I have been consciously analyzing sermons for close to five decades. A rather unique observation I’ve made is that ministers tend to preach to their own age-set. It’s the segment of the population they know the best, so it’s probably natural that this would be the case.
The truth is, whenever I’m asked, as a 73-year-old, to give a talk for a group of teenagers, I find this to be quite daunting. I work hard to come up with illustrations related to their world. This happened again recently when I was asked to speak for a group where the average age was somewhere around 15.
I read this week in USA Today about a new survey conducted by LifeWay Christian Resources among 18- to 29-year-old Americans. It revealed that:
* 67% don’t read the Bible or sacred texts
* 65% rarely or never attend worship services
* 65% rarely or never pray with others
If this trend continues, the president of LifeWay was quoted as saying, “the Millennial generation will see churches closing as quickly as GM dealerships.”
Of course, I asked myself, “Would 18- to 29-year-olds be interested in the messages I normally preach? If not, why not?”
Because the church is always just one generation away from extinction, it’s a question all ministers need to ask themselves.
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Pastor, when “sermon prep day” rolls around each week, do you face the task of preparing another sermon with a frown on your face? If so, you’re not alone. Many pastors literally dread preparing their Sunday sermon. There just doesn’t seem to be an easy solution. The good news: David Mains and Mainstay Ministries can help, whether you need to create a Topical Sermon, an Advent Sermon, a Christmas Sermon, an Easter Sermon, a Sermon Series, or any other Sunday Sermon. For more information on how to create better Bible Sermons and how to turn Sermon Ideas into Sermon Outlines, and then into effective, meaningful Sunday Sermons, please click here to visit David Mains’ website.
