Ask any friend if you can smush a cream pie in their face. If you do it successfully then I will give you $100,000. You can tell them it’s really important, but you can’t mention the money. You get only one chance with one friend.
Think of all your friends that might do this for you. Which friend would you choose? Say their name in your head right now. “_________ would let me do it.”
That’s knowing your audience.
Some of your friends would refuse, some would ask questions and prefer not to do it and probably back out last minute, but there’s one who would do that for you. So, you’d go to that friend with this request and not the others.
When you are sharing your faith with people, it helps to know your audience.
“As Paul and Barnabas were leaving the synagogue, the people invited them to speak further about these things on the next Sabbath. When the congregation was dismissed, many of the Jews and devout converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas, who talked with them and urged them to continue in the grace of God” (Acts 13:42,43).
Paul and Barnabus spoke to some Jews at church (the synagogue) about Jesus. That’s their first audience. But after church, some folks followed Paul and Barnabus. That’s their second audience, and they “talked to them.”
The following Saturday, at the time they were invited to return and talk some more, “almost the whole city gathered to hear the word of the Lord. When the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy. They began to contradict what Paul was saying and heaped abuse on him. Then Paul and Barnabas answered them boldly: ‘We had to speak the word of God to you first. Since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles’” (Acts 13:44-46).
Now, there’s more of a mixed audience due to crowds of people. That’s their third audience. Finally, some Jews berate Paul and Barnabus, who “answered them boldly,” as their fourth different audience.
With each audience, Paul and Barnabus tailored the message for their hearers.
Your friend who asks for prayers. Your coworker who can’t get it together. Your neighbor who had a bad experience at church. Your 3-year-old daughter or 93-year-old dad. Each of these is a different audience. So tailor your message to fit each of them.
Do this with thanks that you are God’s audience, both globally (God loves everyone) and personally (God loves you).
PRAYER: Help me, Lord, be more aware and be ready to appreciate the unique stories, interests and needs of the people in my life. Give me wisdom and understanding to share my faith with them in a way they will best receive. Amen.
CHURCH QUESTION: How many different audiences does your church teach with God’s Word? Is there a primary “target audience” in mind?