I just finished five weeks of preaching in a town just south of us. The church uses a “Liturgical Year” with readings for each Sunday outlined in advance.
There is something good about not pulling out your old sermons! Each week was a new study time, a new application, and a new crowd.
Now, speaking to people you don’t know is always fun. You watch very closely their body language, try a few new approaches (which really are just your usual way of doing things), and see what happens.
As in any communication setting, the idea is to communicate. Not just to speak, or to expound or even to lay out three points. You need to actually be able to chat at the back and see whether people heard what you said.
People heard my illustrations. Seems that is the place where truth takes on clothing. And I think they got the idea behind the story. Some commented that they liked my short, pithy points – OK, they actually talked about being able to remember what I said because I used easy to understand words.
The group would like me back again. If nothing else, they liked dancing in church, and singing new songs, and wondering what the preacher was going to do next! But that’s for another blog 🙂
Such inspiration! We who have heard you already know how well you explain your points with witty and easy to understand examples. Bravo on helping the people of the nearby community to hear and learn of Jesus.
I would have lked to be at that service !