Lesson 3: The Illustration Filter (Communicating in Context)¶

Course/series¶

Community & Worldview Fieldbook

Audience¶

Field workers preparing stories, sermons, and teaching illustrations
Teams wanting to communicate clearly across cultural boundaries
Leaders who need a practical filter for Gospel illustration

Purpose¶

Evaluate teaching illustrations through five categories and prioritize stories that local people understand and can connect to the Gospel.

Learning objectives¶

Describe the five categories of illustration relevance
Distinguish Category 1 from Category 4 illustrations
Use Category 5 as a bridge for Gospel communication

Core principle¶

Effective Gospel communication uses stories that the local community already understands, not foreign concepts they cannot receive.

Field problem¶

Teachers often use illustrations that make sense only in a foreign culture, leaving locals confused or disconnected from the Gospel message.

Key concepts¶

Category 1: foreign concepts nobody understands
Category 4: locally experienced and understood stories
Category 5: experienced but not understood, useful as a Gospel bridge

Practical framework¶

Use the Illustration Filter Matrix to place each story in a category and choose the highest category that still aligns with the Gospel.

Scenario or case exercise¶

A preacher uses a Western parable about bankers and contracts in a community where those institutions are unfamiliar, creating a Category 1 illustration.

Checklist or worksheet¶

List the story’s images and assumptions
Assess whether the community experiences them firsthand
If not, ask whether a Category 4 or 5 story exists instead

Discussion questions¶

What story categories are common in your current teaching?
Which local experience could become a better Gospel illustration?
How can Category 5 help explain spiritual mystery without introducing foreign theology?

Field assignment¶

Build an illustration filter for one teaching point. Choose a Category 4 example if available, or a Category 5 bridge that leads naturally to the Gospel.

Reviewer notes¶

Review chosen illustrations with local partners to avoid unintentionally foreign or confusing imagery.

Risk/disclaimer notes¶

This material is for educational purposes and is not legal, medical, tax, accounting, counseling, or security advice. Consult qualified professionals before adopting policies or making high-risk decisions.