Dealing with a Difficult Audience - Martin Wiles

They are a stubborn and hard-hearted people. But I am sending you to say to them, “This is what the Sovereign LORD says!” Ezekiel 2:4 NLT

God never promises what He asks us to do will be easy—and it wasn’t for Dad.

Other than when I was a small child, I only knew Dad as a preacher. Living in a preacher’s home makes one privy to information the normal church member might not be aware of. One thing, getting the inside scoop on how difficult some people can be. 

I recall one country church my father pastored. He, Mom, and my two brothers loved the area and the people. It was country living at its finest. I loved it too and soon decided to move to the area as well. No sooner had I settled in, than Dad decided to move. 

He and the congregants got along well, but one thing bothered him. On the Sunday of his resignation, he said, “I’ve been here two years, and no one has ever come forward during an altar call.” Though he loved the people, in Dad’s mind, they were a difficult audience to preach to. Perhaps the needed decisions were all made in the pew, but Dad wanted to see action. 

I’ve felt Dad’s concern. Having pastored several smaller membership churches, I too have preached hundreds of sermons and saw little if any movement to the altar. Maybe they too made their decisions in the pew.

Dad and I could have mistaken our audiences as difficult to preach to, but Ezekiel didn’t. He didn’t have to make the judgment call because God did it for him. Stubborn. Hard-hearted. But God sent him anyway. 

Whatever the audience God sends me to, my responsibility is simply to be faithful to His call. God doesn’t hold me responsible for their decisions—whether many, few, or none at all. Or whether they’ve been made publicly or privately. My job is simply to deliver the message God gives. 

Sometimes God has to remind me that even though I don’t see fruit it doesn’t mean fruit hasn’t been produced. Seeing matters of the heart is difficult. My job is to trust God to give me the strength to do whatever task He assigns. And He will. As He does, He’ll walk by my side, giving guidance the entire way. 

When God calls you to deliver a message to a difficult audience, remember He’ll be faithful to you if you are faithful to Him.

Prayer: Father, enable us to trust You to guide us and give us strength regardless of the audience you call us to speak to. 

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Transformation Killers - Martin Wiles

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Romans 12:2 NKJV

We were on the precipice of a breakthrough when I heard those infamous words: “We’ve never done it that way before.”

Every church I’ve pastored wanted transformation of some sort. I witnessed it before accepting the calls, but the key leaders saw it also. For one, it was size. They had dwindled to 35 people. Young adult families with children were moving away. New programs were needed. At the next church, it was a new building. The current one had deteriorated. Bats filled the belfry. No bathrooms existed upstairs. The next was steeped in traditions that were killing the future of the church.  

As I and the leaders attempted to enact the things necessary for transformation in appearance, attitudes, and attendance, we were often met with resistance: We’ve never done things this way before. We can’t afford for people to leave. How will we pay for it? Are we large enough to support this program? 

Churches periodically need transformation because believers need transformation. Instead of being conformed to the bad attitudes and evil actions of the world, Paul says I should transform or renew my mind so that it reflects the thoughts of Christ. 

Discouragement, fear, unforgiveness, and pessimism are all transformation killers. Naysayers will always be present when transformation is on the horizon. Their lists of reasons why transformation can’t take place can be lengthy, but they are all designed to discourage enthusiasm—whether they realize it or not. Discouragement can spread like a raging wildfire and bring pessimism with it. Both will kill excitement. 

Fear is sometimes behind the transformation resistance. Fear of change. Fear of the different. But God isn’t the author of that spirit. He gives a spirit of power, of love, and of a sound mind. Belief, faith, and trust will drive away the fear of transformation.

Unforgiveness will also kill transformation by preventing people from working together to make transformation happen. Old feuds. Conflicts between personalities. 

Give God any mindset that’s keeping you or your church from being transformed. 

Prayer: Father, renew our minds daily so our actions will move us into the areas of transformation You desire for us.

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