Know Your Audience - Part I

Who in the world are you trying to teach?  One of my dreams is to have them write, "He could teach anyone, any age level, any status - like his Lord."  I simply think that Jesus was the best of the best teachers and he was able to teach anyone, anywhere at anytime.  A component to connecting with the audience of learners (whether it be an audience of one child or 1000 seminar attendees) is knowing the audience.

For example, if you are speaking to an audience of liberal, female rights activists and your message is "Sanctity of Life - Abolish Abortion" you will most likely face a tough day.  The tendency here would be to soften the message and be "diplomatic" so as to avoid a riot; however, knowing your audience does not mean that you should change your message.  If Jesus had taken the course of changing, softening and not teaching the message of repentance and salvation , we would all be lost and without a path of redemption.  Jesus did not soften the message but he was aware of the impact, ready with compassion, truth and prepared to die to deliver the Good News that did not seem so go to some.

Knowing your audience should not change the message  you teach.  If the audience changes your message then you don't really believe in your message.  You are more worried about the consequences to you than what you said you believe.  You border on being a politician saying what is appropriate for the moment and waiting for a better moment to push your real agenda.

Knowing your audience can help you speak with them instead of at them.  Knowing your audience can help you show compassion if your message is contrary or challenging.  Knowing your audience can help you pick the right illustration or the right word picture.  Jesus was the master of this style of teaching. 

One of the classic mistakes made by all of us is to focus on getting the great message together but not thinking at all about to whom it is delivered.  The to whom is very important - after all, they and their good will should be the only reason that we teach at all.  People, not presentations, are what we do.

So, have a message you are willing to die for, look at who you will teach, be prepared for any expected reaction, and give much thought to relevant examples and word pictures. If you want to reach them, you have to know them.

For this very reason - Jesus came to earth, that he might show men perfection in the form of man.
He lived man's trials, joys and fears - he succeeded and knows our lives.