Audience: Who Do You Love? (Part 2: Definition)

Businesses spend thousands of dollars and hundreds of hours trying to identify their “target audience.” Every business has a product or service to sell. Sales will increase if they correctly identify the audience most likely to make a purchase. If they misidentify it, they’ll waste time, money, and opportunities.

Imagine you’re the marketing director for a large corporation. Can you correctly identify the audience for the following businesses?
1. Disney World
2. Mercedes Benz
3. U.S. Army
4. eHarmony
5. Tide laundry detergent

Here are the audiences for the above businesses: 1) parents with children under 10; 2) wealthy individuals; 3) high school seniors or recent high school graduates; 4) single adults; and 5) stay-at-home parents. How did you do?

In business the audience is the customer most likely to buy your product or service. But in ministry the audience is the “customer” you have a deep desire to impact for Christ. The product or service you offer is your spiritual gift(s). Correctly identifying your audience will have three beneficial outcomes.  Each one relates to the individuals involved in your ministry.

First, serving the right audience benefits the people served. You serve with greater enthusiasm and effectiveness when you serve an audience near and dear to your heart. Its’ needs are met; its’ problems are solved; and its’ impact makes the world a better place.

Next, serving the right audience benefits you. Your ministry is more fruitful and fulfilling when you minister to an audience you care about deeply. You “want” to serve rather than “have” to serve; and your impact is more widespread and powerful.

Finally, serving the right audience benefits God. As the audience is served, and your ministry becomes more effective, God receives the glory. Moreover, the Kingdom of God advances.

Over the years God has helped me identify my audience. I seek to serve Christians with a deep desire to make their lives count for Christ. They want to move from success to significance. These people intuitively know there’s a specific reason they’re here on earth – and desperately want to know what it is. Finally, they know that God designed and equipped them for a specific assignment – a mission that only they can fulfill.

Are you part of my audience? Does the paragraph above stir your heart? Then keep reading this blog and check out the “Designed to Serve” website [www.designedtoserve.org]. Our mission is to equip you to know and live out your unique, God-given purpose. We have a variety of resources available to help you clarify your audeince, mission, and ministry.

I know in my soul that God put me on earth to serve this specific audience. I’m here to serve God by serving you.

© 2011 Designed to Serve®