Telling YOUR Story
Scott Murrish – [email protected]
Signing up to be on the leadership team of a local program means that you have
signed up to take on a MAJOR task. As a leader you might have to face one (or even
all) of the five major fears of most adults in America. Not the least of which is
becoming an effective public speaker. There a several ingredients to speaking on
behalf of your organization that we hope become not only the “standard” of our
leaders, but also become “second-nature” to them. The skills we will work on today
will help you get the message across without having to answer a lot of questions
about camp when you are finished. These skills will also allow you to give a very
natural “ask” for funds at the end of your talk that will take the fear out of the
process. Your listeners will be expecting to give when you are done. Honing these
skills will help you overcome one of the major obstacles of raising your funds…
communicating the message in a clear and concise manor. Before we dive into the
skills, let’s talk about the five major fears of most leaders.
“Before you ever approach anyone. Always know what you want them to say yes
to.”
Five Major Fears
People often ask me as I am out speaking, “Why is it such a challenge to launch new
programs for foster children?” You would think it should be easy to find new
directors, since the mission of serving children of abuse is so clear. You would think
that we would have dozens and dozens of new programs in every part of the
country launched each year, right? There are so many people who instantly agree
that something must be done to break the cycle of abuse and provide hope for the
foster children in America and around the world. So, what is it that holds people
and churches back?
Here is my reply. To launch a new program, we are asking people to step up to the
challenge and overcome the 5 major fears that are common to most adults in
America. Let me explain…
Major Fear Number 1:
Sacrificing Time – In our culture, time is an incredibly valuable commodity.
Days off and vacation time are reserved as a reward for our hard work and
dedication to making a living and serving our family. Surveys tell us that
most adults would forgo bonus pay in favor of extra time off… it is THAT
valuable.
To launch a new program, we are asking dedicated, hard working, ministryminded people to focus HUNDREDS of volunteer hours a year to the
launching and sustaining their new ministry. That is VOLUNTEER hours…
gratis, no pay, nada! This is a big deal… and is the first mental hurdle to be
cleared. Afraid yet?!
Major Fear #2:
Speaking in Public - According to a Gallup pole on fears and phobias,
speaking before an audience ranks as the second biggest fear of adults in
America… right behind the fear of snakes and before the fear of heights. It
sends shudders down the spines of most men and women. Most would
rather turn and walk away when presented with the need to address a
crowd.
Getting the word out about your program REQUIRES a spokesperson to share
the need, tell the stories and present the “ask” (more about this below).
Speaking to churches, local service clubs and social service leader’s meetings
is part of the “recipe” for a successful program. Receiving training on how to
do this is vital. In addition, you will need to create material to present to
groups that need to hear the message. So, there is no getting around it…
standing before a crowd has to happen to get it done. It takes a voice!
Major Fear #3:
Recruiting a Team – This is probably the most important step to running a
successful program. A leader can have incredible passion, be willing to
dedicate their time, and even speak the message well. But without building a
quality team, a new program will never happen. It is hard work… REALLY
HARD, especially the first year. Most people are reluctant to give of their
time (see fear #1) and shy away from committing to yet another ministry. If
they are quality people, they are already involved in good things. That is why
we want them!
Many of the leaders we want have already been asked to teach a Sunday
school class or lead a small group. They were likely given a book or quarterly
materials to teach from. “Read this and you will be fine,” or so they were
told! This is often done in the church hallway after service when we’re more
concerned with where to go for lunch. But, recruiting THIS team will require
finding dozens of strong staff members with specialized skills. Warm bodies
are not enough. The children we serve will require a leader to gather and
train the best of the best! Easier said than done!
Major Fear #4:
Working with “At Risk” Children – Common phrases that are heard when
presenting the message are, “I wouldn’t know how work with these
children.” Or, “I’m afraid I would want to take all of them home!” Or even, “I
wouldn’t want to put myself or others through the risk of something bad
happening.” There are many emotion-filled thoughts that race through the
minds of adults when presented with the need of serving children of abuse.
Compassion, empathy, fear, anger, pity, worry, reluctance… the list is long.
These emotions are very real barriers to many adults. The thought of putting
oneself at risk for the sake of others keeps many from taking action. In fact, it
often paralyzes them. It is easier to do nothing than to risk our own safety or
comfort. No one ever said that serving others would be easy. But then again,
nothing HEROIC ever is. Children are waiting for heroes to rise up and
launch new programs to meet their needs. It is a risk… but it is oh, SO worth
it!
Major Fear #5:
Asking for Money – Along with the task of overcoming fear #2 (public
speaking), asking for money is the BIG DADDY OF THEM ALL! Not only are
you going to give of your free time, speak on a regular basis, recruit a team
and work with abused children; you are ALSO going to have to ask other
people to pay for the camp buy raising a budget that is in the Tens of
Thousands of $$,$$$ annually!
There are not enough spaghetti feeds, car washes, bake sales or pie auctions
to make this kind of budget happen. There aren’t going to be “miracle grants”
that just appear out of thin air. You will HAVE to share the message, tell the
stories and ASK people to give in the form of scholarships for the children.
The positive side of this is that almost no one will turn away from helping a
child who has been abused. But you STILL have to ASK! Enough said!
This list of fears to overcome is not intended to be negative or turn people away from
launching a camp or club. It is just the reality we face when stepping up to do big,
heroic, life-changing things! This list does NOT discourage us from sharing the
dream… it propels us forward to find those who are willing to do what to most would
seem impossible! “But with God, ALL things are possible!”
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“Stories that Sparkle”
Lessons learned from Vicki Barnes
Now that we have addressed the 5 Major Fears and agreed that everyone in this room
has already decided to face them head-on, let’s dive into developing your story and
working on the skills to make it work for your program.
There is nothing that holds the attention of an audience better than a story. Describing
your mission is something that we can really get excited about. But how do you make
sure you don’t leave out important information. Worse yet, how do you ensure that
you don’t leave out the most important part… THE ASK! The steps below will help you
create YOUR story and equip you to share it with confidence.
I encourage you to take the time to write out your story and practice telling it to
someone. That’s right… you MUST write it out! Unless you take the time to put your
words on paper, there will almost always be elements that are forgotten or overlooked. This part of the process is crucial to your successful telling of the story.
Practicing your story is also mandatory. Read it out-load to get a feel for how it
sounds. Recite it in front of a mirror to build your confidence. And then, commit it to
memory. The aid of an outline is permissible, and should be all you will need to take
with you to any podium or group setting.
Let’s dive in!
1. Transport your audience to the venue of your program.
 Bring them with you to a place by describing the setting, creating a mood,
and including them in the process. Let your audience FEEL where they are,
not just hear about it.
o Use the five senses. Sight, sound, smell, taste, touch
2. Tell us about the child. (It is ALWAYS about the child!) SOTO!
 The word SOTO stands for “Story Of The One.” Let us know as much about
the child as you can without breaching confidentiality. Always change the
name of the child.
 Share age, stature, activity-level, hair & eye color, demeanor, features etc.
This allows the listener to put themselves in the “shoes” of the child.
3. Describe the Moment as it unfolds.
 Paint a picture in the minds of the listener by using words that “sparkle.”
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(i.e. *Glenn Garvin’s neighbor’s garage from his book, “Seed of Hope in Toxic Soil”)
Include lots of key ingredients: time of day, describe the weather, include
sounds of people and surroundings, emotions of those involved, etc.
4. Weave the “signature ingredients” of your program into the story.
 For Royal Family KIDS, these would include: Getting off the bus, birthday
party, activity stations, Grandma & Grandpa, chapel service, variety show, 1:2
ratio, photo album, memory bags, closing ceremony, “I Will Change Your
Name”, welcome home program, etc.
5. Share Scripture & Statistics that reflect your audience and location.
 James 1:27, Matthew 18, Psalm 40, Jeremiah 29:11
 Include your local stats on reported cases of abuse and number in foster care
6. Share how your process gets people involved while keeping children safe
 Thorough screening & background check process
 Comprehensive training process, (7days for directors/12 hour for staff)
 Everyone is a volunteer
 Locations are kept confidential for the safety of the children
 Cost of a your program (crucial to setting the $$ wheels turning in the minds
as of the audience as they listen.)
7. Share the “Moment that Mattered” to the child.
 Always bring the life-changing moment back to the child. Sharing how the
adults were moved is wonderful, but it must always come back to how your
program helps bring hope to the children you serve.
 Thank your audience and ASK if they would like to help TODAY!
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1. Transport your audience
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2. Tell us about the child.
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3. Describe the Moment
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4. Weave the “signature ingredients” RFK
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5. Share Scripture & Statistics
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6. Share RFK process
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7. Share the “Moment that Mattered”
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8. Give the Ask
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- Your Elevator Speech A few sentences designed to give someone a quick introduction to Royal Family KIDS
- Your 2-Minute TALK A 1-2 Minute Message to be delivered to give someone a quick introduction to Royal
Family KIDS.
Soto/Stats/Scripture/ASK
- Your 5-15 Minute TALK This is a TOUR of what a week of Camp is like. To be delivered to give a SOLID
understanding of WHAT Royal Family KIDS is and WHY we we do it.
Intro/Soto/Stats/Scripture/Soto/ Q&A/ ASK
- Your Signature Sermon A 25 Minute Message to be delivered in Church services, banquets, Service
Organizations & Formal Gathers
Intro: Tell a little bit about yourself & share your Elevator Speech
Soto: Story of the One
Scripture: The BASIS for everything we do is the mandate of Christ to reach the lost
Stats: Share Local Stats that paint a picture of the need in your community.
Soto: A more DETAILED story that paints a picture in the mind of the listeners
Scripture: The Word of God what must carry the message:
Conclusion: Wrap up things in a way that allows people to respond.
ASK: for prayer, for volunteers, for scholarships