TexasCHLforum.com

Songbird wrote:Just got my CHL a couple of months ago and paid $50 for the class, so it's doable. I appreciated not having to pay the $100+ that most charge for the class.

May I ask where you got it at that rate? By the time I pay for advertising ($120), lunch ($10... as it is at a restaurant's side room. Then I show an approved video at lunch to apply to the required 10 hours), range fee ($8) out of my $99, yeah I could lower it to that if you paid for all of that yourself and I wasn't advertising...and if didn't use higher tech things like a power-point projector and laser training pistols for in class use. Did they use those items or just lecture you for 10 hours? Which way do you think you could learn and remember better? I will train a disabled vet for free, and give law enforcement a discount ($85 rather than $99)...but if an individual called and offered me $50, I would frankly turn it down.

WildBill wrote:

Salty1 wrote:I have sat through too many death by PowerPoint presentations over the years.

Powerpoint has become the bane of teaching and instruction.

Anything can be overdone. As a professional speaker, i know that the more senses engaged, the more retained. Too many slides get monotenous. Having an outline or the actual page from the CHL-16 can have you all on the same page. Before ppt, we used overhead projectors and white boards and chalk boards. Used to see old time preachers have elaboate pictures and outlines painted on flat bedsheets to hang up... they were affectionatly known as "ragged sermons." Key is, a little goes a long way.

mot7981 wrote:I just don't see $50 being a deal breaker one way or the other. However, I believe you have the right to charge whatever you like. I also applaud your motives.

Looks like they haven't checked in since Jan 8th. Look at their first couple of posts to the forum and makes you wonder WHAT their motives were?

guntotinpreacher wrote:I did my Wally walk today! I just haven't got the detailed report posted yet!
To answer your question, I sure will be carrying in the pulpit. In this crazy time you never know when that might be a wise decision. Most of the men in my church are CHL holders and/or NRA members so they approve and encourage it!

Yup, same here friend! Makes members stay awake better too!

guntotinpreacher wrote:I can see where those who teach classes are coming from. It isn't worthwhile for them to spend their money to help others who probably will not even be grateful. It's well worth the investment anyways to be able to concealed carry! I know I didn't mind making the investment, and I don't exactly make a ton of money!

Congrats on getting your plastic today! You going to carry in the pulpit come Sunday?
Be sure and remember you have to do the official Wally Walk and make a report!

I really don't think lower prices would influence that much. They are already paying a higher amount to the state, invested in a gun and ammo. Most who take this are ready to get into the CHL culture and I think are looking for someone who will do a good job, rather than who is cheaper. $50 less when they hsave already invested this much wouldn't seem worth it if they think someone is cheaper because they are inferrior somehow (not that you would be, but the price could make some think that)

As a church minister, I am as benevolent minded as anyone. But not only do I need my expenses and investments in this covered, but also to put back into the business to keep making my classes better:

Fee I paid to take DPS class: $100
My hotel, meals, gas to take
the DPS class: $500
Power Point projecter $350
(Ongoing items below)
Business cards, pens,
NRA videos, ads in paper
copies of forms, postage,
CHL-16 book ($3 each, one for each student) These add up a lot.

10 hours of my time and legwork is worth?
NOT including the preparation time in advance of each class.

I knew an older preacher who retired and moved to a community and began attending a church there. As it turned out, they were looking for a preacher. They asked him if he would preach for them while they were looking for a preacher. He immediatly said "Sure....how much you going to pay me?" They were floored, but agreed to an amount.... he then would put that check back into the collection plate. He said he did it for several reasons (1) If he did it for free, they would have probably stopped looking for a preacher, since they could get him for free. (2) If he had done it for free, it wouldn't have been fair to the next preacher, as they would then think they could get his services for free or cheap (3) People, he said, don't seem to appreciate free preaching as much. I believe those last two points apply to the CHL classes as well.

My Gun Basics 101 classes I teach only pays for their expenses. I'ts a 3 hour class to get people interested in guns and maybe they will want to get a CHL. But I have invested a lot of time, not only the 10 IN class teaching, the 32 hours of class in Georgetown training, the hours preparing before each class, etc. that I believe I deserve to make a small profit... most of which will go right back into it. Out of their $100, I pay $10 for their lunch at the restaraunt that allows us to use their facility, and $8 to the range for range fees.