Communicating for a Change by Andy Stanley is what I needed to read back in seminary where I first learned how to preach. (Although I had Dr. Glenn Nielsen and he was awesome and put me on the right track!)
Stanley gives you the inside look on how he crafts his messages in order to provide the environment for the Holy Spirit to produce life change in his hearers. Preaching isn't about information dump; it's about producing change in people's lives and I totally line up with Stanley on that one. I just need to be better at it. If you (or your pastor) needs improvement, pick up this book.
The first half of the book is a narrative parable that imagines a conversation between a preacher and a skilled preacher (who doesn't have a church but shares his faith very effectively). The second half of the book gives you the teaching and practical advice as if you were having a cup of coffee with Andy.
I got this book Thursday and couldn't put it down! I finished it Friday night while watching the Olympic opening ceremonies. It's an easy read but I have a feeling it will be tougher to follow thru because it means changing and adjusting my preaching. But it's worth it. It's not about me but it's about what people do on Monday after they hear and internalize the message from Sunday.
