Jack’s Winning Words 12/18/14
“You are not stuck where you are unless you decide to be.”  (Wayne Dyer)  Dyer speaks so easily into the TV camera.  It’s like he’s talking to you.  Last week, I spoke with someone about why people become church drop-outs.  He said, “In my case, the priest didn’t seem to speak to me.  He was using religious words, but the words just didn’t relate to my situation.”  When I was in seminary, a wise professor said:  “In your preaching…connect it up to life.”    ;-)  Jack

 FROM BS IN ENGLAND:  and you always have!====JACK:  I still try to do it with Winning Words.

FROM TARMART REV:  "Connectivity with the Nativity!!" -- Might make a food Christmas theme for a Sunday sermon this season?====JACK:  Resistance to putting up a manger scene on Michigan's capitol lawn melted when a group of atheists asked for permission to put up a snakivity scene.  The decision was made to allow the nativity scene and to disallow the snakivity scene.

FROM MICHIZONA RAY:  It seems that Jesus spoke of Life to those who were in the midst of all sorts of not-so-healthy life situations and circumstances. The words He spoke were Spirit, and the Spirit is Life. Without the Spirit the words we speak are just words that might sound good, "easy", or common phrases learned in a seminary. I suppose that can happen in the experience of preaching, just as in television seminars, and even in our common conversations. I believe that the Spirit is "a priori" to all matters; immersing in that makes the difference.====JACK:  "VOCATUS ATQUE NON VOCATUS!"  (Carl Jung) 

FROM GS IN MINNESOTA:  Good idea.....====JACK:  In all of our communication with one another, we should try our best to be understood.

FROM CZB IN NEW HAMPSHIRE:  I had a big debate with my good friend in Dallas, a born again Christian.  She was a wonderful person, really walked the talk.  But sometimes her "talk" was incomprehensible.  I told her if they (her church) wanted to market Christianity better they wouldn't continually use a secret language.  hehe====JACK:  Sometimes, when Christians talk with each other, they use the same language, but the words appear to have different meanings.  Personally, I try to avoid debates.....Actions speak louder than words.  BTW, I often use you (anonymously) as one who walks the talk (giving a sandwich to a homeless person each day on your walk to work...or something like that).

FROM PAUL IN ST. PAUL:  in preaching  you need to tell them,  then show them, and then move them.   the "showing" is the critical part.  you need as many good examples and illustrations as possible to "illustrate" your message.  that kind of preaching usually connects with people.  after all, Jesus was the greatest of story tellers.  blessings on your day, Jack!====JACK:  It's best if the illustrations are more than entertaining stories.  They ought to show that certain actions are do-able and certain beliefs are acceptable.

FROM RI IN BOSTON:  Some people seem to be more comfortable sticking with the "known" rather than take a chance on the "unknown".  I've heard of people who eat at McDonald's every day.  There's a world out there that many of us never explore.====JACK:  Where would you eat, if you were eat at the same place every day?  ...not counting your own house.  Where would you worship, if it were not in a Lutheran Church? ====RI:  There's a China Buffet that we use frequently when going out to eat.  The food line has a lot of variety, so one can choose different items all the time.  The buffet including beverage and dessert costs $9.95, which isn't much more than the cost of McDonald's Big Mac, fries, and soft drink.  I believe the Chinese food is healthier.  Star of India also has a good Indian food buffet for $8.95.====JACK:  "Chinese" is good, so why don't I eat more of it?  Life is short, so I might go with German brats and kraut.====RI:  When I've traveled in Germany I often relied on a quick brats and kraut to hold me over when I was changing trains.  When I had more time, like for the evening meal I sometimes ordered pork knuckle...have you ever seen that?...a monster to consume.