My Time in Toastmasters

One hundred years ago, an organization was formed to help individuals improve their public speaking skills. Toastmasters has grown from a single club in California to approximately 16,000 worldwide. The meetings feature prepared speeches and impromptu talks (called Table Topics) to get people to think on their feet. Members are assigned various tasks to help others expand their vocabulary and get rid of vocal fillers like “um,” “ah,” “er,” and “you know.”

I joined Toastmasters shortly after giving my life to the Lord in 1991. I no longer wanted to be a nightclub disc jockey but still desired to speak in front of crowds. At the time, I was a distributor for a multilevel marketing company. People responded very favorably whenever I gave a testimonial at their meetings. Initially, I attended a Toastmasters club in the St. Paul suburb of Little Canada, Minnesota. Months later, I transferred to a different club called Sunrisers. Many of my early speeches were about topics relevant to multilevel marketing. Gradually, I talked more about spiritual matters. In every speech, I quoted a Scripture or mentioned God.


The day after I gave a speech on Bible prophecy, I experienced a demonic attack. On October 11, 1992, I was lying in my bed wide awake when suddenly a voice started speaking profanity in my left ear. I immediately hollered, “Satan, I rebuke you in the Name of Jesus!” Then the voice stopped. The devil is real and will launch attacks when you step out for God. Jesus has given us His name to resist the enemy.


Around that time, I wrote another speech called “Too Much TV,” a fictional story composed of television show titles. I entered it in a humorous speech contest and advanced through the first three rounds. Had I won the fourth round, I would have had the opportunity to give that speech at a Toastmasters competition in Billings, Montana. Instead, a song I wrote got me there. 


The Twin Cities area Toastmasters clubs also held a lip-sync contest, which I entered performing my novelty hit “Let’s Blow Up the Tow Truck.” Audience response determined the winner. I narrowly lost to a trio who did an original song promoting Toastmasters. One of the group members couldn’t go to Billings to compete in the next round. I got to go in place of the group. Toastmasters International gave me $150 for travel expenses, plus (to my surprise) my club contributed another $150! I didn’t win the lip-sync contest but sold tapes of my music that I brought with me. A year later, I left Toastmasters to focus on another form of public speaking: preaching the gospel on the streets. 


Yesterday I visited my old club for the first time in three decades. Four former colleagues are still part of Sunrisers (three were at the meeting). I gave a speech titled “Adventures in Faith,” in which I talked about my being a missionary. It was an opportunity to plant more spiritual deeds. Before I left the meeting, one woman asked me for evangelism tips.


It’s annoying when ministers ramble too much with messages that could be half the time. If you perceive a calling to preach, prayerfully consider joining Toastmasters. It can be helpful in sermon preparation.


“Work hard so you can present yourself to God and receive his approval. Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth.” - 2 Timothy 2:15 (NLT)

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