As a follow up to last week’s blog (on the ‘nod of recognition’) I want to reflect on how to connect with different demographics in our preaching.
Francis Schaeffer talked about Lystra and Athens and Romans chapter 1:18–32 as Paul ‘addressing the world without a Bible’.
In all these places Paul is addressing a common religious consciousness that is found in every society and every person. This religious consciousness is articulated differently from person to person, and sometimes it is not articulated at all.
In Acts Paul tackles people without a Bible is very different ways. In the best known of these sermons he preaches in Athens to intellectuals who were used to expressing and evaluating new ideas (Acts 17), using careful reasoning and making use of well-chosen cultural references to connect with his target audience.
Dan Strange, in his book Plugged In, describes the process of Paul’s preaching in Athens using four E’s:
Enter — Explore — Expose — Evangelise
Strange’s pattern reminds the preacher that before speaking there is a need to observe and listen in each situation. Preachers are taught to carefully exegete Scripture, but they are not always taught to exegete their audiences. Both these tasks are important if we are to communicate effectively.
It is important to note that both here and in Lystra, Paul does not quote any biblical text, but his sermons in both places are underpinned by a scriptural God-centred worldview.
What is interesting is that Paul’s approach in Athens is very different from what we see Lystra. He does not preach in the same way to a farming community as he does to the philosophers in Athens.
In Athens Paul uses careful reasoning and quotes from poets and philosophers; in Lystra, by contrast, he makes use of more common place points of contact such as the cycles of the seasons and patterns of sunshine and rainfall. These were the things that preoccupied the thinking of those who lived in a rural community that was dependant on the land.
The key for the preacher in Paul’s flexible strategy is that from the same basic theological premise that the Lord God is the creator and sustainer of all, he preaches a distinct message to these very different communities. In this way Paul sought to connect with the reality that God has put eternity into our hearts.
Coming back to the four E’s, I would guess that most preachers are well-practiced in the art of exposing and evangelising, but fewer are experienced at entering and exploring.
Entering and exploring involve taking a deep dive into cultural context in which we are preaching. This involves getting a feel for the things that engage a particular congregation.
Time spent asking good questions and listening carefully to the congregation will always be repaid in the ability to connect with people more effectively.
Good preachers understand Scripture and understand people.
Different genres of Scripture require different handling. You cannot preach a Psalm in the same way you preach on a letter.
Different congregations also require different handling. It is worth asking of your congregation, “Is this more like Lystra or Athens, or is it something in between?”
Photo by Dimitris Kiriakakis on Unsplash