What does it mean to begin really writing through sermons?
1. Look closely at the people who are your congregation to see what is concerning them and watch their faces as you try to address that.
2. Permission — even the obligation — to tell a lot of stories, as many as possible funny ones.
3. Don’t get outside the experience of the people, with particular attention to the socioeconomic framework they are in.
4. Describe their ecosystem to them — where their food comes from, how the climate affects them, what the built environment is even on the level of infrastructure.
5. Be global, be cosmic, be universal. Transcendent. Immanental. That’s one way to be religious.
6. Be prepared for emotion from surprising sources. Like sports. Some of the most explosive and negative people might be football fans. That’s also being religious.
7. Risks include dismissal. But also denominational politics. Technically, one is not allowed to be political in the pulpit but practically, it’s there. Being contrary or being judgmental means the congregation will leave.
8. Watch out for admirers trying to “buy” you with gifts or trying to sleep with you. They are only hungering for your power — not you.
9. Behind print is always the spoken. You should “hear” what you write and be guided by it when you deliver words out loud. Punctuation is only an aid to this. But “print” is more important to some people and others may want to reflect on what you write. “Book” has special status to those Abramic contexts who speak of Bible, Koran, Torah. But these days anyone can get print bound between covers and call it a “book”. Don’t get dazzled.
10. Balance logic with poetry. When it safe to sing, do that. Always pray.
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