Talking At People or To Them
As a very small boy, Eddie had a tender heart towards God. Maybe it was because his family was not a place of peace and happiness, or because he heard the voice of God. “Jesus is coming back, and you need to be ready, Eddie.” He believed this was true but he did not know what it meant. “What do I do to be ready?”
Throughout his youth, Eddie searched for the answer to this question. “You are doing great!” his Bible teachers said. “Keep coming to church!” Throughout his young life, trusted “spiritual leaders” talked at him, but never to him. He was left unsure how to respond to God's voice.
This is my father’s story. When he was 27 years old, a pastor finally answered his question. He shared the Four Spiritual Laws with him and took him through the 10 Basic Steps for Christian Maturity. His life was transformed. He walked with the Lord throughout his life, and on December 21, 2025, he was ready to meet Jesus.
I was honored to share my father’s story at his memorial service. As I prepared what I would say, I knew I wanted to share the gospel clearly, compellingly, and lovingly to all the friends and family who came to honor his life. I did not want to repeat the mistakes of those spiritual leaders who talked at my dad, but not to him.
I prayed for the Holy Spirit to give me his love for these people, and I opened up The Audience Map to the page on Professing audiences. As I considered who they were, their motivations, priorities, and understanding of Jesus, I knew what to say. It was such a joy to share the most important news with them in a way that met them and connected with their hearts.
Each of you is burdened by an audience that makes up a missional gap in your ministry. You pray for them, and you work tirelessly to come up with strategies to reach them. Sometimes they are fruitful, sometimes they are not.
If you are struggling to know what to do next to see more people come to love Jesus and journey towards becoming multiplying disciples, ask God to give you his love for them, open the Audience Map, and take a deeper look at your audience with the Holy Spirit. Ask him to show you what changes you need to make and what new ideas he has to help you love them more effectively!
Check out the Audience Map to help you reach your audiences more effectively!
