The success of your event comes down to one thing: the relevance of the content to your audience. Whether it be a camp, retreat, or leadership training session, everything hinges upon how well your speaker communicates the content of what your audience needs to know. Thank you in advance for your consideration.
I personally know how much time it takes to find the right speaker. I have scoured scores of webpages and biographies in an attempt to find the most suitable speaker for my events, and just like you, I am entrusting the success of my event and the content of what my people learn into the hands of a speaker - many times one that I do not even personally know.
Therefore, my goal is simple: I want to ensure the success of your event - through relevant, faithful content and engaging, passionate delivery. And I am pleased to work within your specified theme, topic, deadlines, and instructions.
I am confident that what you discover below will enable you and your team to make the best informed decision possible. You may hear a sampling of my talks and sermons on my Talk Page:
What You Can Expect
1. A prompt and courteous reply from me personally within 48 hours of your request.
2. Professional responses by email, phone, and/or text (whatever you prefer) in the time between agreement and the event.
3. A required personal Skype video call consultation prior to agreement in order for me to better understand your desired requests. I want to ensure that I am the best fit before we enter into a contract together.
4. Assuming that your event is open to the public, I will make a Feature announcement about your event on my website and social media outlets, including Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Google Plus - totaling together more than 3,000 followers.
5. A professionally-prepared, dynamically delivered presentation focused on achieving the outcomes you desire with your audience.
6. A custom resource page connected to my site, exclusively created for your attendees and volunteers. It will include download links to all of the slides that I used during the presentation, along with all of the resources that I used to prepare for it, including the actual books, articles, and links to resources.
7. A follow-up communication from me after the event to ensure that I met your expectations, as well as those in attendance.
A Brief Biography
You may include the following in any print resources or promotion for your event:
I have been speaking publicly for nearly ten years. I began speaking in high school when a friend invited me to share my story at his youth group. Since then, I have been invited to speak at retreats, camps, churches, schools, and leadership development retreats.
I am a graduate of Alderson Broaddus College with a degree in Christian Studies and Education. I completed the Dual Degree program at Princeton Theological Seminary in May 2010, earning a Master of Divinity in Missional Theology and a Master of Arts in Adolescent Development and Spiritual Formation. Upon graduating from Princeton, I earned the prestigious Bryant J. Kirkland Award for Excellence in Practical Theology.
I currently serve as the Pastor to Students and Families at the Hillside Church of Marin in Corte Madera, CA. Since assuming this position, I have assembled a top-notch volunteer team of who have worked alongside of me to provide an outstanding environment where unchurched kids love to attend church!
I have been married to my beautiful wife, Stacy Tschirhart Reed, since April 2011, and in January 2014, we welcomed our first child, Hannah Grace Reed.
When I am not producing content, speaking, consulting, or serving as a Pastor to my students and families, I enjoy reading, mountain biking the beautiful trails of Marin County, and exploring the sights and sounds of the Bay Area.
My Most Requested Topics
I am formally trained and have developed a Speaking interest in 5 core areas:
Students: Teenagers today face challenges of all kinds. In my talks to students, I want to engage them in a relevant, humorous, and developmentally appropriate way that communicates that Christ died and rose again for them! These talks occur at retreats, camps, and churches.
Youth Ministry: Let's face it, many youth ministries need to up their game. In this presentation, I use the most recent studies and research in the field of youth ministry to build a foundation for a church to critically and theologically engage with our teenagers and families. I give these talks to youth ministry staff teams and volunteers.
Church: Scripture outlines three basic tasks of the church: to Gather, to Equip, and to Send. In this presentation, I give concrete, applicable keys for how the staff team of a church may organize its structures and systems to meet their stated goals and desires to accomplish these three tasks. I give these talks to church staff teams and/or gatherings of pastors.
Mission: Jesus calls us to go both into our local communities and the world abroad. In this presentation, I discuss the history of the Christian mission movement, specifically in the 20th century, and our participation in it today through missional partnerships and endeavors. I give these talks to teams before they endeavor on a mission trip, or for leaders considering the adventure. Please visit my India Page for more information about what this may entail for you.
Contextualization: Current cultural trends and norms shape the way that you and I think and live our lives. As Christians, our identity is rooted in things not of this world, but we still face a hard, practical question: how do we live and do ministry in it? We need to think critically about these tensions and discern our appropriate and faithful response to it. In this presentation, I offer staff teams, volunteers, parents, and the general community some guiding questions for how they may best see and respond to issues in a missional manner.
I am fully capable and equipped to speak with either students in the setting of a camp or retreat or leaders in the context of a seminar or forum. My student focused talks generally consist of about 30-35 minutes for high school students and 20-25 minutes for middle school students. I can produce half-day or full-day seminars for staff teams, volunteers, parents, and other interested parties.
The Next Step
I really want to thank you again for considering me for your next event. If you are interested in beginning an introductory conversation with me about speaking at your next event, then I would invite you to either send me a personal email at ryan@ryanreed.me or fill out my contact form on my Contact Page. I will look forward to hearing from you!