Vol III: #24 Is That Word For You?
Not all sermons and teachings are applicable to every person in the audience. Some people need to be humbled while others need to be built up. But, in some cases, insecure people tend to over apply every sermon to their lives while the confident(re: arrogant) tend to brush off rebukes. These dynamics are fun to observe but can have consequences for the immature Christian.
One aspect of my job as a marketing professional is trying to find the right audience(s) for my clients. The more experienced business owners understand this concept while the newbies tend to want to sell their product or service to everyone, which is completely stupid when you think about it. What they mean is they are willing to do business with anyone. And, they will learn not everyone wants to do business with them. The simple truth is the more we understand our audience, the more effective we can be with our messages. A techie in San Francisco probably isn’t the target market for a tractor manufacturer, but a farmer in Iowa is. Likewise, the farmer in Iowa has little use for Uber in his small town.
When I think about church and all the people who walk through the doors, any given sermon will only hit home for a fraction of the audience. You know what I mean. We’ve all sat in a room and thought “what does this have to do with me?” and/or “oh man, this message is exactly what I needed to hear.” In both cases, someone likely had the opposite reaction. Preachers and teacher who never learn to serve the audience tend to attract like-minded folks, ie hardcore turn-or-burn preachers will have a congregation full of hardcore/inflexible members, and “seeker friendly” pastors tend to have flocks of spineless sheep. A more mature leader will read the room and partner with the Holy Spirit.
As an audience member, I take responsibility for what I allow in my ears. In my 20’s, I would’ve crucified myself whenever an evangelist spoke. These salespeople of the Gospel (I write that with all respect and not as a dig) are usually confident and very black or white. They preach with conviction and see only one path in the Kingdom; get saved and get others saved. And, they know the exact why every Christian should act and behave and if you don’t agree you’re wrong. But after years of searching, I’m not that cat. I’ve shared my testimony with people, but I’ll never setup shop on a street corner or pass out tracts. I’m built for relationships and growth. Accordingly, whenever I hear an evangelist rail on about fulfilling the Great Commission, I take it in. Then I sift the message for parts I can apply to who the Lord calls me to be*.
To get back to my original point, whenever you read the Bible or listen to a sermon, take a moment to consider the intended audience and the person preaching it. And do as Paul recommended, test every word, sermon, and teaching. Some of them aren’t for you and that’s ok. Some of them are. And as speakers, let us remember that “being all things to all people” does not mean preaching the exact same message to everyone we meet. (This is where being led by the Holy Spirit becomes vital.)
Note* I do not dismiss the speaker or everything they said. The church needs evangelists, every single one. And, I’d agree with the idea that all of us need to be prepared and ready to share the Gospel and our testimony. I’m just not going to make a “prophetic shopping list,” ever. (This was a suggestion by one of the evangelist I heard last year. Sorry, dude. I’m a hunter. I go to Trader Joe’s, get what I need, and leave in under ten minutes. And, I never randomly talk to strangers.)
