A Holistic Approach to Applications

A Holistic Approach To Applications

In the last post I gave an example of thinking about applications for your message.  In this post I want to think a little bit about a holistic approach to applications.  What do I mean by a holistic approach to applications?   When we talk about a holistic approach to health we are implying that we can’t just deal with the parts of a person.  Rather, as Murray Capill puts it in his book, The Heart is the Target, “we consider a person’s diet, social life, psychological well-being and overall physical condition. A holistic approach to education is concerned not only with jumping through academic hoops, but with the intellectual, emotional, social, physical and spiritual development of students.  Similarly,  holistic approach to application is concerned with the message as a whole, to the person as a whole,  or life as a whole.”  (loc 264 in the kindle version).

The Whole Message to the Whole Person

This means that we should be thinking about all the aspects of personhood are in view.  Our application should consider applications to the emotions of the person, not just the intellect.   application should address the spiritual aspects of the person when appropriate.  Our relationships should be addressed when appropriate.

This past Sunday I heard a sermon about David and Jonathan.  The speaker applied the message by talking about how important friends are in our lives.  Studies were quoted that show how lack of good friends impacts us physically as well as emotionally.  Then an invitation was given to join a small group in the church, where people could deepen friendships and connect.  This speaker was  aware of the need for practical, whole-person applications.

The Challenge of Holistic applications.

This is daunting, to say the least!  How do you do it?  A few suggestions:

• As you prepare your message, keep in the forefront of your mind the question of how this message is relevant for people in your congregation.

Reflect

• Watch for applications in your time of preparation.  Again, in the last post I mentioned how many ideas came to me during times of devotion, prayer and reflection.  Some just showed up in my mind and life.  I suspect that was because I was thinking about them as I wrote. Spend time reflecting on your message.  What does it mean for you?  When I preached the message attached to the last post, we were dealing with the reality of my son’s brain tumor.  What does it mean for me to trust God in that setting?
• Make it real with stories, studies.  Nowadays, with AI as your assistant you can readily access applications for your message.  You simply need to tell her what you need (I tend to think of AI as female).    Your command can be as simple as: “Find me a real-life story about….”  It can be that easy!
• Consider the models of the Bible’s preachers.  Moses said this to the people who are about to enter the Promised Land:  “The Lord God made a covenant with us at Horeb.  It was not with our fathers that the Lord made this covenant, but with us, with all of us who are here alive today.   Now on the surface, this isn’t true.  A whole generation passed between the Covenant at Horeb and the generation about to enter the promised land.  But Moses brings them back to this life-challenging covenant and claims it for that generation.   Jesus, of course, used stories with abandon to relate his message to the people of the day in a way that made them aware it was for them.  Just think of the parables.  The Apostles’ preaching was clearly related to the various levels of human experience, offering people a new kind of life.
• Spend time in reflection on how your message will impact a person’s life

Conclusion

A holistic approach to application will open the window for you as you consider your message’s impact, and it will create a broader and wider impact on your hearers.