The Church Revitalization Podcast – Episode 256
If you’ve ever taken a preaching class in seminary, you’re familiar with the fundamentals: engaging your audience, preaching the text faithfully, and providing clear, actionable points of application. These are the building blocks of effective preaching, taught by our hermeneutics professors to ensure that our messages resonate and remain true to the Scriptures. However, even with all this knowledge, there are times when our sermons may seem to fall flat, leaving us questioning our effectiveness. If you’ve ever experienced that, know that you’re not alone.
The world around us is constantly evolving, and with it, the needs and expectations of our congregations. This shift demands that our approach to preaching evolves as well. While our commitment to preaching the Scriptures with clarity remains steadfast, we must also be willing to adjust our strategies to better connect with the people in the pews.
In the following discussion, we’ll explore three practical tips that can enhance your preaching, making it more impactful and memorable for your congregation each Sunday. These insights are designed to help you not only capture attention but also to foster deeper engagement with the Word of God, ensuring that your messages leave a lasting impression.
Addressing the Challenge of Shortened Attention Spans
A study by Microsoft Research in 2023 revealed a significant decline in the average attention span, dropping from twelve seconds in 2000 to just eight seconds today. This shift underscores a critical challenge for preachers: capturing and maintaining the congregation’s attention has become more difficult than ever. In light of this, it’s crucial that we approach sermon composition with heightened intentionality and creativity.
One key strategy to address this challenge is the use of repetition. In an era where distractions abound and attention spans are shorter, repetition ensures that the core message of the Biblical text is clearly communicated and reinforced. By strategically repeating key points throughout the sermon, we can help our listeners retain and internalize the central message, even amidst potential distractions.
Another important consideration is how we begin our sermons. With attention spans dwindling, the opening moments of a sermon are more critical than ever. Capturing the congregation’s attention early—within those first few seconds—sets the tone for the entire message. Whether through a compelling story, a provocative question, or a striking statement, the introduction must be designed to engage the audience immediately, drawing them in and preparing their hearts and minds to receive the Word.
In this new reality, where attention is a fleeting resource, preachers must be both strategic and intentional in how we communicate. By emphasizing repetition and crafting powerful introductions, we can better connect with our congregations, ensuring that the truths of Scripture resonate deeply, even in a world of ever-shortening attention spans.
Leverage the Power of Storytelling
Gallup’s 2020 research highlights that 63% of people are more likely to remember stories than they are to retain facts and figures. This statistic underscores a fundamental truth that we see in the teaching style of Jesus: the power of storytelling. Jesus frequently used parables—not just as illustrations, but as the primary vehicle for conveying profound spiritual truths. The importance of storytelling in sermons is nothing new, but in our increasingly distracted world, it has become even more vital.
Many pastors today use anecdotes as a way to ease into their sermons, often serving as an icebreaker to grab attention. However, these stories are frequently treated as supplementary, with the main body of the sermon—the exposition—being considered the “meat” of the message. This approach contrasts sharply with how Jesus taught. For Him, the story was not just a garnish; it was the main course. The parables were not mere embellishments to His teachings; they were the teachings, rich with meaning and layers of truth.
Crafting thoughtful stories that convey the essence of the Biblical text requires time and deep reflection. It’s not enough to simply attach a story to a point; the story itself must embody the truth you are trying to communicate. This means fully understanding and digesting the meaning of the text before infusing that truth into a narrative that resonates with your listeners. The story should be more than an illustration; it should be the means through which the theological truth is experienced and understood.
This isn’t to suggest that pure exposition has no place in an effective sermon. Exposition is crucial for unpacking the details and nuances of Scripture. However, we must recognize that while people may appreciate the exposition, it’s the stories that will linger in their minds. Therefore, it’s worth dedicating significant time to thinking through how you can use story frameworks to communicate theological truths more effectively. The goal is not just to teach, but to ensure that what is taught is remembered and internalized—and storytelling is a powerful tool in achieving that.
Get Better at Exegeting the Culture
Every first-year seminary student learns the importance of crafting application points in a sermon, recognizing that these points bridge the gap between the ancient text and the contemporary listener. However, many pastors today struggle with effectively exegeting the culture, or they shy away from doing so altogether. This reluctance often stems from a fear of offending someone in the congregation, especially in a time when political and cultural divides are sharper than ever.
As our society becomes increasingly fractured and contentious, it’s more important—not less—that pastors have the courage to engage with cultural issues through the lens of Scripture. The challenge of speaking into the complexities of modern life shouldn’t deter pastors; instead, it should inspire them to provide the guidance their congregations desperately need.
A 2022 study by the Barna Group found that 70% of churchgoers are more likely to remember and apply a sermon when it includes specific, actionable steps. This statistic highlights a deep hunger among people for practical wisdom to navigate their lives. Like the men of Issachar, who “understood the times and knew what Israel should do” (1 Chronicles 12:32), today’s Christians are seeking leaders who can help them interpret the cultural moment in which they live.
Theologian Karl Barth famously advised that pastors should “hold the Bible in one hand and the newspaper in the other.” This metaphor emphasizes the importance of understanding the world we live in while grounding our responses in the eternal truths of Scripture. Yet, many preachers today seem to have abandoned this balanced approach, opting to focus solely on Scripture without addressing contemporary issues, or conversely, to speak on cultural matters without rooting their analysis in Biblical truth.
If you aim to preach with purpose, it’s essential to embrace both aspects—holding firmly to the Bible while also engaging thoughtfully with the cultural and societal issues of the day. Your congregation is looking for leaders who can help them make sense of the world around them, providing clarity and direction in confusing times. By courageously exegeting both the Scripture and the culture, you can help the average person in the pew not only understand their times but also discern how to live faithfully within them.
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Scott Ball is the Vice President and a Lead Guide with The Malphurs Group. He lives in East Tennessee with his wife and two children. (Email Scott).
