Jesus was a strategic broadcaster. Whenever crowds gathered around the Savior, it wasn’t long before He sat down to teach them about His kingdom. But how did Jesus teach the masses? He told stories. A farmer sowed seed in a field (Mark 4:1-8); a seed sprouted without anyone knowing how (Mark 4:26-29); a mustard seed grew into a tree that provided shade (Mark 4:30-32). These stories were often left hanging without a punch line or explanation. All Jesus said to the crowds was, “Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand” (Mark 4:9,23).
Jesus had a different approach with His disciples. He explained the meaning of the parables (Mark 4:10-20). Mark tells us this was Jesus’ communication strategy: He broadcast faith-eliciting stories to the crowd, but explained their meaning only to those who wanted the answer (Mark 4:33-34). Those with “ears to hear” left behind the unbelieving crowd to become Jesus’ disciples.
For the past 20 years, an interesting experiment has been taking place in Australia. Select Christian radio stations have been using Jesus’ approach. These stations have blended Christian music with mainstream music. Instead of playing wall-to-wall preaching programs, relatable announcers befriend the listener and elicit spiritual interest with testimony-type interviews and brief “God spots.” The gospel is offered to these audiences “as much as they [can] understand” (Mark 4:33). Those who want to know more receive personal attention.
This broadcasting format, once considered to be controversial, is now accepted and successful. Non-Christians comprise more than 60 percent of some station’s audiences, and many people have experienced transformed lives.
But this way of reaching people isn’t original—the stations have simply been following the Master Broadcaster!
NLT 365-day reading plan passage for today: 2 Samuel 15:1-37
More:
Besides stories, Jesus used the same technique with proverbs and general teaching points. Read Mark 7:1-23 for an example.
Next:
How has Jesus caught your heart and imagination with His parables? How can you use Jesus’ technique of curiosity-piquing stories to share your faith?
will77 on April 9, 2011 at 4:51 am
This sounds like a great approach to drawing the listeners attention to the things of God. The question in our modern day church is when are you crossing the line. I love our church and the pastor who reaches out to the community in many ways, but was a bit suprised to hear that on easter sunday many prizes will be given away and in the main sancuary in both morning services a $2000 vacation give away will be given away. I personally dont understand why you would do this on the greatest day, when we are celebrating the resurection of Christ. I understand reaching out in creative ways but what will people remmember after on that great day. The message of Christ and His resurection power and victory or will it be overshadowed and remembered for a vacation give away.
sheridan voysey on April 10, 2011 at 12:16 am
Wow. A $2000 vacation for coming to church? Yes, I’d also feel a bit uncomfortable about attracting folks to the Gospel by using financial incentives. Having said that, I don’t know the full story behind your church’s actions.
Whatever one thinks of your church’s idea, I think it’s quite different to what we’re exploring today. Jesus wasn’t using incentives to ‘attract’ people to his message. He used stories and parables to test people’s spiritual interest. Those who really wanted to know more (those with ‘ears to hear’) were given more. It was a master stroke of genius if you ask me!
will77 on April 10, 2011 at 6:29 am
Yes I totaly agree. May we all have “ears to Hear”
eppistle on April 9, 2011 at 6:08 am
Like the Australian Christian radio stations, the Apostle Paul used non-Christian sources to identify with his non-Christian audience and build a need that could only be fulfilled in Jesus. When he dialogued with the Greek philosophers, he referred to their idol named the unknown god and to their poets who said, “We are his (God’s) offspring” (Acts 17:16-34). On Easter Sunday at 11:30 am in the Cornell University, some college students will also use this method of communication by “playing some meaningful secular songs (regarding love, loneliness, suffering in the world), to which [they] will reply with biblical truths, worship songs and old hymns.” Pray that these songs will not be a distraction, but that instead God will use these songs to well within non-Christians a need for a Savior. Pray that Cornell students will some day look back on Easter 2011 as the day when their search for a Savior was found in Jesus.
sheridan voysey on April 10, 2011 at 12:26 am
Right on, Eppistle! The Cornell University outreach sounds excellent. Wish I could check it out in person.
cuddles on April 9, 2011 at 7:42 am
This sounds like a great breakthrough. I know I found listening to gospel music strengthend my faith and it also soothes troubled emotions. I found the bible difficult and ended taking a different meaning from the passage than was meant. Preach to people and they will give you a wide berth they will tell you if they want to be preached to they will go to church. Most people will listen to music and if they enjoy the songs the message also gets through to them. I love Elvis’s gospel music, Mansion over the hilltop, In my fathers house, His hand in mine and Who am I. I love the lyrics to Who am I. ‘The answer I may never know is why he loved me so that to an old rugged cross he would go for Who am I. Very humbling and as I do get on my high horse too often this song as a way of bringing me down to earth again.
sheridan voysey on April 10, 2011 at 12:32 am
I think God indeed uses music to pique spiritual interest, the way Jesus used parables and stories.
I’d love to hear other people’s stories of this. How has God used music to get your attention about a spiritual theme?
cuddles on April 9, 2011 at 11:55 am
Just to add that the teachers of today very often turn people away from God mainly because they are so keen to get the message across to those who are a bit more reluctant than others. This has a negative result because very self willed people do not like to feel coursed. I think it is disappointing that teachers do not recognize this because they often do more harm than good. May I add that a few more teachers like those who take Discover the Word are what’s needed. They are so thorough in their debate and not only do they bring the stories from the bible alive but they introduce their own experiences which we can apply to our own lives giving us a better understanding of what Jesus would be saying to us in this present day. I think these teachers have the knack of taking the teachings of the bible and putting it into present day language which lay people can understand. There is not many teachers can do this or at least this has been my experience.
sheridan voysey on April 10, 2011 at 12:38 am
When Jesus spoke to the crowds he was very invitational. ‘Come to me if you’re weary…’, ‘If you’re thirsty, come and drink my living water…’. He used stories and images that connected with the audience of his day: stories of farmers; images of seeds and fields and lost coins. Again, he was a master communicator and those of us called to this particular task can do better than follow his example and be invitational, and use stories and images our audience understands.
Thanks for your comments, cuddles.
daisymarygoldr on April 9, 2011 at 10:28 pm
Good post and comments! Radio broadcasts breaks through barricades to let the Gospel disseminate across homes and hearts which may never be reachable by physical means.
The church where I was born and raised was started by a pagan who became a Christian through the radio. Depressed due to incurable TB, he was getting ready to commit suicide and had tuned into Radio Ceylon to listen to his favorite movie soundtracks. As he was adjusting to that frequency he heard Matt 11:28. It was from another program aired by a Christian radio station. He responded to Jesus’ invitation, was healed, got converted, shared his faith with others, led thousands to Christ, planted nearly 50 churches and is still shepherding the church in his late eighties.
Whether it is broadcasting through the airwaves and TV or tweeting and blogging or plain old preaching from the pulpit—we must proclaim the Word of God. God’s word converts the soul. It is not our sermons, stories, opinions or philosophies but the pure seed of God’s word that—sprouts to grow, spread, infect and multiply. The scripture is self explanatory and exposition should never be replaced with entertainment.
Jesus used natural things to explain spiritual things that have been kept secret since the creation of the world. However, it is interesting to note that the truths in His parables are concealed to the natural and revealed only to the spiritual. When our message or music is centered on the Bible, God’s Spirit ministers to the needs of every seeking soul in ways that is humanly impossible.
Charles Haddon Spurgeon said, “I would rather speak five words out of this book than 50,000 words of the philosophers. If we want revivals, we must revive our reverence for the Word of God. If we want conversions, we must put more of God’s Word…”
purestrength on April 10, 2011 at 10:14 am
My husband was a non believer for 48 years and God’s word put to music is what brought him to put his faith in Jesus. Our church had a Monday night service where we had a band – drums, guitar, bass – and we would stand and dance and sing loud 🙂 My teenage son and I would go and when we came home we were lifted up. One night my husband decided to come and visit. His interest in music was what brought him and hearing music in church like the music he heard in other places was interesting to him.
A young choral group came and the leader sent my husband CDs of lots of different types of Christian music. My husband listened to these and he became more and more interested in knowing more about Jesus.
Then our pastor asked my husband to operate the sound board and he said “Yes.” as he had previous experience. My husband came to accept the Lord as his Savior and has only missed a few services -of the 2 services a week that our church has- in the past ten years.
My husband also shares his love for the Lord through music- giving people CDs of contemporary Christian music to listen to. Many people have come to our church – and eventually come to the Lord – through hearing God’s word in contemporary music. Praise God for His wonderful Word and the gift of music!
sheridan voysey on April 11, 2011 at 7:24 pm
What an encouraging story, purestrength. Thanks so much for sharing it.