|
Post by John Duncan on Apr 9, 2006 20:33:11 GMT -5
To gain a spirit drawn crowd you must: 1. Have a right motive - PRAY till you are FULL! 2. Do not preach to draw a crowd 3. Preach against the relevant sins that pertain to your location 4. Preach like Jesus - PERSONAL. Paul - PERSONAL - The Prophets - PERSONAL etc. 5. Make your preaching conversational with the 1st few that stop 6. Preach in one direction. 7. Get a vision for where you crowd may gather. 8. Be flexible - if they gather to your left - turn to your left 9. Do not preach too loud - they will gather too far away it they can hear you far away. 10. Use your gift. If you have a quick wit. use it - if you are a well read apologist - use it. 11. BE YOUR SELF!!! Don't copy RAY - JED - Hubert or anyone else. God made you to be as you are. God hates fakers. We will be influenced by others but be yourself. 12. Be faithful with little and God will give the increase. I preached for one year every week and never gained a crowd. Then one day "bang" and I have never had a problem drawing a crowd www.gospeljohn.com
|
|
|
Post by Jesse Morrell on Apr 10, 2006 0:10:20 GMT -5
Brother John
Did you mean to say, "Preach to draw a crowd"?
I think this is a very good list of pointers.
|
|
|
Post by josh on Apr 10, 2006 0:36:18 GMT -5
Good points John!
Preach for the Glory of God! IF you really want to draw a crowd, grab a pen and paper, then draw one for yourself.
But when preaching don't worry about crowd drawing, as thats God's department.
|
|
|
Post by Jesse Morrell on Apr 10, 2006 1:01:06 GMT -5
Oh, I understand what you mean. You mean, "the goal of preaching is not drawing a crowd". I thought you meant the method for drawing a crowd was not preaching, as though you meant like "tell jokes to draw a crowd" or "give away money to draw a crowd" but "don't preach to draw a crowd.
That clears things up. GREAT LIST!
|
|
|
Post by Josh Parsley on Apr 10, 2006 8:43:17 GMT -5
That's what I'm waiting for! I'm in the first year stage.
|
|
|
Post by Jesse Morrell on Apr 10, 2006 16:16:26 GMT -5
I can testify to similiar experience.
|
|
|
Post by John Duncan on Apr 10, 2006 17:41:15 GMT -5
I think we need to stay away from "cookie cutter" means of drawing a crowd. Going day after day can become very mechanical. We can learn to draw a crowd in the flesh but by being constantly open to the leading of the Spirit of God, I think this keeps us from the rut of routine. Start with different thoughts, different verses, and don't just rely on the same old routine or it becomes more of a "show" than a God led ministry. It can be more challenging but in the long run you will not feel the "here we go again" mentality. KEEP IT ALIVE AND FRESH!!
|
|
|
Post by Jeffrey Olver on Apr 10, 2006 19:34:30 GMT -5
One thing I've realized at important is to not think about what you're going to say as a 'heckler' is giving his question/objection. Be lead by the Spirit! I know that I grow tired of people within a crowd asking questions, and then as I give the answer, they turn to their buddy for the next question to fire off - or they immediately begin to plot their next question without listening to the answer.
Fully Rely On God! He will give you the words. Of course, you need to also study in order to show thyself approved, you need to know your stuff...but pay good attention to your crowd when their asking questions and objecting genuinely.
Does that make sense?
|
|
|
Post by John Duncan on Apr 10, 2006 20:40:22 GMT -5
I do not see how we can answer a question without though.
|
|
|
Post by Jeffrey Olver on Apr 10, 2006 21:50:46 GMT -5
Well, I meant that we shouldn't be mulling over in our mind the best way to say something, and not paying attention WHILE the other person is speaking.
|
|
|
Post by John Duncan on Apr 10, 2006 23:14:03 GMT -5
Yea - I understand. We hear some of the same objections from religious sinners every day. "Thou shalt not Judge." (they think its one of the 10 commandments in churches in Ga.) "Thou must sin EVERY DAY!" (they think this is the most important Christian doctrine in Ga.) "Where is the LOVE you 'blank blank blank.'" (love is something you feel not do in Ga.) "Who cares if I'm gay - I got born again when I was 12." (OSAS! in Ga.) "Don't tell me to repent - GOD LOVES ME." (God's Love makes gays in GA. FEEL A.O.K. w/God) The same objections over and over again can make you lose you compassion if your not on your knees. www.gospeljohn.com
|
|
|
Post by ebrayley on Apr 22, 2006 13:09:14 GMT -5
Thanks brother John, excellent advise. God bless you, -Eli
|
|
|
Post by justaman on May 5, 2006 1:25:50 GMT -5
One serious question though: If you are not preaching to draw a crowd, why be controversial with the first few that pass by?
|
|
|
Post by Miles Lewis on May 5, 2006 22:13:31 GMT -5
The idea IS to draw a crowd in... but our purpose in preaching is not simply to see how big a crowd we can get. Our purpose is to preach the gospel. He is not saying "don't draw a crowd". He is trying to show the priority. As far as being controversial, the whole Bible pretty much is controversial. We preach in a way that piques interest and gets people's attention to begin with. If nobody disagrees with what you have to say, you probably are not preaching right. The idea of preaching is not to get people to like you, but to show where people are wrong and what needs correcting. If the people don't need any correcting or change, then that is not the crowd to preach to. Jesus said the sick need a doctor, not the healthy. You can't get healed unless you are sick, the people we are trying to reach are not those who agree with us, but those who disagree. We consistently bring in the crowd that does not agree with us. I think we have found the right audience that needs to hear. There is a time for a convicting, cutting, even painful message about sin and there is a time for the Healer's touch. We must be skilled in presenting both. I agree with Wesley who said, "Preach 90% law and 10% grace."
|
|