One of the benefits of speaking (or preaching) in front of the same crowd on a regular basis is the connection that develops over time.  Just like a friendship, the more you learn about each other deepens the conversation.  As life is shared together, bonds are formed outside of the preaching event that inform and color the preaching event. But on any given Sunday there is a mix of people with varying levels of connection to the speaker.  Some are brand new, first-time guests.  Others have been around a short while; still others have been around a long time. There will be a different connection for each group.  This is why communicating through preaching is a great challenge.  In growing churches with large numbers of first-timers and newcomers, the preacher cannot assume a connection where one does not exist. So, how does a speaker go about building connections? In short,…