Once I have an idea of my topic and the relevant scriptures, I try to tap into my imagination to find a way some creative vehicle can expressly present my message, to give it flesh and blood, to make it real, visible, tangible. I look for a vivid, concrete, demonstrable parable that will portray my intents. I rarely, almost never, write out my parables. And even though they usually have several parts, the parts sometimes get reordered as I work out the para- ble in front of the group. At their best the parables take me even beyond my original intentions to insights I did not even know I had. If I have studied and prepared thoroughly, my overriding concern during the delivery of the parable is to be open to what the parable has to say to me. I am willing to include unplanned material if "perfect" examples surface from my subconscious to further illustrate the parable I am presenting. The key is in having found a structure that will allow me to do that in a meaningful way. Like other performing arts, the quality of presentation is more susceptible to change than the more fully controlled, preplanned propositional preaching. But gen- erally, the parables work and the rewards of success have made it worthwhile to take the risks.
My parabolic sermons were developed for specific people in specific his- torical circumstances which included me as a participant. They are not sermons for all times in all situations. Hopefully they will give you ideas you can use as a vehicle for matching your concerns about your group's body life with your study of scripture into a lesson that will bring light and insight to your congregation.