Have you ever stood to preach and realized you're younger than the congregation? Being a relatively young minister who's preached in many churches, this is a familiar scenario to me. It can be intimidating. In fact, it can be debilitating unless one lives and preaches with a few important principles in mind. Whether you find yourself ministering to an older group for the first time, your church's annual "Youth Sunday" is around the corner, or the faithful old ladies still pinch your cheeks after the sermon, use the following principles to help you bridge the age gap.

I. Before the Sermon

Live Godly: Great preaching begins long before you stand in the pulpit. It's even more pronounced, however, when you're standing before a group largely older than yourself. People may question if a younger person has anything of real value to say, so don't give them ammunition by living without integrity.

This is simply the Apostle Paul's timeless advice to Timothy, "Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity ... devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching" (1 Tim. 4:12-13; NIV). Notice the order -- live right, then preach right!

Build Relationships: While preaching involves speaking authoritatively for God on the basis of Scripture, it also involves speaking compassionately to people on the basis of relationship. Think about it. Aren't there things your spouse or friend can tell you that you would not readily heed if told by a stranger? That's because familiarity often fosters trust and respect.

The age factor diminishes as you spend strategic and spontaneous time talking, praying, recreating, and, eating with others. Though it may be stretching to span the generational gap, it must be done. Nobody wants to listen to a disconnected talking head.

By the way, this principle is applicable to the visiting preacher as well. You won't have the opportunity to develop meaningful friendships in one visit, but you can maximize the time you have to connect with people. I always try to arrive early and meet as many folks as possible when speaking in a new setting. People will take notice if you retain their name and somehow mention it neutrally or positively before, during, or after the sermon. Handshakes, smiles, opening doors, upbeat disposition, and talking to children are ways to make first impressions that gain attentive ears. Truth is always most easily received in the context of relationship.

Know Your Audience: In the process of building relationships, you'll also receive a first hand education on how to contextualize your message to folks older than yourself. We emphasize age-appropriate content and methods when training our children's workers. This is no less important when the audience is largely older. The "product" doesn't change, but the "package" should. Notice what the congregation reads and watches; consider their family situations; pay attention to how they spend their money, vote, dress and interact with others. People can tell when we're more interested in the content than in them, so study your audience to tailor the message to where they are.