These tips are just that; tips. Take them for what they are worth, however, before you disregard any parts of it, please consider the source. I have been preaching for about thirteen years. At least seven of those years have been spent traveling from church to church in the local area, as well as across state lines by car, train and plane. Additionally, I have hosted conferences for the past six years, as well as operated in a consulting role, helping others plan their conferences and special events.
The
tips that I am sharing with you all come from a combination of good, as well as
not so good experiences over the years. Most of this I had to learn on my own
through trial and error, and I have certainly made some mistakes over the
years. My goal is to cover all of the basics, whether your speaker is flying in
from Australia or driving from down the street.
My
desire is to help, not offend, so please receive these tips in the spirit in
which they are given. I don’t claim to know it all, and there are certainly
some aspects that I have not experienced yet; but such as I have, give I unto you.
The
Invitation
It
all starts with the invitation. The way you present an invitation and the way
you follow through on said invitation, tells a lot about your organization, and
about you as the host. Please consider the following tips:Respect the speaker’s booking procedures. In this age of social media (Twitter, Facebook, etc.), people are easier to access than ever before. However, if at all possible, do not extend formal invitations in an informal environment (social media). Think about it this way. You would not extend an invitation to Bishop Jakes or Joyce Meyer on social media. That’s the quickest way to get you ignored, and even laughed at because you do not understand protocol. You may not think that the speaker you’re inviting is on the same level or is of the same caliber of the aforementioned speakers; however, they deserve the same respect and regard.
Most
established ministers have an office of some sort, and an assistant who handles
their booking requests. Even if you know the speaker personally and have personal
contact with them, in most cases, you will still need to speak with their
assistant to solidify the plans you made with them and to get the event inked
in on their calendar. Always follow the proper protocol when attempting to book
a speaker. Special Note: “I gotta get you to my church soon, doc” went
out in the 90s and is usually an empty promise. Ain’t nobody got time for that.
Follow the protocol.
Cleary
communicate all of the details of your event. Do not contact a
speaker’s office unless you have a set date/event in mind. If you are unsure
about your event, hold off on the invitation. You should be able to talk about
your event with confidence and be able to answer questions and address
concerns. Be sure that the speaker knows the event name, theme, scripture,
times, will the event be recorded or streamed live, and all other pertinent
information for their own planning purposes.
Investigate. Gather as much
information on your speaker as you possibly can so that you can make their stay
enjoyable. A little goes a long way.
Hire a
professional graphics designer. I cannot stress this enough. Gone are
the days where you design a flyer in Microsoft Word and call it a day. There
are many professional design programs out there now and if you or your staff
cannot do it professionally, outsource! A good, quality, professionally
designed flyer should only cost you about $60 at the most. That is a small
price to pay to make a professional presentation to your speaker and the world!
Surely your ministry can afford $60. I will also add that as the host,
advertising is mainly YOUR responsibility, not the speaker’s.
Airport
Etiquette
No
matter how big or small, the airport is usually always a hectic place. People
are on tight schedules and time is of utmost importance in that setting. Here
are some general airport tips:Always, always, always meet your speaker and their party at the airport. I can think of no exceptions to this. Don’t just meet them, but meet them on time! As you can see, the major theme of an airport is time. A visitor in your city should never have to wait or search for their ride at the airport.
Make sure you’re
meeting the right person. It’s not enough to meet them at the airport, but
make sure that your ministry or organization is maintaining a professional
appearance at all times. Have a sign with your speaker’s name on it. Not only
that, but make sure that the driver has at least a general idea of how the
speaker looks. If the speaker is African American, the driver shouldn’t be
looking for an Asian-American. Little details save time. (Are you he, or shall
we look for another?)
Greet them with
a smile.
It should be a given, but not always. Be courteous and smile when meeting a
speaker. Offer to help them with their bags. Go the extra mile! Whomever you
send to the airport is responsible for the speaker’s first impression of your
city and your ministry or organization. With that being said, good hygiene and
fresh breath go a looooooong way!
Leaving the
airport.
Don’t drive too fast, and don’t drive too slowly. This may seem like a minor
detail, but there’s nothing worse than having a bumpy, nauseating flight and
then a lousy driver. The two don’t mix well. Also, make sure the speaker and
their party does not need to stop anywhere before arriving at the hotel or the
venue.
The
Hotel
Think
of a speaker’s hotel as their home away from home. With that in mind……
Be wise. Make sure the
hotel is in a good part of town. You don’t have to book a 5 star hotel for it
to be comfortable and enjoyable for the speaker. Special note: “We’re
gonna put you up at my head deacon’s house for the night” is simply unacceptable
and unprofessional and went out in the 70s. Let that go.
Try to honor
preferences. If
they have special preferences, try your best to respect them. For example, I
don’t like hotels with outside entrances (usually found at hotels with “inn” or
“motel” in the name). I prefer inside corridor hotels. That’s just my
preference. Does that make me grand? No. It’s just my preference. Personally,
if a host cannot accommodate that, I don’t make a big fuss about it. That
usually happens in smaller cities and towns.
Make sure the
room is completely paid for. This should be another given, but not
always. A speaker should never have to pay for their
own room! You are the host. Additionally, if the speaker is going to be
responsible for incidentals, make sure they are aware of that beforehand. Make
sure you let the speaker or their assistant know exactly where they will be
staying and send confirmation numbers before their arrival. If the speaker drove
in, meet them at the hotel to greet and assist them!
Check them in
beforehand. Always
try to check your speaker into their room before they arrive. This not only
saves time, but gives you as the host another opportunity to go the extra mile.
There is nothing like walking into a hotel room where there is a fresh fruit
basket or food tray, water, a welcome/thank you card, and comfortable room
temperature. It says, “We appreciate you”, “We honor you”, “We’re glad you
came”, and/or “We’re ready for you to preach the paint off the walls”. Either
way, it’s a classic touch.
Parking
This section applies mainly to speakers who drive themselves to the venue. If the speaker flew into your city and you are picking them up from the hotel, the rules are quite simple: Be on time, be courteous, no loud music, no talk radio, no loud or excessive talking (driver) and drive at a comfortable speed.
Now
on to parking tips. Again, this may seem like a small detail, but I believe it
to be helpful information.
Reserved
parking.
A space should be reserved for your speaker. Put yellow or orange cones out and
make sure that no one parks there. Additionally, have an attendant waiting
outside to assist them, whether they have an armourbearer or not. Take care of
every detail. If it’s raining, or even sprinkling, grab an umbrella. Be
prepared. This helps the speaker to keep their mind off of trivial matters and
focus on the bigger matter; delivering the word.
Walk them in. The attendant
should also walk the speaker and their party into the church or venue. There’s
nothing worse than pulling up to a place you’ve never been before, walking in
and the usher or greeter doesn’t even know that you are the speaker! One word:
unprofessional.
The
Office
Most
speakers do not want to get right out of the car and walk into the service or
event. They want time to freshen up and collect their thoughts. Here are a few
tips regarding the office or green room that you host your speakers in:
Make sure the
office is clean and presentable. Again, this should be a given, but not
always. You should “clean up for company” and make the space comfortable for
your guest. Also, make sure that the space is big enough to accommodate them.
For example, your speaker may want to change clothes before or especially after
they speak. Have space set aside for them to do this in comfort.
Have supplies on
hand. When
I say supplies, I’m referring to basics such as bottled water, coffee, juice, mints,
napkins/tissue and the like. If your church has Wi-Fi, make sure the speaker or
their staff is able to access it from the office. That’s a supply too!
The host
greeting. After
the attendant greets your speaker in the parking lot, brings them in and shows
them to the office, the host should be heading that way soon. If possible,
always greet your guests shortly after they arrive. This not only makes you
appear welcoming, warm and hospitable, it also gives you time to discuss any
last minute details or concerns before they enter the service. Preferably, it is
also the host who should walk their guests to the pulpit or stage where they
will be sitting.
The
Offering
This
is such a sensitive topic, but it really doesn’t have to be. We talk about
money everywhere else but church, however, it takes money to run a church just
like it takes money to run a business or your house! Again, these tips apply to
any situation, whether the speaker is an international evangelist who flew in
from Africa, or another local pastor who drove in from the next city over. Here
we go:
Always ask if
there is a set or minimum honorarium. Never assume anything. Always ask. Most
of the time, you don’t have to ask, you will be told during the booking
process. If you are not told, don’t be afraid to ask before you get a final
confirmation on their booking. Some ministers have a set honorarium and others
have a minimum that they will accept. I agree that some honorarium requests are
absolutely ridiculous; however, it is not the purpose of this blog to address
that, but rather to address your willingness and ability to comply with their request.
If you feel it is too much or out of your budget, attempt to “negotiate”. If
you still aren’t satisfied, I’m sure you can find a speaker without such
stringent honorarium requirements who is just as anointed. (I’m just saying…)
I
had problems in this area when I first started out and even sometimes now. The
misconception by those with no understanding of ministry is that the speaker is
“charging for the Word”. I’ve heard it all: “They should just take what they
can get”; “It was freely given so they should give it free”. Most people who
have a heart for God and are serious about ministry have reasons behind their
set honorarium or their minimum. Take into account their expenses, time away
from their family, church or job, as well as the staff they may have to pay on
the road or back at home.
Many,
such as myself, have set minimums because people attempt to take kindness and
humility for weakness and stupidity. Unfortunately, having a heart for God’s
people and for ministry will sometimes get you taken advantage of. Those who
have been taken advantage long enough wise up at some point and start handling
business, or hiring someone who can and who will. (Thank God for Paul Ellis!)
Know how
offerings will be handled. Will the speaker take 50% of the offering they
raise? 100%? Will this be in addition to their honorarium or part of their
honorarium? This is information that should be discussed again before the
speaker arrives, and confirmed during the host greeting before entering the
service. Most times, honorariums can be used to bless the speaker above their minimum.
Many
local speakers don’t have a set honorarium or a minimum. They simply raise an
offering. This all depends on what level of traveling ministry the speaker is
on. No matter what the arrangement, this should be discussed before the
speaker’s time of ministry. There should be no surprises about money. As a
speaker, there have been times when I raised hundreds of dollars, then refused
to take any money. That’s my surprise for the host and my honor to sow; it
shouldn’t be a surprise from the other way around. #selah
Always have cash
on hand. This applies more when hosting a speaker who
is traveling a long distance by car. Honorariums should be given by
church/ministry check or cashier check, however, always offer someone traveling
by car some cash, whether in addition to their honorarium check or taken out of
it. They may need money for gas or other incidentals on the way home. If all
they have is a check, they still don’t have any money because banks are
probably closed.
Have checks or
cash ready. Never
conduct financial business in front of your speaker. Again, there’s that word:
unprofessional. Also be timely and professional in your presentation of their
honorarium. A hand full of waded up ones is not business-like and will probably
get you in trouble with our dear Uncle Sam down the road.
Always take care
of God’s gifts! The
Bible clearly tells us not to muzzle the ox that treads out the corn. The
Apostle Paul also instructed the church at Corinth: “If we have sown spiritual
things for you, is it a great thing if we reap your material things?” In other
words, after all the ministry work we’ve done for you, don’t start tripping
when money is mentioned! It’s called reciprocation and that’s how you get
blessed and remain prosperous as a host (a prophet’s reward).
A
speaker with a heart for God and His people will labor to prepare, deliver a
Word and even work the altar. Ministering ain’t easy! Simply saying “Good word!”
or my personal favorite, “We know we can’t pay you for the Word…” is no longer
acceptable. Let’s do away with such sayings, which usually mean the speaker
won’t have even enough money for a combo off of McDonald’s dollar menu on the
way home! Honor God’s gifts! (Soul say, Yeah!)
Take care of
your unc! If
you don’t want a prison ministry, file your paperwork with the IRS. Make sure
you’re up to speed on tax laws governing love offerings, charitable
contributions and contract employees. If you pay someone $600 or more, writing
a check is not an option; it’s a necessity. Any offering $600 or more must be reported to the IRS on a
1098 form. The beginning of the year following your event, you are to issue
your speaker a 1099-MISC, which they are to file on their taxes. Be sure to
gather personal contact information, social security number or EIN number from
your speaker’s office during the booking process so that you may complete these
forms. Respect your uncle!
Aftercare
What
you do and how you handle a speaker after they minister is just as important as
all of the preliminaries. When most speakers are done ministering, they are
drained, tired and hungry. Take all of this into considering and handle them
with care.
Help attend to
their needs if they don’t have an armourbearer. See if there is
anything you can do to assist or help them. Don’t be overbearing, but make your
presence and desire to help known.
Respect their
wishes. Some
speakers like to mingle a lot after they minister, some don’t. Ask and then
respect their preferences without the need for a detailed explanation. Just
know that for some, peace and quiet is priceless.
Food. Maybe it’s just
the Southerner in me, but I believe in feeding home cooked meals for a speaker
following a service, especially if they are staying overnight. Restaurants are
impersonal, are often crowded, and most of the time, CLOSED. As a nice added
touch, consider feeding your speaker and their party in a private atmosphere
where they can relax and refresh. And please make sure the cook isn’t
experimenting on your guests! Further, during the booking process, ask your
speaker’s assistant if he or she has any allergies, etc. You don’t want to kill
God’s gift!
All
of this may seem like a lot, some of it may even seem trivial. However, if you
desire to operate at a level of excellence in ministry, I believe these tips
will help you do just that. Stay tuned for more tips to be added later. In summary,
let the preacher just focus on preaching, and you handle the details. Be an
excellent host or don’t host at all.
