When I talk to pastors about sermon prep, one big thing they want to master is keeping their sermons fresh week after week. How do you craft messages that are compelling and interesting? And how do you do that 52 weeks a year? No wonder so many pastors seek help with research.

Audiences today demand more from preachers. With the advent of podcasting, live streaming and YouTube, your members have access to an endless supply of sermons daily. How will yours stack up?

Your congregation is cheering for you, they really like you, but they also want you to be relevant, doctrinally sound and entertaining. They embrace your words that are meaningful, but they’re also waiting for you to say something funny. They want enlightenment and entertainment.

One way to stay entertaining, relevant and fresh as a preacher is to roll out a pop culture reference. An illustration from the world of TV, movies, music or sports can become a point of connection. You’re speaking their language. You’re broadcasting on their frequency — which may help your audience pay more attention.

If they can stay in tune with what you’re saying, they’re more likely to remember it later. And remembering it means they’re more likely to put it into practice. So why are many preachers hesitant to go there?

Cultural Baggage

There’s always a downside to marrying pop culture and religion. Many might confuse it with an endorsement. One time I was addressing an audience of college students, and I referred to a TV program that contains mature content. Later on, after a conversation with a Chi Alpha pastor, I realized my decision was probably a poor one. That wasn’t the right setting or the right story to share.

No doubt the Bible itself has mature content. A few pages in, and you’ll find passages about violence or even sex. However, there is a stark difference between the purpose of Scripture — drawing people to God — and the purpose of pop culture, which involves drawing out the most carnal of our natures. So, how do we strike a healthy balance?

It comes down to packaging versus content. Appropriate pop culture references should only be used in sermons as the wrapping that attracts people, gains their interest and hooks them. It should never constitute the content. Being clear about the gospel message means that you never confuse an illustration, video clip, song or sports reference with the real meat of your sermon.

Pop Culture in the Bible?

When I read my Bible, pop culture is all over the place. Sure, the ancient Near East is nothing like Hollywood of today. But even though cultures change, their aim is still the same: to satisfy our most basic appetites. When the Bible references these occurrences, it’s clear there’s no endorsement meant. Instead, they’re used as tools to drive home a point.

Pop culture references can be a hook to draw in a wider audience, grab and keep their attention, and share the truths of Scripture.

Take Paul, for instance. In Acts 21:39, he speaks fondly of his upbringing in Tarsus, a city steeped in the arts and culture of pagan Rome. Identifying himself this way, Paul concedes that part of his identity is shaped by that setting.

No wonder Paul is able to skillfully quote philosophers and poets in Acts 17:28: “‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’” (Also, see 1 Corinthians 15:33 and Titus 1:12.)

But Paul’s use of pop culture never overshadowed the preeminence of the gospel message. He used such references sparingly, and only to help highlight the power of Jesus. The question is this: Who gets center stage in your sermon? Is it a cultural figure or Christ?

A Right Way and a Wrong Way

If you plan to use pop culture in your sermons, and I suggest you do on occasion, then you must be careful to do it the right way. First of all, be skillful. Don’t be cheesy with it. Try your best to be creative. Put effort and excellence behind everything you do as a preacher. And make sure it matches up with the message you’re trying to convey.

A couple of years ago, I was helping a church with a sermon series based on Star Wars. The challenge was keeping the content from veering too far into the movie world. The first thought many of us had was to compare “the force” with the power of the Holy Spirit. But after further review, we found too many problems with that metaphor. It didn’t feel right. So we found another angle and zeroed in on content over the packaging.

Here’s the lesson: Your audience doesn’t want to see pop culture rehashed on your stage. They may enjoy it, but they really came to hear the life-giving message of God. Never forget that.

Another thing to keep in mind is the appropriateness of the reference. If you’re using a film clip, is the entire film appropriate? If you reference a TV show, do people understand you’re not endorsing it? When using a celebrity or other cultural figure as an illustration, is it clear that you aren’t condoning that person’s bad behavior?

This distinction is not just made explicitly when you share pop culture at church. It also develops over time, as you live out your life in front of your congregation. It’s made week after week, sermon after sermon. Your audience should come to know what you believe in, what you stand for and against, what you condone and accept, and what you aren’t willing to compromise.

But when you use pop culture in the right way, it can become an effective tool for ministry and evangelism. Like the Israelites plundering the Egyptians as they left the land of captivity (Exodus 3:22), we can use the things of this world for eternal good.

Pop culture references can be a hook to draw in a wider audience, grab and keep their attention, and share the truths of Scripture. The heat of the moment may include a topical reference, but the heart of the matter is always the gospel.