MOUNT VERNON – Missouri Baptist pastor Wally Long, a longtime Toastmasters member, has advanced to the semifinals of the Toastmasters International Speech Contest — a global competition drawing in speakers from over 120 countries.
Pastor Long of Northside Baptist Church joined Toastmasters in May 2006 to improve his public speaking skills. Although he had been preaching and teaching for over 20 years, he wanted to develop his ability to communicate effectively in public.
Pastor Long explained, “I just knew I wanted to improve. I wanted to get better, and that was what I believe God called me to do.”
Not long after joining, he learned about the organization’s speech competitions and decided to enter his first contest in the fall of 2006. Although he did not advance far in that attempt, he said the experience motivated him to continue competing more eagerly. Since then, he has entered Toastmasters speech contests nearly every year, becoming what he described as a “serial competitor.”
The pastor previously reached the semifinals of the Toastmasters International Speech Contest under a former system in which all district champions automatically advanced.
Toastmasters has since revised the process, requiring district champions to compete in a quarterfinal round to determine the top 28 semifinalists worldwide. This year marks the first time he has advanced to the semifinals under the stricter format.
“It was almost surreal,” Pastor Long stated. “It was just kind of an exciting moment to find out that I had made it over some of these incredibly gifted speakers.”
The Toastmasters International Speech Contest begins at the local club level and advances through several rounds, including area, division, and district competitions. Each level includes official judging and a strict time limit. Speeches must be between five and seven minutes, with a 30-second grace period. Exceeding the time limit by even a fraction of a second results in disqualification.
The pastor advanced through each stage of the competition in District 22, which includes most of Kansas and western Missouri. At the club level, he was selected to represent his group, and after that he continued through the area and division contests, eventually winning the district title and moving on to the international quarterfinals.
At Toastmasters events, which draw participants from more than 120 countries and diverse religious backgrounds, he avoids overt religious language. However, he said many of his speeches carry underlying Christian messages, such as hope, encouragement, and forgiveness.
He views public speaking as an opportunity to serve others and believes in using his platform to make a lasting impact.
“I do see it as a ministry. It’s a chance to impact people. And I have had people come back to me 10 years after the presentation and tell me that they still remember that presentation,” Pastor Long said.
Pastor Long said his congregation has shown strong support throughout his involvement in the Toastmasters competition. Church members have offered encouragement and said they are praying for him.
If he advances to the final round of the Toastmasters International Speech Contest, the pastor plans to prepare a new speech specifically for that stage. He is currently working on developing and refining this speech in time for the competition in August.
Pastor Long has asked for prayers from readers as he prepares for the upcoming competition, saying, “I wish for prayers for favor with the judges and in the competition, that I’m able to touch the hearts of other people.”
