My Terrible Experience in Public Speaking and How I Vowed Not to Speak Again [But I Am Now A Preacher]

It was 2006. I was a freshman at the University of Ghana, Legon. I had come to love student activism and politics and so I passionately followed and attended almost all political programmes on campus.

When I chanced upon the Legon Speaks political programme by Akuafo Hall Junior Common Room (JCR), I didn’t want to miss. I wrapped up all my activities for the day and made my way to the precinct of the famous Akuafo Fountain where the programme was being organized. As the event dragged on, the time for question and answer finally arrived. I wanted to ask a BIG QUESTION on my mind.

I think I was the first person to be given a shot. I took the microphone and started dishing out my question to the likes of Kwesi Pratt, Kofi Wayo, and Asiedu Nketiah present as speakers. Mid way through my question, I started fumbling. It was so bad that the teeming students present started clapping and saying ‘away, away, away…’ That fateful day, I vowed to myself that I will never stand in public and speak again. I felt ashamed, embarrased and thought I had made a fool of myself. I regreted ever asking the question.

Fast forward to 2022.

I am now an associate Pastor with International Central Gospel Church (ICGC). One of my main duties is pulpit ministry which includes preaching and leading prayer and also emceeing. The question is: what changed? Why did I break my own vow never to speak in public again?

Well, I can share just two things that changed my life and ushered me into public speaking career as a Pastor preaching the gospel.

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#1. Desire to Speak in Public

I can tell you for a fact that even after my worst experience, I always desired to stand before people and speak. I can only say it was a godly desire looking back today. A year after the incident, I set a goal to ask a question or answer a question in big classes in order to break the public speaking phobia. I became Class Rep for Archaeology Class because I wanted to master public speaking. There was a deep desire that controlled my choices.

#2. God Touched My Mouth

In the books of Exodus 3 and Jeremiah 1, God visited Moses and Jeremiah to commission them for His work. Both of them doubted they could do it because they felt they didn’t have communication skills to speak to the children of Israel. God responded by touching their mouth to empower them with what it takes. I believe whatever we lack, God equips us to do. There are people like me who don’t have special natural ability in public speaking but God mark them for the same work. God touches our mouth to empower us to do the work.

I can safely conclude that whatever God has called you to do, He will equip you to do it. Trust Him!

What has been your own experience with public speaking? How have you dealt with it. Share your thoughts.