POINTS

Joelene and I were privileged to hear Rick Warren in person this week at the Church Multiplication lunch where he was speaking in Phoenix --- and just so true to the guy's nature, he gave us all this awesome information and inspiration and challenge -- and all of it was done in alliteration.

The guy is just a master at creating memorable acronyms. I have been to his church, Saddleback, in Lake Forest, California and I've read some of his stuff -- and doggone it, the guy is constantly and forever communicating in 'all S's' or 'all D's' or spelling out some word with the first letter of each point. Just doggone it.

That style comes into conflict with another of my favorite speakers, authors and pastors - Andy Stanley. I'm a huge fan of them both. But Stanley has made famous in the world of communication the concept of the one-point message. No alliterations ... no acronyms ... no cute 'A-B-C's' of anything.

I'm a product of the traditional homiletical style taught when I was in Bible College and that was: 'Come prepared with your best formal Roman numeral style outline and alliterate your points and sub-points.' Boom. Done.

But these days I'm trying more and more to communicate in one-thought format, but I admit it's tough some weeks. My mind just flips to 'points' and they kind of come out of me without much effort.

The proponents of the one-thought approach cite the following plusses:

I. Nobody talks in alliteration.

When was the last time you recounted a trip you made with: "We went to the Park, the Pool, the Pizza Place and the Petting Zoo?" Besides, most of the time I have to mess with one of the letters just to make it fit -- i.e. Reading, Writing and 'Rithmetic (?)

II. Nobody remembers that much of what you said.

It's Saturday night and for the life of me, even I can't remember what I spoke about last Sunday. It is supposed people will remember one point explained thoroughly more than three points explained briefly.

III. Everybody gets the bottom line.

People won't remember the whole message, but they'll remember the story about your pet canary and the one line you kept repeating over and over and over and over and over and over again. Remember the 'I have a dream' speech?

That said, I'm ready to go for tomorrow - in 5 points. And I'll just be myself.

And be blessed.