How can male preachers connect with female listeners? This is an urgent issue for preachers who are committed to ministering God’s Word to their people. Preachers communicate truth through personality, but sometimes personality gets in the way – especially in the area of gender. I recently heard a woman say: “I can’t listen to that pastor because he comes across as arrogant.” Another complained: “If I have to listen to one more sports illustration, I’ll scream!” What’s a male preacher to do?
First, avoid any hint of male chauvinism. This is more deeply embedded in evangelical culture than we might like to admit. I thank God for a seminary professor, Dr. Ronald B. Allen, who raised this issue repeatedly in his classes. Thanks to his example, I’m constantly on guard for any language which slights, stereo-types, or degrades women. An example would be an off-hand remark about “women drivers.” The fact is, car insurance rates are cheaper for my 20-year old daughter than they are for her twin brother! Last Sunday, when I preached on “Living out God’s Wisdom in Your Words” from Proverbs, I made it a point to say that men struggle with gossip just as much as women do. If I’m talking about a physician, I’m just as likely to use the pronoun “she” as “he.” After all, some of the finest doctors to whom I’ve preached have been women.
Second, use illustrations which connect with a women’s world as well as a man’s world. To be sure, we must not exaggerate the difference because men and women share common interests and struggles. But because of my background and interests, I’m prone to using illustrations about fly-fishing and baseball. So I purposefully look at magazines like Good Housekeeping, and I try to imagine how a single mom or grandmother or a woman balancing home and career (like the Proverbs 31 woman!) faces the issues raised in Scripture texts that I preach.
Finally, get a copy of Preaching That Speaks to Women by Alice P. Mathews (Baker). Dr. Mathews shares wise, sensible insights which will help men minister the Word of God in a way that gets through to female listeners.
What other words of wisdom can you add from your experiences in delivering or listening to sermons?
Posted by Steve Mathewson at 9:32 AM on July 24, 2007
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Those are good points worth remembering.
However, I couldn't help but think as I was reading that a major problem facing the church today is its feminization. Men, in general, don't like church. In most churches, it's tough getting men to come to church and even tougher to get them involved in ministry. More urgently, we need more instruction on how to reach men's hearts. (Forgive me if you've addressed that issue and I missed it.)
At a conference last year, I heard Mark Driscoll preach that to get men, especially young men, into the church we have to preach the whole Jesus not just what he called the feminine Gaililean hippie Jesus that kids and women love, but also the "ultimate fighting" Jesus of Revelation 19, the one who shows up for a fight dressed in white because he doesn't plan on getting dirty.
Posted by: Dan B. on July 26, 2007