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Your weekly gift, as pastor, to your congregation should be a loving, touching, challenging, inspiring sermon. And as a district superintendent in the United Methodist Church, one common complaint I've heard, thank God from not too many churches, is something along the lines of "Our pastor doesn't seem to care about us." That could mean several things, including that you don't really care about them, but it could also mean that you're not having eye contact with them, or you're not "owning" your sermon; you're not making it your story or your struggle along with theirs as you share the gospel mandate. The late Zig Ziglar (Checkup from the Neck Up guy) used to say that in his presentations, he could not go 7 minutes without sharing something humorous in his talk; and the same applies to our sermons. We're not comedians, but we're having fun with the passage and we sometimes have to keep our audience's attention by trying to slip something humorous by them. Some preachers employ the "Turn to your neighbor and tell them...." just to make sure they and their neighbors are still with us (awake?). The Rev. Dr. Charles Stanley of First Baptist, Atlanta, uses the "Listen!" comment every few minutes of his sermons or right before he's to make an important point. You could also say, "If you're writing this down, this is something you should write."
Nothing works better than to put yourself in the struggle or story. When the Walk to Emmaus was in its infancy, I came to dread hearing these two things, which worked back then, but after the first two hundred uses, they got old: "And that little boy was me!" or "Webster defines __________ as..." I doubt Daniel dreamed one day he would be the most quoted theologian... But do share something about yourself, especially if you're new to the church. This Sunday's (tomorrow's) gospel is/or can be about, looking back and forgetting to move forward. I used to share how God called me out of a nice job with Ma Bell; I had thought several times, "If I was still with Ma Bell I might have made this much money or I would at least be a vice-president or CEO; but that was looking back; God called me here, and here I am, with you, to do a mightier work." Or, " can't keep thinking back to the pastorate I left behind, because God has me here, and I'm excited to be here, with you, to do this marvelous, awesome work that God has for you and me to do."
Share, on a regular basis, your gratitude to be where you are, even if you're not. Keep the innermost secret thoughts of your heart right where they are. I believe you are grateful to be there, so smile and share that from time to time; it's a good way to start worship or prayer time; and it makes your folks glad to be in worship with you that morning.
