Why You Need Public Speaking Skills

Have you ever been invited to make a speech or prodded to enter a speech and drama competition? Most of us, horrified at the very idea, would reply, "No way. That's not for me." This is a normal and sensible reaction if you've never had speech or drama training.

In the same way, if you push a soldier armed with a feather duster into the heat of modern warfare, he's not going to be very courageous. However, if you arm him with state-of-the-art weapons and train him how to use them, he will be effective in his mission.*

Are you on a mission to effect change in your life or in the lives of those around you?

If you answered yes, then you'll need to be a communicator. Are you equipped with effective keys to powerful communication? Are you trained in how to use them?

If you answered no to either of the above, watch this video playlist that demonstrates tools that will help empower you to be effective in your mission.

Share this playlist! http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9A18ED9D7C00BA6F

* Metaphor by Ray Comfort, The Way of the Master Season 1, Episode 1.

Reaching a New Standard Through Imitating Excellence

What is your performance goal? What standard are you aiming for? Are you satisfied with mediocrity? Or do you dream of achieving excellence?

I applaud you if you are dreaming of achieving excellence. Is your goal vague or tangible? Have you visualized it? In this age of low standards (or no standards), many of us struggle to reach for or even dream of a standard we've never seen. Is this a struggle you relate to?

During the 1990s and early 2000s when my family was key to New Zealand's ACE Student Conventions and PFCs (Preparation for Convention camps), our vision was "Raise the Standard". And we did.

On each level that we set out to do this, we were enabled by witnessing an example of what we could be. We saw someone else achieve something and recognized Personal Possibility. The Living Example inspired us to Imitation, resulting in others recognizing what was possible and being inspired to aim for greater things themselves. Through imitation, they did.

Have you witnessed an example of what you want to be? of the standard of excellence you want to reach? Have you recognized Possibility and made it Personal?

I hope that in the videos below you will witness a standard that inspires you to reach higher and farther, to imitate excellence and set new standards for others to follow.

EXAMPLES OF EXCELLENCE IN PUBLIC SPEAKING

"The Gospel", a dramatic presentation written and voiced by Eric Ludy

http://youtu.be/nPIOkdNL-QQ

"Motivation", part of a presentation by World Champion speaker Craig Valentine

http://youtu.be/obS8KY9zYMA

"Ouch!" by World Champion Speaker Darren LaCroix, about taking the first step toward your goal

http://youtu.be/FUDCzbmLV-0

"That's My King", written and presented by Pastor S. M. Lockridge
(suitable for Poetry Recitation or Famous Speech; text available here)

http://youtu.be/yX_7j32zgNw

"Exceptional Leadership" by motivational speaker Craig Valentine

http://youtu.be/FPMUchjLUrM

To listen to or share the playlist "Excellence in Public Speaking - Narelle's best picks", click here: http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL298C32F460C9D566

Now you have encountered models of excellence. What are you going to do about it?

Learn how to write a better script.
Get coached on how to make a memorable presentation.

A 4-Step Formula for Making Your Speech Stick and Shine

Click on the link below for writing tips from Craig Valentine, 1999 World Champion of Public Speaking.

Most people spend their time complaining about not having the right tools or know-how to achieve excellence and so they never achieve their dream. Those who do achieve excellence know the importance of grabbing an opportunity when it's front of them. Which type of person are you?

You can achieve your dream to become a better writer and speaker. Click here now!

A 4-Step Formula for Making Your Speech Stick and Shine

Speeches for Girls I

In response to complaints about girls not being allowed to enter Preaching or Famous Speech, I always ask, "Have you tried Oratory?" If you've got a message you want to share but that doesn't quite fit the Illustrated Storytelling category, write what you want to say in the form of an oration.

I have uploaded two examples for you. Originally an essay, Know the Disease! Know the Cure! was a message I was passionate about and for which I gained a silver medal at South Pacific Student Convention. The other example, printed below, is a personal testimony which girls may use as a Famous Speech (if you're attending a South Pacific convention), or imitate the style for your Oratory text (which you write yourself).

Other tips on finding a suitable speech (male or female) are available here.

Singer Behind the Scenes

ScriptHaven founder Narelle Worboys and her accompanist tour Elder Care facilities entertaining with popular music from the World War era. Half way through the program and immediately before "Amazing Grace", Narelle stops for a chat which goes like this.

I enjoy coming to sing for you each month, and I can tell you enjoy it too, but I wouldn't want you to get the wrong impression about me, so here's the lowdown on Narelle Worboys.

I was born number 2 in a family of 6 children. The youngest died age 3 and a half, and the rest of us spent 15 or so years learning to live with each other. Even if you're all good friends - which we are - I reckon that process never stops!

My father was the principal of a home education provider called New Zealand Christian Academy. Using the Accelerated Christian Education program, my mother homeschooled us right through to University entrance -- although none of us felt the need to step into that wild and woolley realm.

My earliest memories are of singing sacred songs around the piano with my family every morning. Soon my mother began teaching us folk songs, and we embarked on our public career as The Worboys Family Who Sing. Apparently that's something unusual. My teen years and into my twenties were filled with harmonizing amongst my siblings, but one by one they left home and one day I realized I had no-one to sing with. I was devastated.

Deprived of that nice warm buffer of bodies and voices, it was tough making the transition to soloist, but as I got comfortable with it, I began to notice that many people have a hard time believing that someone who sings sweetly could be a bad person. Would you believe me if I said I was a criminal? Well, I took the Good Person Test and failed.

Have you ever taken an honest look at yourself? I mean a really good look?
I looked at myself in the mirror of God's Ten Commandments and the image I saw was an ugly one.

Have I ever lied? Yes.
Have I ever stolen something that belonged to someone else, irrespective of it's value? Yes.
Have I ever blasphemed (using God's name as a cuss word)? Yes.

Liar. Thief. Blasphemer. I was in serious trouble, and that was only 3 of the Ten Commandments. I knew I'd failed to always put God first in my life, the first and greatest Commandment. I knew the Bible says that all liars shall have their part in the lake of fire.

If I died that day and God judged me by that standard, I'd be guilty and deserving of eternal judgement in Hell. Would you be concerned about that? I was.

And then I discovered what God has done for us so we don't have to go to Hell. Do you know what that is?

God came in the flesh as the man Jesus Christ, to suffer and die on the cross, and rise again the third day, paying for our sins with his life's blood. It's like this: I broke God's Law, but Jesus paid my fine. That means when my case comes up on Judgement Day, God can legally commute my Death Sentence and dismiss my case from the courtroom.

What I had to do was repent -- that means to turn away from my sin -- and trust in Jesus Christ like a person trusts a parachute. The moment I did that, God made me into a new creature and empowered me to live in a way that pleases Him.

Death is only a moment away for all of us. How will you plead before the Righteous Judge? If you've repented of your sins and trusted in Christ to save you, as I have done, then you can be 100% sure that you will go to Heaven when you die.

For someone who was once a lawbreaker, now saved by grace, that's wonderful news! Now I walk in newness of life, and sing of Christ who paid my fine and set me free.

Thank you for listening. Let's have some more music!

Speeches for Girls II

In response to complaints about girls not being allowed to enter Preaching or Famous Speech, I always ask, "Have you tried Oratory?" If you've got a message you want to share but that doesn't quite fit the Illustrated Storytelling category, write what you want to say in the form of an oration.

I have uploaded two examples for you. Originally an essay, "Know the Disease! Know the Cure!" was a message I was passionate about and for which I gained a silver medal at South Pacific Student Convention (I've tweaked it a little bit, so maybe I'd get a gold for it now ). The other example, Singer Behind the Scenes, is a personal testimony which girls may use as a Famous Speech (if you're attending a South Pacific convention), or imitate the style for your Oratory text (which you write yourself).

Other tips on finding a suitable speech (male or female) are available here.


KNOW THE DISEASE! KNOW THE CURE!
Written by Narelle Worboys, aged 18

Thesis: All humanity has a life-threatening disease, but there is a cure provided.

We all know that cancer kills. But did you know that all humanity has a disease that kills? It’s called “sin.”

As Christians, we become so tolerant of the evil that surrounds us that we forget it is evil. Oh, maybe we know it’s wrong, but not perhaps evil.

God abhors evil, and this abhorrent evil surrounds us, creeps upon us unawares, permeating even the atmosphere. It is a disease. “And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually” (Genesis 6:5). Ephesians 5:16 says that the very days are evil.

And yet, as Christians, we must live godly in this present world. To stay healthy, we must keep in perspective. Proverbs tells us, “A wise man feareth and departeth from evil.” Why does he do this? Because “your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.” (1 Peter 5:8) “Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day . . .” (Ephesians 6:13). Don’t let that evil penetrate you. Don’t let the disease affect you.

What protection can we possibly have against this disease if we were born with it? Psalm 14:3 tells us, “There is none that doeth good, no, not one,” and in our natural state we have no power to repel it. Thus the disease rages within us, and its rewards are dire. Psalm 34:16: “The face of the Lord is against them that do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.” Romans 2:9: “Tribulation and anguish (cometh) upon every soul of man that doeth evil.”

Oh, but there’s a wonderful hope, friends, in Jesus Christ, “who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father” (Galatians1v4). This is the cure! God’s saving grace; salvation from the wages of sin, which is death. All we have to do is turn away from the symptoms of our disease and trust in our Divine Saviour.

And having been cured, we are now instructed, “Ye that love the Lord, hate evil” (Psalm 97:10.) But how can we step away from it, for it surrounds us? Listen to Romans 12:21: “Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.” And 2 Timothy 4:1-2: “I charge thee . . . preach the word . . . reprove, rebuke, exhort . . .” Here is something we must do. No, we cannot ignore it. You see, the world “considers not that they do evil” (Ecclesiastes 5:1). They don’t know! They don’t know they are sick. And how shall they know except someone tell them?

Matthew 5:13: “We are the salt of the earth, but if the salt hath lost its savour, wherewith shall it be salted? It is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.” You either stand or you fall: we have been commanded to stand against evil, but if we don’t, evil will tread on us and spread us out! (To stand is to obey. If you disobey, you will fall.) So, we are to be the salt and stand against evil. What happens when salt is applied to a wound? It hurts! The world won’t like what you tell them, but hey, did God say the world was going to love you? No! Matthew 10:22: “And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake.”

We need to fight the disease with the weapons with which we have been provided. Fight the good fight of faith, remembering that the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God. Apply God’s Word: “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12).

Friends, we must know the symptoms of the disease. They are well described in the first chapter of Romans: “They did not like to retain God in their knowledge . . . they become vain in their imaginations and their foolish heart was darkened . . . wherefore God gave them up to uncleanness . . . and a reprobate mind . . . because of the lusts of their own hearts.”

We must remember that the curing is in God’s hands, but our responsibilities are summed up in 1 Samuel 12:23: “God forbid that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you: but I will teach you the good and right way.” Indeed, we must preach, teach, reprove, and rebuke . . . but don’t forget to pray. Pray that the way would be opened for God’s healing waters of life to wash the wounds of evil and save souls from death, for God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9).

Know the disease! Know the cure!