1. Frame what people NEED to know within the context of what they WANT to know.
There’s what people want to know. That can easily drive a topical series on issues like suffering, relationships and even creating a better life.
But then there’s what people need to know, like specific teachings, doctrines and even sections of scripture. That’s where the angle becomes everything. For example, when I read through Psalm 101, I knew I wanted to preach it.
But how do you angle a Psalm? The psalm is all about how David crafted a life of integrity and how he deleted certain influences from his life while saving others. We called the series Save and Delete, and dangled this question in front of people: Can you delete certain people from your life?
2. Look for people issues.
Churched and unchurched people struggle with pretty much the same things.
They have relational issues, financial issues, personal doubts, health concerns and insecurities. They feel like God is more distant than he needs to be. They struggle at work. And when they’re incredibly successful, they struggle with thinking there has to be something more.
When you connect on those issues, you connect with everyone. Christian and otherwise.
3. Don’t be trendy, just be relevant.
If you talk about the current NFL season a lot or title a series after what’s number one at the box office today, your series has a tiny shelf life. It will go stale within weeks or months.
But let the trends point you to the ongoing issues underneath. Every number one romantic comedy points you to the underlying tensions of love and relationships.
Angle the series from that perspective and you will always have an audience.
