Christian speaker • Teacher • Testimony
I am
a speaker
A candid testimony for Christians who sense something is missing and want to rediscover a living and powerful Spirit-led life.
A soul on fire
01 • Pete’s testimony
Watch this short 8-minute “trailer” highlighting the personal testimony Pete now shares nationally: Why I Ignored the Holy Spirit.
This is not a polished success story. It is an honest account of what changed when Pete stopped settling for a familiar faith and started asking whether Jesus meant what He said.
02 • A decision point
For years, Pete knew the Father. He knew Jesus. He respected the Holy Spirit. He simply did not walk with Him.
He settled for a faith that was comfortable, predictable, and far smaller than what Scripture promised. This is his story of waking up, owning it, and refusing to play it safe any longer.
“I’m not pretending I have it all figured out. I’m here to share what happens when you stop pretending and start pursuing what Scripture and Jesus Himself actually promised.”
03 • Questions Pete asks
These are not trick questions. Pete asks them because they bothered him for decades.
“I never rejected the Holy Spirit. I just ignored Him, like I was taught to do. I settled for far less than what Scripture and Jesus promised.”
Do you believe you can have the mind of Christ?
Do you believe it is possible to take every thought captive to the obedience of Jesus Christ?
Do you believe you can pray without ceasing?
Do you believe Jesus was telling the truth when He said, “You’ll do greater things than these when I’m gone”?
Is the Holy Spirit doing greater things in your life?
Do you believe Jesus was exaggerating when He said, “It will be better for you when I leave because my Father will send you the Holy Spirit”?
Is it better for you now than what the disciples and apostles experienced: talking, walking, eating, and laughing with Jesus; sharing a fish fry with Jesus; and watching Him heal the sick, raise the dead, and feed five thousand? Is it better for you?
Do you believe that over time God diminished or changed the role of the Holy Spirit, making Him no longer a source of power as He was for the disciples and apostles?
Do you have the power Jesus promised?
Do you want the power Jesus promised?
Were you taught to be wary of people who talked about the Holy Spirit?
Were you taught a little about the Father, a lot about Jesus, and virtually nothing relevant about the Holy Spirit?
Is a moment-by-moment relationship with the Holy Spirit possible?
Do you have good answers to these questions that tormented Pete for decades?
Ready for the conversation?
Pete brings these questions to churches, retreats, conferences, and leadership gatherings.
04 • About Pete
The rest moved pretty quickly.
Raised in a Christian home, Pete was always considered a “people pleaser.” But he had his struggles along the way. When Bellevue Christian School kicked him out in the middle of ninth grade, the school office manager told Pete he was the nicest juvenile delinquent she had ever met.
In his testimony, Pete shares several of life’s ups and downs, including beginning his first professional career at 17 as a successful nightclub singer and hosting his own cable talk show by 18. He founded Five Loaves and Two Fish Co. in 1974, followed by 12 Baskets Restaurants in 1976, 12 Baskets Catering in 1977, and 12 Baskets Distributors in 1978.
In 1987, Pete founded The Talbott Group, a boutique advertising and production agency. Across nearly 50 years as an entrepreneur, he has started and managed businesses spanning retail, professional services, healthcare products, and ministry.
Through The Talbott Group, Pete created, produced, and promoted more than 4,000 seminars, workshops, conferences, and travel events. He also produced over 20,000 hours of live or recorded radio, including more than 5,000 daily Bible-study programs.
In 2008, his son Seth joined him. As co-founders of Relief Factor, with Seth as CEO and Pete as Marketing Director, they created an INC 5000 honoree for three consecutive years that became the 37th fastest-growing privately held company in America’s retail category, on average doubling in size across all eight years of their management.
Age 17
First professional career
4,000+
Events created and promoted
20,000+
Hours of radio produced
60
Years as an entrepreneur
05 • The whole story
Pete’s message resonates deeply with Christians of all ages, especially those who sense something is missing in their relationship with God and are looking for a more powerful and fulfilling walk in the Spirit. If you’re looking for a speaker who will challenge spiritual mediocrity and the status quo, Pete will not disappoint. Let’s talk.
Ideal settings
Churches ready for honesty
Men’s ministries
Leadership retreats
Christian conferences
Travel events and tours
06 • Experience & credibility
Pete’s relationships span decades of business, broadcasting, ministry, conferences, and national events.
“The Spirit-filled Christian life described by Jesus and Scripture isn’t an exaggeration. Unfortunately, many Christians simply don’t believe it’s possible today.”
08 • Endorsements
Leaders who have known Pete, served alongside him, and heard his testimony describe a message marked by humor, humility, conviction, and spiritual urgency.
Every one of us longs for real, lasting transformation, the kind that only the Holy Spirit can produce. Pete Talbott is a living, breathing testament to that transformation. Pete’s personal testimony tells the story of his journey from basically ignoring the Holy Spirit to welcoming the Holy Spirit.
With a master storyteller’s gift, raw honesty, captivating humor, and heartfelt humility, Pete’s testimony highlights what a difference a moment-by-moment walk in the Spirit can make. After a career of many successes and failures, his single-minded passion is now to help churches and believers step into the supernatural renewal they never knew was possible.
Having served alongside Pete as a pastor and fellow Christ-follower for years, I can say with confidence: inviting Pete to your church, men’s group, or special event will be one of the single best investments you can make in your ministry’s spiritual momentum. Prepare to be challenged, inspired, and transformed.
Jeremiah said, ‘He sent fire from on high and made it go deep into my bones.’ I believe those same words can now describe Pete Talbott’s speaking ministry as he shares his commitment and passion to confront the church about its general apathy toward the Holy Spirit.
While often invited to speak about his many business achievements, Pete says he would rather speak honestly about some of his struggles and failures. For over six decades, he was taught to essentially overlook or ignore the Holy Spirit, a sad reality that kept him from experiencing the full power of Scripture and God’s Spirit. Pete’s heart goes out to those who have similarly ignored the promptings, presence, and relevance of the Spirit, living apart from the power Jesus promised.
Peppered with humor, passion, and conviction, Pete’s testimony is both disruptive and challenging. He suggests we stop settling for spiritual mediocrity by stopping our neglect of the Holy Spirit and starting to welcome the entire Trinity, which means developing a moment-by-moment walk in the Spirit.
As a speaker, Pete holds and challenges an audience like few others. Having spoken at, hosted, or emceed more than 2,500 events, his message is filled with humor, deep conviction, and raw passion. He directly confronts spiritual mediocrity and calls for repentance, urging believers to embrace an unwavering commitment to God’s Word alongside a continuous, moment-by-moment walk in the Spirit.
In my estimation, Pete’s message is among the most vital and timely words for our generation. I strongly encourage you to check his availability for your next event.
I’ve known Pete Talbott for over 60 years. For those who know him, he has always been considered one of a kind. He was a successful nightclub singer by age 17, hosted his own cable television show at 18, and built successful businesses throughout the decades. In my opinion, however, none of those successes come close to matching God’s specific and powerful calling on Pete’s life right now.
Pete’s personal testimony of his Christian faith has changed rather dramatically. Having been raised in the fundamental evangelical church, Pete and countless others were basically taught to ignore the third person of the Trinity. Pete says he learned a little about the Father, a lot about Jesus, and virtually nothing about the Holy Spirit.
For decades, Pete struggled with many Scriptures that talk about the power of the Holy Spirit. Sadly, many Christian leaders try to convince us that the Holy Spirit was basically neutered once the apostles and disciples died. Pete talks about that false teaching, which has left the American church also neutered at a time when His power is needed more than ever.
Praise God for Pete’s disruptive yet life-producing message of repentance for ignoring the Holy Spirit, combined with a challenge to develop a total commitment and passion for the Word of God while also developing an intimate, moment-by-moment walk in the Spirit.
If you’re looking for a speaker, look no further. Pete’s testimony is for today, right now. You can thank me later!
Bring Pete to your audience
Explore the event, timing, and message that best fit your organization.
09 • Speaking inquiries
Start with a brief conversation about your audience, event, and the message you hope they carry home.
pete@talbottgroup.com
Still building • Still helping
Even while Pete spends most of his time speaking across the country, he continues working with his son Seth through The Talbott Group to help businesses and ministries, large or small, grow and scale.