Preaching to Seekers

Recent consultations in have prompted me to reflect on the different preaching strategy of the seeker cycle ... My current Bakers Dozen principles:

#1: Think of the sermon as a jazz riff, not a piano etude;

#2: Never use words unaccompanied by image, music, or drama;

#3: Avoid any sentence requiring more than one comma;

#4: Mimimize statements ending in a period;

#5: Never use illustrations over one week old;

#6: Practice/display at least five distinctly meaningful facial expressions for every sermon.

#7: Never tell a joke that isn't funny;

#8: Dress the part;

#9: Never speak for more than 15 minutes without serving coffee or other refreshments;

#10: Less is always, always, always more.

#11: Never let them leave without three words and an unforgettable mental picture;

#12: Always offer at least three ways to move discipling forward next week.

#13: Always wonder if there is anybody better suited to speak than you.