I was listening today to a podcast by Tim Keller. He made an important point about preaching. It is the people with whom one is speaking during the week who determine the way we will read the Bible when preparing a sermon and to whom we will address our sermon when we preach. This in turn will predetermine who will come to listen to our sermons.
If the preacher has no regular contact with non-Christians then when he studies the Bible in preparation for the sermon he will not have in mind the questions that they would ask and the perspectives with which they would respond to what he might have to say. Consequently, when he presents his sermon he will not be addressing the worldview of non-Christians, at least not in any substantial way. Even if he preaches in a way that nourishes Christians they will know, either consciously or instinctively, that it is not really appropriate to bring their non-Christian friends to church to hear him preach, because he simply is not addressing their concerns and not able to teach in a way that will hit home to them.
This underscores how crucial it is for the competent, effective preacher who is seeking to win the lost, to have regular engagement with non-Christians.
If a church is not being effective in reaching non-Christians and if Christians do not feel comfortable bringing their non-Christian friends to church then the above suggests some obvious remedies.
www.facetofaceintercultural.com.au
Posted October 22, 2009
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