Ripe for Harvest

S ESSION 4: N URTURE AND T RANSITION • 391

VII. Practical Tools: Basic Matters in Presenting before an Audience

A. Build your presentation around a single residual message, and connect all that is said and done to that single message.

B. Never substitute other materials and themes, regardless how intriguing, or let them take the central place over and above the clear and simple exegesis of the Word of God, 2 Tim. 2.15.

C. Weave as elegantly and credibly as possible the three themes of contact, content, and connection.

1. Make it your goal to intersect the biblical story with the stories of those in Scripture and your listeners’ life stories.

2. Use the 3C process to build a bridge between the life choices and drama of those of Palestine and Judea with those in your congregation; make the intersections plain and crystal clear. D. Meditate long and hard on each passage you intend to teach and preach until you gain complete familiarity with it; the best in biblical communication demands a mastery of the Word, Ps. 1.1-3; 1 Tim. 4.7-16. E. Use language and other lexical tools generously in study but sparingly in presentation; do not turn your teaching into a referendum on the meaning of the biblical languages. F. Speak with passion, enthusiasm and conviction; do not seek to be eloquent but dramatically clear when declaring the Word of the Lord, 1 Cor. 2.2-5.

G. Do not be hesitant to use quality tools and time in preparing your message for your audience.

1. Keep good, accurate, and flexible notes.

2. Acquire a good, basic reference library that you can reliably use in your teaching.

Context Values/Vision

3. Purchase a readable, well-equipped study Bible which represents a good translation (neither too literalistic or merely a good paraphrase).

Prepare Launch Assemble Nurture Transition Schedule/Charter