We always preach to a mixed crowd.  The mix may differ, but the one thing we can be sure of is that there will be a mix. 

Older and younger, male and female, biblically aware, newcomers to the Bible, church regulars and guests, and so on.  

These are five principles to help us preach effectively:

1. We must believe the Bible can be effectively presented to mixed groups simultaneously

Traditionally, many churches have targeted their preaching at either believers or not-yet-believers.  So you might have an evangelistic event and a Bible study separately. 

However, it is possible to preach the Bible to believers and non-believers simultaneously.  And if we do that, we might avoid some of the mistakes that come from assuming Christians have moved past the gospel (see Galatians 3:1-3 for a strong warning on this!)

2. We should assume a greater mix than we can see in a congregation

There are two reasons for this.  First, because there is a greater mix than we can see.  People may look similar on the outside but be very different in reality. 

And second, we should assume a greater mix because we want a greater mix than we can see. 

For example, how will people in a small church that often has no guests present be confident to bring guests in? 

One way will be for the preacher to consistently preach as if guests are present so that church members grow in confidence that they can bring a guest and it won’t feel awkward. 

Preach to the mix you have, and preach for the mix you want.

3. We need to learn about our listeners.

When it comes to our own church, we can consider several levels of analysis.  We can think about the culture in which our church exists and the specifics of the locality. 

Is it urban, suburban, or rural?  Is it close to the cultural centre of society or at a distance from what is happening in the “big smoke?” 

Then we can think about our congregation: What are the typical profiles of people?  Are there many people in a certain age and stage of life?  What about typical education levels or employment types? 

There is a more specific analysis, too – pastorally, to get to know the individual people and families in the church.  (As a guest speaker, you may only be able to analyse the level of culture, locality, and a brief guess at typical profile, but your preaching will still be better for it!)

4. We need to preach sermons that aim to land in the lives of our listeners

It is tempting to preach generic biblical truth and hope that listeners will grab hold of that truth for themselves. Don’t settle for vague generalisations. 

Our task is not only to be comfortable in the world of the biblical text but also to be targeted in our relevance to specific situations. 

Listeners will translate and personalise specifics but allow generalisations to float on by. Authentic expository preaching is not only faithful to the biblical text, but it also requires effective communication from the preacher that emphasizes relevance to the listener. 

True expository preaching also relies on God to be at work:

5. We need to pray for God to work in a profoundly personal way

We know that God cares about congregations with an awareness of the groupings within that congregation. 

Take, for instance, how God inspired Paul to give Titus specific instructions for each group in the church (Titus 2:1-10), or to help Timothy think about different groups in the Ephesian church (1 Timothy 5:1-2). 

We know that God cares about individuals (for instance, see Psalm 17:6-8).  And we can be confident that God wants to continue his work in his people and complete what he has begun (Philippians 1:6). 

So let’s be sure to pray that as we preach, God will land the message in very targeted and specific ways in those that hear us.

Peter Mead is mentor at Cor Deo and author of several books. He blogs at Biblical Preaching