Meaningful Messages & Series Ideas

Unconference topic: How can we make messages meaningful?

Testimonies are key
-Allow us to get real & share who is struggling / has struggled with different things, brings different voices into the experience
-Un-sermon series featuring prayer requests, testimonies, music only, etc.
-Backed up with someone who ties things together / teaches

How to integrate Bible in messages?
-Using Bible verses to show you where you can turn for comfort / answers for certain issues, addressing felt needs.
-Continuity: Have everyone read the same passage at the same time. (like we did with John in the branding Jesus series last year) / bigger chunks at once.
-Start with Bible/doctrine and expand on application for what to do with it.
-Choose passages that might be meaningful/recognizable to a wide range of people (e.g. 1 Cor. 13 or Psalm 23) as basis for message: “what does this mean?”

Where do we get ideas from?
-TV shows (e.g. desperate housewives, sex & the city, but new stuff)
-Blogs, magazines, movies, basically have the message team roving around culture looking for themes/ideas that are meaningful.
-Look at the news events & ask, how would Jesus respond to this?

Any other ideas? How can we reach people who would not consider themselves Christ followers?