Early on in my ministry I sat through a seminar given by my lifelong friend, Dr. Don Sunukjian (pronounced Sa-Noo-key-an), professor of homiletics at Talbot Seminary. The title of the seminar was “Increasing Clarity and Relevance in Your Preaching.” It was one of the best seminars I’ve ever taken.
One of the most important lessons I learned from the seminar is the distinction between illustrations that clarify and illustrations that apply. Illustrations that clarify help you understand a concept better. But illustrations that apply help you see yourself actually living out the concept in your own life by giving you an exact example of how someone else has already lived it out in theirs. As such, illustrations that apply communicate, not only on an intellectual level, but also on an emotional level. Obviously, illustrations that apply are much better than illustrations that clarify.
Jesus himself used both types of illustrations in his teaching ministry, with varying results.
The parable of the sower and the four soils (Matthew 13:1-23) and Jesus referring to the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees (Matthew 16:5-12) are examples of illustrations that clarify. In the first, Jesus categorizes four possible responses people may have to the word of God by describing the way seed grows in four types of soil. In the second, Jesus warns his disciples about the effect the Pharisees and Sadducees could have on them by likening it to yeast in bread. What’s interesting is that Jesus’ disciples didn’t understand either one of these illustrations and had to ask for clarification.
On the other hand, the parable of the good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37) and the parable of the prodigal son (Luke 15:11-32) are examples of illustrations that apply. Both are exact descriptions in life of what it means to love one’s neighbor and what it means for a father to forgive a repentant son. And because they are, the disciples immediately understood on both an intellectual and an emotional level exactly what Jesus was talking about. And also because they are, these parables are some of the most memorable of Jesus’ teachings.
In my seminar, “Mobilize Your Men to Meet Pressing Needs in Your Church,” I have three very important points that I want to make that involve the love of Christ. I want to impress on my men the importance of identifying with, committing to, and sacrificing for, a widow or single mom. To do this, I use illustrations.
One way I could illustrate these three principles is with illustrations that clarify. For example, to clarify what it means to identify with a care receiver, I might talk about how groups in theme parks often wear the same colored tee shirt so they can identify each other. To clarify what it means to commit to a care receiver, I might describe getting on a plane and committing one’s safety to the pilot. And to clarify what it means to sacrifice for a care receiver, I could discuss how parents sacrifice for their children.
But what I’ve chosen to do instead is illustrate these three principles with illustrations that apply; illustrations that give specific examples of men identifying with, committing to, and sacrificing for their care receiver.
To illustrate identification, I talk about Illa, the single mom who experienced multiple tragedies in her life, but still used her vacations to travel to India with her friends and over the years lead 4,000 people to Christ. Then I describe her team member’s response when he heard her story and how he pulled me aside and said, “Pastor, I’ve been going to church all these years and I never knew any of this.”
To illustrate commitment, I talk about Connie, the Hispanic woman who broke into uncontrollable sobbing when her team told her they would return to help her as long as she needed them to.
To illustrate sacrifice, I talk about the two team members who volunteered to be live liver donors for a care receiver who had liver disease.
Frequently, by the time I’m done with these illustrations, I see grown men in the audience in tears. Why? Because I’ve communicated with them, not only on an intellectual level, but also on an emotional level. They see themselves in these very same situations because I’ve used illustrations that apply.
So pastors and teachers, when you’re speaking to men, give your men specific examples of people doing what you’re talking about. Help them picture it in their lives. When you do, their response will be exponentially greater. And they will thank you for it.
This post first appeared in NewCommandment.org.
Dr. Sunukjian has published a book on homiletics entitled Invitation to Biblical Preaching: Proclaiming Truth with Clarity and Relevance. You can purchase it on Amazon here.
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Learn how to form teams of men for every widow, single mom
and fatherless child in your church at NewCommandment.org.
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