I've done a series on the Ten Commandments a few times at our weekend services. When the Scriptures say "Thou shalt have no other Gods before me," you can preach that to a Christian audience and say "Thus saith the Lord," and they'll do it -- they accept that God rejects idolatry of any kind.

In a non-churched crowd the question is, "Why? Why is God hung up on exclusivity? What's the wisdom behind that commandment?" So, I would spend time developing the idea that if you put your faith and trust in anything other than the true God of Scripture it's going to disappoint you in your time of need. It's not going to touch your soul. It's not going to meet the longings in your heart. I would have to spend more time showing the wisdom behind the particular commandment.

Preaching: Which do you find to be easier to prepare?

Hybels: Oh, the midweek services by far!

Preaching: The whole issue of application is one of the areas many pastors struggle with the most. Sometimes it's tempting to avoid it altogether because it's so tough. Are there particular approaches or tools, any elements that you have found to help you in developing good, authentic application?

Hybels: I think what helps in the application part of my preaching ministry is that I am in close relational contact with persons in my accountability group -- couples that Lynne and I fellowship with. I am very tuned in to what most men and women in our community are wrestling with.

When I'm giving a message in my "Parenthood" series, for instance, one of my closest friends has three preschool children and he is at the end of his rope most of the time because of the frustration of knowing how to bring the proper balance between love and discipline. In preaching on that subject I kept him and his family in mind during the whole preparation process so that others who would fall into that same category would benefit from the instruction and application I was making to him and his family.

Most of the time in my preaching I'm really thinking of a few individuals that I know need instruction and application in the specific realm of information that I'm talking about that day. In the "Age of Rage" series, there are some people in my immediate world that are being consumed with anger, and I knew that when I gave the practical steps out -- how do you move from anger to resolve and do it authentically and biblically? -- I knew they'd be all ears. I had to do my homework carefully, I had to make sure my application was biblical and in general agrement with sound Christian psychological laws and so forth.

Preaching: Look ahead over the next several years as you see your church setting and the things that may be coming on us in the 1990's. How do you see your preaching changing over the next several years?

Hybels: I see myself doing less of it.

Preaching: Why is that?

Hybels: At Willow Creek we have transitioned to a team-teaching format. We're in five services a week and we're just moving into six now. We have two midweek services, Wednesday night and Thursday night. Now this fall we're moving to two Saturday night and two Sunday morning services. I hit the wall a couple of years ago trying to do them all, so now we have a rotation where I quarterback a team of four teachers, and try to lead the rotation to play to the strengths of the teachers yet keep the directional momentum to the preaching menu of the church.