To Get Through, Meddle

Here's snippet #3 of my article 7 Ways to Get Through to Your People from the September 2008 issue of Pentecostal Messenger:

3. Meddle

Preachers can preach all day long about the evils of Hollywood, Wall Street, or Capitol Hill, and never affect their congregation. Everyone may shout "amen", but they're saying, "I agree that those other people need to change." Soon the audience goes on auto-pilot, mentally checked-out, but still saying amen where appropriate.

Something different happens when the preacher begins to meddle, when he preaches to the main-street crowd. Those struggling with porn listen when the preacher tells how to be delivered. Those in debt listen when the preacher shows the way to freedom. The congregation listens when the sermon is for them and about them.

Peter meddled in Acts 2 when he told the crowd about Jesus being in the midst of them... as they knew... whom they crucified. The pointed preaching affected the hearers who then cried out, "What shall we do?"

Instead of preaching all day about how somebody needs to do something, get specific. Target your congregation. Challenge your congregation. Meddle.

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