Table of Contents

When Preaching to Secular People...

By John E. Marshall

Sidebar to "Bridging the Gap: Reaching the Unchurched Through the Sunday Morning Service"

LOVE THE LISTENERS.
Compassion is our most effective and winsome emotion. Be sure people in the pews can sense you care about their well-being.

USE WORDS SECULAR PEOPLE CAN UNDERSTAND.
Instead of using the words invocation or benediction, use the simpler word prayer. When using a technical theological term, explain it. If listeners are turned off, be sure they are rejecting truth, not their misunderstanding of truth.

DO NOT WATER DOWN THE MESSAGE.
Preach the Bible without apology. Speak truth in love, but do speak it.

USE PROPS.
Preach to the eye as well as the ear. When preaching on believers being the salt of the earth, set a salt block next to the pulpit. If preaching on Scripture being a sword, obtain a sword to hold up with a Bible. If preaching on people's busy schedules, hold up a day planner as you speak.

MOVE.
Do not stand in the same spot throughout the sermon. The ancient Greeks said the three most vital traits of an effective speech were action, action, and action. If you do not have a lapel mike, get one. Walk a bit as you preach. This changing of position helps rest people's eyes and hold their attention.

TELL STORIES.
Secular people want evidence that what we are saying really works. Real-life stories provide powerful examples to reinforce what we claim.
Make sure secular people know when you are talking about them. The terms lost, unregenerate, and unbelievers do not resonate with them. They do not feel lost. They know exactly where they are—in church. Refer to unbelievers as pre-Christians. It is a kind word, less confrontational than non-Christian, and conveys a hope they will become Christians.

EXPLAIN THE INVITATION.
The invitation is a tradition, but a good one. It helps people obey the scriptural admonition to make public their acceptance of Christ. But be sensitive to secular people's way of thinking. Asking them to make a public "confession" of faith is, in their mind, asking them to publicly confess their sins.

John E. Marshall is pastor of Second Baptist Church, Springfield, Missouri