Exponential East 2014 Session Three

Vince Antonucci

Golden principles to preach a sermon that honors God, teaches Christians and also reaches non believers. You apply them as you think in your conquest.

• The Uncross Their Arms Principle.

The anti church people will come to church with their arms figuratively or actually with their arms crossed.  They are thinking "I have you down, you have 2 minutes to prove me wrong".  They are not open. 

• The You Wear Their Shoes Principle. 

What are they're thinking, what do they smell in my church.  Experience what they experience. Try going to a Muslim service and experience it.  You start by thinking...what do I wear?  When I get there will the be people asking me questions?  Why do they take off their shoes when they go to the bathroom?  Do Imhave to face Mecca?  That's how the unchurched think when they come to us 

• The Guest For DInner Principle.

The church is our home. We conduct ourselves there how we feel comfortable. When we have a first time guest to our home we will do all sorts of things to accommodate them. Perhaps Grandad will put a shirt on! Perhaps we'll chose neutral music. Perhaps we won't start working on the family budget.  The irony is that when we have guests in church we don't dress any different or change what we talk about. Perhaps we will still say grace but perhaps we'll explain that's what we do first. Read Paul in 1 Corinthians telling that church to dial out the speaking in tongues when new people come to church.

• The Joe DiMaggio Principle.

Joe never jogged anywhere...he always ran at full speed...in and off the field, ran whe others walked to first base.  Why?  He said that because in every game there is a kid in the stands watching his first game and I want him to see how to play the game right. 

In every church service they explain what communion is and how to take it.  Also why they take an offering and that it's OK to not give if this is your first week.  They explain that we are now going to sing some songs to God and it's OK if your heart is not is it to just sit and listen while we sing.   We are sick of explaining why we do this at every service.  But we do it. 

• The Check Your Influences Principle. 

Guitarists are always asked what their influences are. What models are you following.  Speaker says their main influences are not churches.  They are Jimmy Fallon, ChuckECheese, Conan OBrien, Walt Disney, Starbucks.  These people reach people really really well. How do we use creativity to make people,uncross their arms.  

• The Use Their Culture Principle

Paul makes himself like all people to win a few.  Paul's idea is yes, we will be different from non believers, like character and belief.  But I will use what we have in common to build a bridge so I can come alongside you and then we can walk together to Jesus. Mars Hill...Paul examines their culture and preaches based on them.  So if they are preaching on Galations we won't call it that we'll pick a series name that connects to people.

Story: whole staff met with a Las Vegas pastor who has deep experience in the city. Asks him what sermon topic most resonates with people. In book store people ask most for the topic of forgiveness.  They brainstormed names for a series on forgiveness. They decide on 'drop the F bomb' f for forgiveness of course.  Then someone told them that Steve Furtick's church had already used this title in his Elevation church.  So they stole their video and edited it!  So how do we reach people where they are at? 

• The Don't Use Your Culture Principle.

This is the most violated principle.  You need to be very careful about the assumptions you make, because your assumptions will make your crowd.  Listen to the words in your songs and sermons and what assumptions do those words make? If we quote Ephesians in a sermon...what actually is an Ephesian?   You tell me what your assumptions are and he will tell us what our crowd looks like.  It isolates people if the crowds gets what I am referring to and they don't.  They won't come back.  The fix is simple.  Just say " cos the Bile says...in Ephesians ..".  Now at least they get that Ephesians is in the BIble.  It's not fun to do this every time...but do it. 

Vince's church assumes that every guest is an atheist.  So don't assume that everyone prays.  If you want to talk about prayers don't say "You know how you pray and ...". If you do say it, acknowledge that you know that not everyone here prayers, so I want you to know that if you do get to pray then...

So you have at least acknowledged that the are people at church that think and act differently, hopefully valued them and engaged them. 

• The Authenticity Principle

When we come up to speak, they are asking themselves "Who are you...could I like this guy...would he like me?...could I hang out with this guy?".  To break through the cynicism and skepticism...show who you are.  Prudent self disclosure can connect us to people as genuine and authentic. 

•  The Love Principle

Most important principle. Get this one right and it will cover over if we don't get all the other principles quite right.  What is the style of our church? There has never ever been a non Christian person who woke up and thought wow I want to hear some rocking music...I wonder which church has the best rocking music...or the best skits, or the best improv, or the best video.  It helps...once they come. But they don't come for that, they don't come back for that, or they don't come to Christ for that. 

They come to church to get what they can't get at a bar or on TV or via Red Box....it is the non conditional love of God. They will come because you accept them where they are at and love them.  If you are going to be good at one thing...make it love. 

So if you come to Verve church at Las Vegas, you will experience how they implement these principles:

They like having signs to church to build expectation.  No greeters...just seems like forced hospitality...like Wal-mart.  A instead have a greeting desk that smile at people and read the people.  Only if they want to be engaged. Engage people. Let them go when they want to disengage.  The cleverest clothes shops don't have people that immediately ask if you need help but rather the helpers stand just inside and fold the clothes all day long.  They'll let you get into the shop and then gently say "let me know if I can help you" and carry on folding clothes.  They play only non Christian music before the service of the PA ...like a party atmosphere...because people are OK walking into a party and not OK walking into a mosque.  Every pre-service slide projected is informative but also funny.  Just trying to uncross their arms.  Worship band walks up on stage, just a very few musicians...not like some churches have a 15 piece band...which seems weird. Their first song is a secular current song connected to the topic of the service.  ( use sound hound to see what the song is if one comes on the radio that you think might work.) so the first 5-7 minutes are dedicated to non Christians to uncross arms. The rest of the 1 hour 5 minute service is for Christians that is also sensitive to non believers. 

The Jake comes up on stage to welcome people, introduce the theme...drop the f-bomb...no not that one but forgiveness. Then show a little video spot that has been made to be amusing. 

The goal is to scrubs every service.  Like the TV show scrubs.  It not just wanted to make you chuckle but the last 5 minutes they would always go after your heart.  A change of music to a minor key...and they with genius get you.  What you cry about at the end is the same thing you were laughing at for the first 25 minutes.  Genius. What can we do to make people laugh at the topic of the services...then how can we make people cry, or get righteously indignant, or repent...etc. 

Final song will hammer home the theme of the services.