1. Think about your goal for your mission emphasis or worship service. Who is the primary audience? What are your expectations of the speaker? This will help determine the most appropriate speaker. Some speakers, like Stanley Green and James Krabill, are much in demand and their schedules fill quickly. If possible, schedule a mission speaker on a Sunday when your pastor is present so that the pastor will also be informed about missions.

2. Think about having a missions speaker who will help your congregation focus on what it means to be a missional church. Many of the Mennonite Mission Network staff are prepared to address this subject.

3. Plan and make your request early - three to six months ahead is recommended. Speaker requests for the fall months sometimes cannot be confirmed until May or early summer. Be patient, but feel free to check with the contact person regarding the status of your request.

4. Be creative in your use of speakers. Most are willing to be involved in multiple situations, and appreciate opportunity for dialogue as well as input. If you schedule someone to speak in a worship service, try to also schedule them to relate to a Sunday school class or a small group, plan their meals with a group, etc. The most common highlight of a church contact is the time spent in informal settings.

5. Consider sharing a speaker with a nearby congregation, especially if you want someone for only one service or if your congregation is small. We encourage planning for a speaker to have a minimum of two or three involvement times in a church or combination of several churches.

6. Encourage younger adults and families to become more interested in missions by arranging for them to host the speaker for lodging or meals. This provides an opportunity for all ages to interact.