As a pastor it is not only requisite to be a student of God’s Word, but it is also essential to be a student of the people to whom I preach and teach.  This is true for any church or ministry leader.  If we do not know the Bible, and sound doctrine, we have nothing to offer. But even if we have voluminous knowledge, if we do not know the people with whom we are called to share these truths, then we will not know how to apply these truths.  It would be as ineffective as a medic possessing all the medicines but without enough biological understanding to make a valid diagnosis.

In a recent post, 9 Questions for Ministry Leaders, Paul Tripp identifies nine helpful questions to ask ourselves, and to discuss with the other leaders in our churches or ministries, as we attempt to become effective students and exegetes of our people:

1. What are the cultural idols that are particularly attractive to my people?
2. Where do they tend to buy into an unbiblical worldview with its accompanying hopes and dreams?
3. Are there themes of spiritual struggle that I need to speak to?
4. Where do they tend to get discouraged and need the hope of the gospel?
5. What is the level of their biblical literacy and theological knowledge?
6. How many of them are actively involved in service, and how many are “ecclesiastical consumers”?
7. What do they tend to struggle with in the workplace?
8. What do they wrestle with at home?
9. What are they reading, watching, and listening to, and how are they influenced by it?