Surfacing Their Needs

I like Peter Mead's advice to preachers about surfacing the needs of listeners, then working from that to the rest of the sermon.

"So I suggest we don’t start disconnected (“ok, enough irrelevant humor, let’s have a reading” or even “last week we were in Lamentations 3, please turn to Lamentations 4.”) Nor should we start with “felt needs” (“alright, you’re all asking me on facebook how to make life more comfortable and still be able to afford entertainment during the economic downturn, let’s turn to Judges chapter . . .”) I strongly suggest trying to start by “surfacing the need” addressed by the text. In your study it begins with the text. Then in your message you start by highlighting the need in the listeners life so they are thirsty for the passage and the message."

The same principles are important in any Bible teaching situation.