There is an epidemic of biblical illiteracy. This is not only true in the streets of our towns, but often in the pews of our churches. It is easy for preachers to presume too much knowledge in our listeners. We can assume that they know the names, places, themes of books and key points of theology. But the reality is that an increasing number are more than foggy on the basics.
Here are a couple of suggestions, feel free to add more:
1. Teach the big picture story. Often in giving the context for a specific passage, we can locate it in the flow of the bigger story. Sometimes we should consider preaching bigger pictures sermons – a whole book in one message, or the whole Bible in one message or two.
2. Don’t teach by illustration. Don’t presume that giving other biblical examples will reinforce the knowledge of your listeners. The truth is that an increasingly biblically illiterate people will be confused and overwhelmed by many biblical illustrations that might have seemed effective a generation ago. If the illustration requires too much explanation, then it detracts from the point of sharing it. As Don Sunukjian teaches, once people understand a passage, they need contemporary application rather than ancient illustration. If they don’t understand the preaching passage, don’t add another to the mix. If they do, then don’t stay in the past, but earth the truth in the realities of their lives.
3. Scan your next sermon for presumed knowledge. Do you make passing reference to an Old Testament context for a quote in your passage that needs more explanation? Do you identify the characters referred to so that people know who they are? Do you make passing references to such things as incipient gnosticism, overrealized eschatology, or even justification? Scan your next message to make sure no presumed knowledge slips in carelessly. If we take care, it will help our listeners greatly.
Other thoughts on this?
Biblical Preaching 
Great post. Thanks for the ideas. I think your are right. We sometimes assume too much and don’t preach clearly enough.
Thanks again,
Mark
One of the words that really annoys me coming from a preachers mouth is “obviously”.
Whether that is in reference to the “obvious” fact that the priest in the parable of the good samaritan should have stopped to help, or the “obvious” fact that Jesus’ death was prophecied accurately in the Old Testament, or indeed with regards to any logical deduction from the passage being preached on.
To me those things are often obvious, and to the preacher they certainly are, but to a visitor with no Christian background that word will more than likely make them feel stupid and isolated from the rest of the congregation.
If you use the word obvious, it really should actually be obvious based on what you have already said, not some external knowledge.
Thanks Peter. “We all know” that what you say is true. “Actually” there are several words and phrases that can bother people unintentionally. “We’ve all read” the story of so and so. “As you know,” it is important to be careful in this area. “Clearly” every preacher already knows all this. “The familiar old story of . . .” Ok, I’ll stop. Helpful comment, thanks. So let’s try not to isolate and make listeners feel stupid as we preach.