Where do you go to find a speaker?
Just this last few days I have received 2 different emails from 2 different places asking me to recommend a speaker for a camp and a leader for a camp. Which got me thinking [sometimes it takes quite a bit to get me thinking and sometimes I just can't stop].
Now, of course, it is flattering that they asked me but I was more wondering – where do people go looking? how do they decide? and do they think, in advance, of the sort of person they want?
Here are some of the questions that I need to ask them to allow me to make a valid recommendation – the open/above board/ voiced questions [the unvoiced, hidden questions will follow]:
- What is the purpose of the camp
- What age will the young people be that are attending
- Does the camp have a theme yet [I do hope it will have one - but thats an aside]
- Where is the camp and what are the dates
- What are your expectations of the leader/speaker
Their ability to answer the above questions will answer one or two of the following unvoiced ones [these are included for camp organisers to know what is going through a potential speakers [well mine at least] head:
- Have they got a clue about this camp
- Have they thought through the basics
- Am I really the right person to do this [a.k.a. do I want to do this]
- I wonder what the money will be like
- God, do you really want me to do this?
Of course there are the spiritual questions too – but they go without typing.
What do you think should be the criteria for a speaker?
