Today Ron Woods quoted Mohammed Ali. Not sure if I got the quote exactly right, but here's the idea:
No boxer can win every round. My goal is to win the first round, the last round, and the last ten seconds of every round.
Sounds like a good goal for a pastor:) There's no way we're going to preach a slam dunk every week. But fortunately, if we can make our lay-ups, we score the same amount of points and still get the job done. Some weeks our sermons will be better than others. But if we can plan a strong introduction and conclusion, plus a few aha moments along the way, there's a good chance you can make your big idea memorable.
Some thoughts for crafting the introduction:
- Capture attention
- Memorize it
- Create some tension
- Prepare it last (you can't introduce someone you don't know)
Some thoughts for crafting the conclusion:
- Inspire people (give them some "get up and go")
- Define next steps
- Repeat the big idea
- Leave people with a taste of grace
What else do you consider when preparing to start well and finish well?
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