Make 'em Laugh!
Red-hot Christian comic Anita Renfroe kicks off our series on speakers of note for faith-based groups.
By Kate Burton
Did you hear the one about the speaker who fell flat? Who didn’t connect with the audience? Whose message was in contradiction to the focus of the gathering?
Odds are you’ve sat through a presentation or two like that somewhere along the way. And, most likely, you weren’t the one who booked that speaker.
So how can you avoid speaker missteps?
“If a group has a good purposeful idea about what they want to accomplish at their meeting, I can partner with them and help them accomplish that,” says Christian humorist Anita Renfroe. “But sometimes it seems like they just want to fill a slot. The most valuable information I can have is what a group’s desires and goals are for the event, and then I can spend my time with them really serving their event.”
Renfroe uses that same basic approach to all her performances, whether playing before small groups in church basements as she did in the 1990s or being seen live by a nationwide audience of millions when she’s on “Good Morning America” as a comedic contributor. The pastor’s wife and mother of three got her start singing funny songs for small church groups. Along the way she published a few books and DVDs. But it wasn’t until last year that she got her big break—accidentally—when her kids persuaded her to post a clip of a recent performance on YouTube.
Passed from mother to mother, friend to friend, the clip—a hilarious rendition of Renfroe’s take on being a mother to the tune of the “William Tell Overture”—got millions of hits and propelled her into the big time.
These days, she’s a regular contributor to “Good Morning America” and spokesperson for Luvs diapers, as well as a main attraction at the Women of Faith conferences. But Renfroe hasn’t left her roots behind—she’s still playing for church groups, as well as other faith-oriented groups like the Fresh Grounded Faith Event in Corona, California; the Kennedy Road Tabernacle in Brampton, Ontario; and the Life Network Event in Colorado Springs, Colorado, to name just a few on her schedule this winter.
Regardless of the audience size, Renfroe’s well aware of addressing the varying needs of different kinds of audiences.
“When I have the details of what they want to accomplish, I can tailor what I do to meet their goals and then we have a real synergy in partnering towards a common goal,” she says.
Like many speakers, she has her core talks, which she’ll adjust as necessary to fit the audience. “I take some time to find out the culture of the group—and their problems, needs, inside jokes, and so on—so I can talk specifically about what’s funny to this particular group,” she says, noting that she’d approach a corporate group, for example, differently from a faith-based group. “My faith is who I am and I always share my faith,” Renfroe notes. “But with a religious group, I feel more free to use church vernacular, for example.”
By the same token, she’ll approach a group of all women differently from a mixed-gender audience. “I rein it in a little when there are guys in the audience,” she laughs. “With an all-female group, the topics are pretty much unlimited—I can go anywhere—but when there are men in the room, I have to frame things a little differently so there’s no embarrassment.”
Regardless of the demographics of the audience, Renfroe says, “When people are laughing in response to what I say, I feel God’s pleasure and know that I’ve helped spread joy in the world.”
Renfroe is one of the many speakers and performers who are a good fit for planners of faith-based meeting. So where do you go to find appropriate speakers? Right here’s a good start. We’ve put together a list of 10 speakers, from the funny to the most serious, from the little-known to top names to set you in the right direction. Also, take a look at “Tips from the Pros” for more practical advice on choosing speakers and working with them to enhance the goals of your program.
Humorists
ANITA RENFROE
Whether it’s a lighthearted song about the challenges of life as a mom (for a sense of Renfroe’s inimitable style, check out her “William Tell Momsense” on YouTube) or a look at the deep, dark secrets of a woman’s purse, Anita Renfroe’s take on women, life, families, and faith is bound to get your audience laughing and nodding in agreement. Her most recent project is the DVD It’s Probably Just My Thyroid, complementing several humorous books, including Songs in the Key of Solomon; If You Can’t Lose It, Decorate It; and If It’s Not One Thing, It’s Your Mother.
More information: www.anitarenfroe.com
Booking information: Contact Tony Johnsen at the speakers bureau Creative Artists Agency (www.caaspeakers.com) at (615) 383-8787 or tjohnsen@caa.com. Renfroe lives in the Atlanta area. Her fee is negotiable.
MIKE WILLIAMS
If Renfroe is ideal for a woman’s gathering, Mike Williams is high on the list for a men’s gathering, though, like Renfroe, his family friendly “clean comedy” transcends gender. From individual churches to comedy clubs to larger faith-based events like the Gaither Praise Gathering and Focus on the Family, Williams has been keeping ‘em laughing for almost two decades. Blending a Christian approach with a healthy dose of sarcasm, his books include Men Moved to Mars When Women Started Killing the Ones on Venus and his Turkey Soup for the Sarcastic Soul series. Hear his unique brand of comedy in his 13 CDs, 14 DVDs, and as the host of the new comedy series “The Comedy Bus!” He’s also a frequent performer on the “Family Comedy Minute,” broadcast daily on more than 600 radio stations everyday, and has a daily show on XM Satellite Radio Channel 151. More information: http://mikewilliams.tv
Booking information: Contact Brian Scheer at (615) 599-8955 or brian@kendavis.com. Williams is based in Lakeland, Florida. His fee ranges from $3,000-$6,000, plus expenses.
Social Justice
CATHERINE HICKS
She might be best known for her role as Annie Camden, the mother on the long-running television series “7th Heaven,” but these days Catherine Hicks is also making a name for herself as a spokesperson for Catholic Relief Services (CRS) about the situation in Darfur and Sudan. That’s just one of the multiple topics the actress can address, including other personal passions that range from starvation around the world to first-hand knowledge of issues that address the health and welfare of the elderly, based on her own experiences caring for an aging parent with dementia. Another topic close to her heart revolves around her teenage daughter’s experiences with OCD and depression, as well as the experiences of working mothers, based on her own life and her role as the quintessential mother on the longest-running family drama in the history of television. Hicks’ talks are informed by her background as a theology major in college, especially the role of faith as a basis for social action and personal healing. More information: www.allamericanspeakers.com or Hicks’ webpage at www.catherinehicksonline.com
Booking information: Contact the All American Speakers Bureau at (800) 698-2536 or info@allamericanspeakers.com. Hicks is based in Los Angeles. Speakers fees are determined on an individual basis.
DR. TONY CAMPOLO
An author, sociologist, pastor, and social activist, Dr. Tony Campolo speaks on multiple topics, many touching on the ideas of social justice in a variety of ways. Campolo is author of 35 books, most recently The God of Intimacy and Action: Reconnecting Ancient Spiritual Practices, Evangelism, and Justice and Red Letter Christians: A Citizen’s Guide to Faith and Politics. The books and much of Campolo’s philosophy revolve around the concept of “holistic Christianity,” a multi-faceted religious approach that includes mystical spirituality, evangelism, and social justice. A professor emeritus of sociology at Pennsylvania’s Eastern University, Campolo is also the founder of the Evangelical Association for the Promotion of Education (EAPE), an organization that develops schools and social programs in cities across North America and in third-world countries. The outspoken speaker has appeared on such programs as “The Colbert Report,” “Nightline,” “Politically Incorrect,” “Crossfire,” and more as a media commentator on religious, social, and political matters. More information: www.tonycampolo.org
Booking information: See the inquiry page at www.tonycampolo.org, or contact James Warren at (610) 341-1722 or jwarrend@eastern.edu. Campolo is based in the Philadelphia area. An honorarium is negotiated on an individual basis.
KAREN KASMAUSKI
A photographer for National Geographic, Karen Kasmauski has become the magazine’s go-to photographer for sweeping global health stories, such as the worldwide struggle against disease, the search for an AIDS cure, and the mysteries of aging and female reproductive health. Kasmauski brings the same skills to her presentations as she does to her photography, finding the personal stories behind the headlines and blending a warm sensitivity with an eye for detail to distill the global into the personal. She can speak on a variety of topics, including her most recent addition based on her book Nurse: A World of Care, compelling stories of nurses around the world and the difference they make. A sampling of other topics includes the common ties of women around the world, an overview of the worldwide health crisis, and the value of cultural differences. More information: www.kasmauski.com
Booking information: Contact the National Geographic Speakers Bureau (www.nationalgeographic.com/speakers) at (202) 775-7800 or speakers@ngs.org. Kasmauski is based in the Washington, D.C., area. Her fee range is $10,000-15,000, plus expenses.
Inspirational and Motivational
JOAN BROCK
At the age of 32, Joan Brock lost her eyesight within a period of three weeks from a rare disease. Five years later she lost her husband to cancer and was left to raise her daughter as a blind single parent. Laced with humor, Brock’s speeches show how she transformed adversity into challenge and frustration into opportunity. She draws on the similarities between her own situation and those that others face— whether they’re family issues, organizational skills, adjusting to change, taking control of your own finances, or other topical areas. She incorporates her faith into her talks and can also speak directly about the power of her faith in overcoming her challenges. Her life story was made into a powerful television movie for “Lifetime” called “More Than Meets the Eye: The Joan Brock Story,” based on her book of the same name. More information: www.joanbrock.com
Booking information: See the booking page at www.joanbrock.com, or contact Brock directly at (520) 760-0762 or brocktalks@yahoo.com. Brock is based in Arizona. Her typical fee ranges from $7,500–$8,500, plus expenses, but is negotiable depending on the group.
SIMON T. BAILEY
Author, speaker, and consultant Simon Bailey inspires individuals to take charge of their lives and transform them from the inside out. Bailey brings his experience in leadership, sales, and customer service with Hyatt Hotels, the Orlando Convention and Visitors Bureau, and the Walt Disney Company, as well as his master’s degree from Faith Christian University, to his idea that every individual possesses brilliance: potential, insight, genius, innovation, and ideas just waiting to be released. His action-oriented programs build on concepts from his most recent book, Release Your Brilliance, and five others. In addition to business-oriented programs, Bailey features two programs designed to motivate individuals to reconnect to their own unique gifts and develop an action plan: “Release Your Brilliance: 4 Steps to Transforming Your Life and Revealing Your Genius” and “Get a Life: How to Transition from Mere Existence to Meaningful Living.” More information: www.simontbailey.com
Booking information: Contact Michele Lucia at (972) 899-3411 or michele@simontbailey.com. Bailey is based in Central Florida. His fee range is $15,000-$20,000, plus expenses.
LADONNA GATLIN
Using her own experiences along with laughter and music, LaDonna Gatlin inspires attendees with an upbeat and practical message of courage and change. The sister of the well-known Gatlin Brothers, and a part of the Gatlin Quartet until the 1970s, she speaks of the seven key principles that gave her the courage to take a leap of faith and find her own voice. Laughter and music reinforce her message. An active member of the National Speakers Association, Gatlin has earned the CSP (certified speaking professional) designation and has been inducted into the Speakers Hall of Fame. She has also recorded four CDs and was a contributing author to the series Chicken Soup for the Soul. In addition to keynote presentations that incorporate her music, she’s available for 45-minute concerts as entertainment. More information: www.ladonnagatlin.com
Booking information: Contact Jerri L. Johnson at (903) 569-8924 or jerri@ladonnagatlin.com. Gatlin is based in the Dallas area. Her typical fee is $5,000, plus expenses.
Down to Business
GREG STIELSTR
If you’ve heard of The Purpose Driven Life, the all-time bestselling hardcover book in history, you can attribute that at least in part to the efforts of Greg Stielstra, the book’s marketing director. The innovative Stielstra is vice president of marketing for Christian books at Thomas Nelson Publishers and author of his own renowned book, PyroMarketing: The Four Step Strategy to Ignite Customer Evangelists and Keep Them For Life (HarperBusiness, September 2005). For groups with an interest in marketing to a faith-based audience, Stielstra is an expert in a new approach: word-of-mouth, faith-based, and social network marketing. His work has been covered in a variety of publications, including The Economist, Business Week, Forbes, and more. More information: www.pyromarketing.com
Booking Information: Contact Ambassador Speakers Bureau (www.ambassadorspeakers.com) at info@ambassadorspeakers.com or (615) 370-4700. Stielstra lives in Nashville, Tennessee. His fees range from $5,000-$10,000, plus expensee.
DAVID COTTRELL
An authority on leadership, David Cottrell brings 25 years of professional experience at such companies as Xerox and FedEx and authorship of more than 20 acclaimed books to his leadership talks. He put all his own leadership skills to work when he founded CornerStone Leadership Institute, one of the largest U.S. publishers of management and leadership resources. Tailored presentations focus on a variety of leadership topics, including one based on his book, “Leadership…Biblically Speaking: 12 Choices…That Lead to Your Success,” which creates a foundation for organizational and personal success and is based on the book of the same name; and a presentation based on his most recent books, “Monday Morning Mentoring” and “Monday Morning Leadership,” focusing on accepting responsibility, maintaining focus, and continued improvement to positively influence an organization. More information: www.davidcottrell.com
Booking information: Contact Michele Lucia at (972) 899-3411 or michele@cornerstoneleadership.com. Cottrell is based in the Austin area. Fee range is $15,000-$20,000, plus expenses.
KAREN PURVES
The enthusiastic Karen Purves brings a breath of fresh air to a variety of topics. Calling on her eclectic background, which includes a bachelors degree in business, a master’s degree in environmental public policy, nearly 20 years of hands-on experience in animal and environmental fields—and extensive training in improv at the renowned Second City, Purves speaks on a number of topics: Communicating with Strength, Formula for E-mail Success, How to Green Your Organization, and more. She makes use of her improv background to customize all talks in an innovative way: The planner chooses the topic, but during the course of the presentation, the audience votes on what content is most important to them, creating an interactive and energetic experience that delivers content targeted specifically to that audience. More Information: innovativeimpact.com
Booking Information: Contact Purves directly at (702) 260-6842 or karen@innovativeimpact.com.
Tips from the Pros
We spoke with several speakers, speakers agents, and speakers bureaus about what they need from planners of faith-based meetings and conventions to maximize the speaker experience and tips for getting the best bang for the buck. Here’s what they had to say:
Plan early: Like anything else when planning a meeting, your chances of getting what you want are better when you plan early. Tony Campolo’s office, for example, says Campolo is often booked 18-14 months in advance. There might be holes in a schedule, of course, but booking early guarantees the speaker of your choice. Many speakers also have their schedules online so you can see their available dates at a glance.
Have your facts in hand ahead of time: Any speaker or speaker’s bureau is going to need basic facts right from the start: date, location, time of day, meeting theme, expected attendance, etc. Many have information request prototypes right on their website to help guide you.
Negotiate: Many speakers are willing to negotiate, especially with faith-based groups. Don’t assume a speaker is out of your price range without checking. But do remember that many speakers make all or part of their living giving speeches—they simply can’t give it away all the time.
Tag team: Speakers’ fees typically include airfare, hotel accommodations, and meals. If budget is a factor and you have some flexibility, consider scheduling a speaker who will already be in the area for another event on your chosen dates or even changing your date to one when the speaker will already be in your area. Of course, expenses go way down when you use a locally based speaker.
Let a speaker’s bureau help: Not sure if someone is appropriate for your group? Don’t know who the best choice might be? Most speakers bureaus can help guide your decisions, in terms of the best speaker choice as well as topics available.
Let the speaker help, too: Tell him or her the goals of your program and what you want to achieve. “My story is my story,” says Joan Brock. “I have my core speech, but I’m always happy to adapt it to meet the needs of the group.”
Time it right: Talk with your speaker of choice about the timing of their presentation. Anita Renfroe is blunt in her dislike of morning meetings for her keynotes: “Comedy is useless before 10 a.m. so don’t even bother earlier than that.” By the same token, Brock, who is blind, will not speak during a meal. “It’s way too complicated for me to speak while I can hear the wait staff doing their jobs,” she says.
