
Have you visited blogs that share videos? Do you enjoy watching someone share information on their blog? Have you wondered what the benefits are of using videos in blogs and how to get started? Vlogging is a wonderful way to turn your blog into a speaking presentation.
I recently met Caleb Jennings Breakey and his wife, Brittney, at the 2010 CLASS Christian Writers Conference at Ghost Ranch in Abiquiu, NM. Caleb is a professional writer who is truly gifted and talented. One of the things that really stood out to me about Caleb is his passion for writing and sharing God's message. Caleb uses vlogging on a regular basis to encourage his audience. I asked Caleb to share a guest VLOG with StepUP to encourage us to learn more about vlogging. Here's Caleb. . .
About Caleb Jennings Breakey
Caleb Jennings Breakey earned a degree in journalism at the age of 20 and has interviewed superstars like Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez, Roger Clemens, and musicians Emerson Drive and Casting Crowns. He’s also been interviewed by the police after he and his wife were mistakenly arrested as suspected bank robbers . . . on their honeymoon.
A graduate of the Christian Writers Guild’s Craftsman course, Caleb also operates www.CalebBreakey.com, a website for young writers. He will be teaching at the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference, the Colorado Christian Writers Conference, the Philadelphia Christian Writers Conference, and the CLASS Christian Writers Conference in 2011. You can connect with him at www.CalebBreakey.com, his interactive Fanpage, Twitter, or YouTube.
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Thank you Caleb. Sho and Sho would love to know how you plan to use vlogging on your blogs. When you do make a VLOG, please send us the links by leaving a comment, and we will share them on our Facebook page.
Paul was a bold writer and speaker for Jesus. There is no doubt that his words have impacted Christians for generations.
What made Paul so effective?
"It is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be put to shame in any way, but that by my speaking with all boldness, Christ will be exalted now as always in my body, whether by life or death" (Philippians 1:20 NRSV).
Expectations
Paul expected to do great things for Jesus. He didn't just dream about meeting karma on the road to nowhere. No way! Paul was a mover and shaker once he got God's call (Acts 9), and he was fervent about spreading the Gospel. He had expectations; he didn't just sit around moaning and groaning about getting started. He dove right in. He had his orders and marched full speed ahead.
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