Address Objections

Salespeople are trained to anticipate and be able to overcome objections. If you don’t you won’t get the sale.

The same is true in preaching to a cynical audience. Most pastors speak to a agreeable bible-believing audience every week, and so this isn’t a concern. But if you want your church to be filled with non-believers, in the hopes that they might eventually become believers,
you must anticipate and address objections.

It’s amazing to me how seldom preachers do this. When I listen to sermons, even my bible-believing but still cynical mind starts objecting, “Yeah, but how do we even know that’s true?” “Okay, but what about…” “Sure, but you’re not totally being honest because…” And I find myself starting to tune out.

If you’re someone who speaks to (or wants to speak to) cynical people, when you write your message picture it more like a conversation. Ask questions like, “So if I say this, what would a skeptical person say? How would they respond? And then what would I say?” Anticipate and address objections. If you don’t, cynical people will tune out and not come back.