Communicating for Change

It's been a while since I've had a substantial post on this blog, but I just had to get this out.

Two pastors recently recommended a book. If you've been a pastor for very long, then you realize that this is a common occurrence. But the subject matter was something that had been on my mind recently. While I usually just nod and go on, this time I felt led to order the book. I am glad I did.

The book is Communicating for Change by Andy Stanley and Lane Jones. The book challenges the reader to rethink their approach to sermon preparation and delivery. The book is divided into two parts. The first is a parable/story that hit me right in the soul. The second half is a more scholarly discussion of the seven imperatives and how they can be applied.

When the book arrived on Friday, I was already in the middle of a couple of things. When I picked it up later in the day, I intended to read the introduction and maybe the first chapter. I am by nature a slow reader. So imagine my surprise when I go so sucked in that I read the entire first half of the book in one sitting. I just couldn't put it down.

By the time I put it down, I wanted to go rework my sermon. Unfortunately, this weekend was my daughter's dance recital and the church's spring cleaning day, which meant there just wasn't time to rework the sermon and do the process justice. However, I did try to apply some of what the book talked about in terms of delivery.

So how did it go? It was an amazing experience. There was a sense of connection that was stronger than usual and I was able to leave my extensive notes untouched. What this book teaches is changing how I approach preaching (something I've done well for the last 14 years).

My thanks to Rev. J. Williams and Rev. R. Hendrix