Build a Bridge Between God’s Word and Issues of Our Day

The challenge of preaching is to declare eternal truth — what doesn’t change — in a culture that’s always changing.

The message never changes. It’s the “faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints”. (Jude v.3 NIV)

But the methods have to change with every generation. Otherwise, you’re not being faithful to the intent of the Bible.

Martin Luther said this: “If you preach the gospel in all aspects with the exception of the issues which deal specifically with your time, you are not preaching the gospel at all.”

One way to build a bridge between God’s Word and the issues of our day is to tie a sermon series into some cultural event, something that has already caught the attention of many people.

For instance, when we enter the current economic crisis, I preached a series on God’s principles for money management. It taught people that the Bible offers wise and practical advice on how to handle your finances.

Another example is when Mel Gibson released his movie, “The Passion of Christ”, we preached a series, “How Love Speaks: 7 Words From the Cross”.

A great opportunity next month will be to preach along with The Bible miniseries. Every Sunday night for five weeks — from March 3rd through Easter Sunday on March 31st — millions of viewers will see the Bible come to life in a whole new way.

You can make the most of this opportunity to reach out to the people in your community who will be watching the series but may not attend church — plan a sermon series, small group and outreach campaign and help viewers go deeper and learn even more about the Bible!

Every time I preach I know six realities about my audience. You can start with these six understandings.

• Every person wants to be loved.
• Everybody wants his or her life to count.
• Life is empty without Christ.
• Many people carry a load of guilt.
• Many are consumed with bitterness from a past hurt.
• There’s a universal fear of death.

Then you take it further by getting specific about the needs of your particular audience.

Also, join us for a special pre-screening event at Saddleback, or via simulcast wherever you are!

Join Rick Warren and The Bible series creators, Mark Burnett and Roma Downey, on Saturday March 2nd for an exclusive preview and behind-the-scenes look at the epic series, The Bible.

This 90-minute event will feature an overview of the series with portions of the series not-yet-seen and the “why” behind the series with Burnett and Downey, hosted by Rick Warren.

This is a don’t miss experience for your church and community. Watch the Bible come to life in a way never-before-seen and it is also a perfect opportunity to invite unchurched viewers in your community for this one of a kind BIBLE event.

Saturday, March 2nd at 9:30 am
LIVE at Saddleback Church
One Saddleback Parkway
Lake Forest, CA

RSVP Now: Click here