Ambassador - Spokesman Director's Manual

35 Pages·2002·1.93 MB·English

A moassador-Spokesman
DIRECTOR'S MANUAL
SPOKESMAN CLUB
DIRECTOR'S MANUAL
(Revised November 1979)
HOW TO USE THIS MANUAL
This DIRECTOR'S MANUAL is a supplement to the regular
AmblUlsador-Spokesman Speech Manual and must be used in con
junction with it. Be sure that you are thoroughly familiar with the
instructions in the regular speech manual. The additional guidelines
and points given in this Director's Manual will then help you to direct
your club more effectively.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
BASIC PURPOSE OF A SPOKESMAN CLUB ....................... 1
sr
HOW TO ART A NE:W CLUB, 1
f • ........................ f ..... to ...........................
WHO SHOULD BE A DIRECTOR ••..••••••..••.•.•..••.••••••••.. 1
'WHO SHOULD BE CLUB MEMBERS .......................................................... 2
HOW TO CHOOSE OFFICERS ...... ............................................................... 2
DINNER OR NON-DINNER MEETINGS •••.•••••••••••••.••••••••• 3
CLUB ATMOSPHERE .................................................................................... 4
OFFICER ORIENTATION ... ' ................. ........................................................ 4
VOCAL EXERC'ISES ..................................................................................... 4
BUSINESS SESSION ........................................ ........................................... 4
What Can Be Discussed
1) Financial Needs of the Club ........................... 5
2) Special Projects ................................ 6
10 ........................................
3) Ladies' Nights ............................................ ................................ 6
4) Club Outings and Activities ••••.•••••••.•••••••.••••.•• 6
What Should Not Be Discussed
1) Printing Projects .............................................. 7
2) Church Activities ........•.••........................ 7
3) Spokesman Club Format, Awards and Equipment •••••••• 7
TABLE TOPICS ............................................... 8
SPEAKING SESSION ................................. ........ , ...... , ............. 9
SERMONETTE -TYPE SPEECHES •..•••••••••••••.•.•••..•••••• 10
AWARDS ............................................................................ 10
LECTURE .................................................................. 11
TIM:E LIMITS .......................................................... , ........ 11
CERTIFICATES OF MERIT .... ....................................... ..... 11
SPECIAL SPEECH TRAINING ••......•.•.•.•.•...•...••..•.••.• 12
SPECIAL MEETINGS ••............•.•.•.••••.••.......•.•..••. 13
Lecture Outlines
1) How '1'0 Get '1'he Most Out Of Spokesman Club .......... 15
2) How To Prepare, Organize And Deliver A Speech. .....• 17
3) Become A Better Speaker By Growing Spiritually .••.... 20
4) (Lecture planned by local pastor) .••••••••.••••.••.... 24
SAMPLE FORMS .. ". ............ ". .. .................................... 25
BASIC PURPOSE OF A SPOKESMAN CLUB
Keep in mind that a Spokesman Club is, in the basic overall
sense, a SPEECH CLUB. Its basic purpose is to help the men grow
personally and spiritually and Lo help them become more effective
in their personal relations with others. This is done by putting the
men in a speaking situation -- by giving them experience and train
ing in publiC speaking.
The Spokesman Clubs are NOT to become the "inner-most
committee" of the managing directors of each local Church. They
are not to"absorb"practically EVERY physical and spiritual activity
of the Church I The Church is not to become "Spokesman Club oriented, "
but exactly the other way around!
By constantly keeping thic; overall view in mind as you direct
your Club, you won't allow the Club to become sidetracked by time
consuming business projects and an over-emphasis on outings and
social activities. Rather, you will help your club to stick to its
main and basic purpose -- that of a speech club.
WHO SHOULD BE A DIRECTOR
As a general poliCY, only full-time ministers of Local Elder
rank or above should be Spokesman Club Directors. (In spec tal
circumstances, a Local Elder not employed by the Church may be
approved as an exceltion to this general policy, but all exceptions
should be approved y Headquarters in advance.)
Spokesman Clubs provide an excellent opportunity for the
local ministers to work with and get to know potential leaders in the
local Church areas. This is an important responsibility that is
worth the time and talent of the ablest minister in an area. However,
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no man should have more ,than one weekly Spokesman Club. In areas
in which the meetings are held every other week because of a man
power shortage or other special circumstances, a Director can have
two clubs, since he would have only one meeting per week.
Unordained Ministerial Assistants should not be regular
club Directors, but they could evaluate a club from time to time in
the absence of the Director. On the other hand, avoid using a
"strong" member or a club Pres1dent to evaluate the club. U for
some reason the regular Director cannot attend, a fellow minister
or Ministerial ASSistant could take the club. If a qualified replace
ment is not available and the regular Director knows far enough in
advance that he cannot be there, the club should be cancelled.
The Director should evaluate his club at least two out of three
meetings in order to properly help the men. If a DireC'fOrTs unable
to do this, someone else should be appointed as the regular Director
who can meet regularly with the club. In areas that have more
than one club, the local pas~hr should make it a point to visit and
evaluate from tlmeto11me e clubs he is not directing personally.
WHO SHOULD BE CLUB MEMBERS
Club membership is limited to baptized members of God's
Church -- with the exception of outstanding high schOol seniors
who are Ambassador College prospectives. Such College pro
spectives ma.y be allowed in club as regular members if there is
room, but additional clubs should not be started just to- accommo
date a number of high school seniors. Having a few College pro
spectives in club will enable you to continue getting acquainted
with these young men and will encourage them in their personal
and spiritual growth, even though they may not yet be baptized.
HOW TO CHOOSE OFFICERS
The success of a club depends on its DffiECTOR, first and
foremost, hut the choice of able officers is very important in
keeping the meetings alive and mOving with sincere enthusiasm
and interest. Choose officers who will spark the club and keep
it alive and interesting. You can supply the wisdom and sound
guidance.
Dull, 1ncompetent performances on lhe part of officers
will hold the other club members back. Choose competent men
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for the purpose of helping the whole club instead of using the club
to develop one or two "potential" officers. Clubs will usually die
on the vine while "potential" officer-material is given a chance to
develop. It is recommended, however, that you allow the Vice
President to preside over the meeting occasionally when the
President has an assignment so that he can gain experience.
DINNER OR NON-DINNER MEETINGS
The cost of a meal every week in addition to regular
Spokesman Club dUes Is more than many of our members can
afford. In order to attend a club which holds regular dinner
meetings, many men would have to use money which is needed by
their families for other things or reduce their offerings to God's
Work.
Dinner meetings in a restaurant can obviously present
other problems, as well. Lack of privacy can be a real disadvantage.
It is difficult to give an attack speech, for example, in a banquet
room of a restaurant, and it 1s often difficult to comment freely in
Tabletopics in such an environment.
If the entire membership of certain clubs can afford
regular dinner meetings and if a suitable meeting place can be
found in which the disadvantages mentioned above are not a major
factor, then it 1s permissible to have regular dinner meetings.
Most clubs, however, will have non-dinner meetings most
of the time. They can have dinner meetings occasionally in order
to gain the cultural benefits of doing so without the expense of
weekly dinner meetings, but their usual meeting will be non-dinner.
We have found that makeshift situations where meals are
served in a home, or served potluck fashion at a hall are of little
or no value. It is far better to just dispense with serving meals,
except for simple refreshments, and proceed directly through a
snappy, energetic meeting.
In selecting any meeting place -- whether a room at the
local YMCA or at a restaurant or cafeteria -- look for a pleasant,
inspiring roonl. Let it be a prod to every officer and member to
produce at his HIGHEST level, according to his ability and guidance
from God. The proper environment for your club will greatly
enhance the fruit it bears.
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CLUB ATMOSPHERE
A Spokesman Club meeting should be a kind of practice
session which enables men to develop their speaking abilities
ana
their personalities. A s'jf~V formal atmosphere lends to
inhibit the men and makes it icult for them to relax, open up
and participate wholeheartedly in the meeting. A more relaxed,
pleasant atmosphere will help the men to feel free to open up
and express themselves and will help them to use the meeting as
a practice session. strive for a balanced atmosphere that is
neither arerlr formal nor so informal that the proper decorum
is not m ntained.
OFFICER ORIENTATION
When beginning a new Spokesman Club, you should per
sonally instruct your officers, and orient them as to their
specific responsibilities before the first meeting begins. You
will find an outline of each one's duties on pages five and six
of the Ambassador-Spokesman Speech Manual. Imbue them with
the real of the job they will be doing. Be sure that
im~rtance
you go over he meeting format with them, and their individual
duties in detail. any questions they may have and make
Answ~r
sure they understand what you expect of them. Encourage them
to TAKE THE BALL, maintaining the vital spontaneity and
enthusiasm that will keep the club alert!
VOCAL EXERCISES
You as the Director -- or occasionally someone you
calIon -- should lead the club in a short Vocal Exercise
session. This serves to relax and loosen up the men as well
as to prepare their voices for speaking. An effective Vocal
Exercise session will be brief and simple and will involve
the active participation of the men without long, detailed in
structions from the leader.
BUSINESS SESSION
If there is no needful business to discuss at a particular
meeting, have the President go on to Tabletopics. Do not
admonish the men to come up with business for the sake of
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having something to discuss in the business session! The pur
pose of the business session is to allow the members to discuss
items directly concerning the functions and activities of the
club -- not to test or exercise their imaginations in coming up
with "new" projects or ideas.
Some sUbjects which can be brought up and discus:sed
in the business session are as follows:
1) Financial Needs of the Club
Special aSl'lel'lsmentR for an outing or activity,
regular dues and other topics dealing with the
club's financial needs could be discussed in the
business session. The club is NOT to become a
"fund-raising" or "money-makinglf organization,
although it can undertake certain fund-raising
projects as long as balance and wiSdom are used.
It should not become involved in some perpetual
money-niak"'"ing project that goes on and on, but
a single project -- such as painting a member's
home for a fee -- from time to time would be all
right.
Many clubs sponsor a child to the Summer Education
Program, and this is fine as long as it docs not put
an undue financial strain .on the club membership.
If individual contributions from the men are necessary
in order to do this, however, participatiOn ShOuld be
voluntary and not required of every member. Since
Church Assistance help is available to the children of
widows who are accepted for the Summer Education
Program, the clubs who sponsor children usually
sponsor those of needy families who would otherwise
not have the opportunity to attend.
Although it is fine for clubs to give special offerings
to the Work along with their tithes on the money they
may earn from time to time, it would be better if they
did not use their funds to help widows or needy families
who have expenses that could be taken care of out of the
Church Assistance Fund. It is not necessary, for
example, for the club to buy a washing machine for a
widow in need. This could be taken care of by Church
Assistance.
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Also, it is not necessary for a club to send in tithes
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on club dues.
2) Special Projects
A club can, at times, have a "work party" for a worthy
cause -- perhaps to help a widow or a needy member -
when several men are needed to accomplish a certain
job. Be sure to watch the human tendency to put every
thing in to a routine, however. A club should not have
a ''Widow's-House-Painting Committee" the Tike.
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Each project should be handled on an individual basis
as the need arises. Again, wisdom and discretion
must be used. These special projects must not become
excessive in number. The club is not to assume all the
responsibilities of the local deacons7
3) Ladies' Nights
Two or three Ladies' Nights can be planned throughout
the year, including the special meeting at the end of
the club year. The plans for these occasions can be
discussed during the business session.
Ladies' Nights are generally Planneeld~o~a~~sd~~iifoanWc~[!,
and the format for these meetings sl
There should be no business session, and the Director
should determine which other changes in format should
be made - - whether to have"Table topics and the number
of formal speeches to be given. Be sure that the mem
bers do not over-extend thelUSelves financially for such
a special occasion.
4) Club Outings and Activities
Strictly club outings and activities are suitable topics
for the bii'SIi1ess session. Be sure, however that these
are scheduled in the right balance -- two or three during
the year in addition to the Ladies' Nights at the most.
There are certain projects and subjects which are not appropriate
for discussion in the business session. Here are some types of projects
and subjects which should be discussed:
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