Many people have commented on my previous blog about dealing with guest speakers and some not so positive experiences that we shared. Some speak every week for their weekly event. Some even have their small groups study the material that they have written or it comes off of their weekly message. But, I'm very positive about and advocate using guest speakers. Here are some of the reasons I think it is a plus.
1. Different students are attracted to and respond to different personalities. When you use a variety of speakers, you broaden your outreach to a wider variety of students.
2. You are trying to help students become what God wants them to uniquely be...not a clone of you.
3. Each of us who speak to students have an area of expertise and or emphasis in what we think is important they need to hear. You cannot be an expert in every area that students need to hear.
4. Using a special speaker for a Retreat or whatever adds an extra note of this is important or different...not just same old same old.
5. Using someone else to speak allows you to be free to focus on dealing with students individually and the details of the event rather than being focused on speaking.
6. The more you have to speak....the more time you have to spend in preparation which takes time away from other important tasks.
7. If we are the only speaker that our students hear, it more and more focuses the ministry around us and our personality and makes it more likely the ministry will not maintain at that level when we leave.
8. When students hear only us speak, they tend to share our strengths....and weaknesses.
9. When students hear only us speak, it is easier for them to become a follower of us rather than a follower of Jesus.
10. When students only hear one speaker all the time, it makes it harder for them to transition to a new church after college as they usually are looking for someone who does it just like who they have been hearing. It's easy for them to think there is only one style or way to think.
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