Finding an "Idea"!

As April is about to dawn, I am reminded that it was about a year ago that I began contemplating the idea of writing a book. Here's the story:
Around this same time I had informally spoken to Joe Allison at Communications and Publishing about the idea of writing. It was during a March meeting of the Ministries Council in Anderson that I found out that One Voice Magazine had just published my very first article. At the time, I was surprised to find that it had been published. They distributed copies of the magazine to the Ministries Council members and I had opened it up to find the article published (these were advanced copies and Joanie told me they were trying to contact me at home at the same time to let me know that it was published). I decided to talk to Joe about writing since this was one of my dreams and goals and had been for many years.
Joe was a great inspiration. He was excited to learn of my interest in writing and inquired about what kind of writing did I want to do - books? magazine articles? devotionals? What was my interest. Not knowing what I was really saying I told him that I wanted to write books. Joe seemed surprised and told me, "I don't have a lot of people who want to write books". He then encouraged me to write but his encouragement was to let me know what it would take. He gave me a sheet of steps to accomplish before I could even consider writing. Research, comparisons with other materials, an expanded table of contents, and hours in front of the computer all lay ahead. What I was facing as I looked at that paper from Joe was . . . an idea. What would I write about? What was my "idea"?
Over the course of the next few weeks and months I contemplated what I would write about. Finally, before we left for Sabbatical, the idea came to me. I decided to write about something that I knew about, something that I had practiced, something that I had done a lot of - I decided to write about preaching. But, what did I have to say about the subject of preaching? What unique idea did I have to present to others who had spent the same or even more time practicing the art of homiletics than I had? What was my "idea"?
It was an idea that arose out of a lifetime of interest in preaching. What was the most unique and compelling idea that I had about preaching that could impact how others viewed their role in the pulpit? Over the course of many years, I have done a few first person, narrative sermons. In every case, the congregation had responded very positively to the presentation. I had donned outfits, used props, made them into more of a theatrical presentation. Never the less, they had been accepted very well. Back in the fall, however, I had attended a conference where a presentation on storytelling had taken place. Interested, I attended a small session with the seminar leader. It was very revealing. For the first time in my life I was being taught basic principles of storytelling. Now, for years I had been told that I was a good storyteller. But, in my limited creative thinking, I had never looked at the art of storytelling from the perspective of those who practice it in libraries, coffee houses, women's groups, VBS programs, storytelling conventions, and a myriad of other outlets (including the church). Suddenly, though, the whole arena of preaching took on a new look for me. As a result, I went back and preached a series of sermons during Advent that were all storytelling in nature. They were a huge success. And an "idea" was born. And that "idea" became the book whose picture accompanies this post.
I believe that you, too, have an idea. It may not be for a book or a new invention, but an idea that can change the world around you in some significant or small way. My father was a "Mr. Fix-it" kind of guy. He never wrote a book or invented a new widget, but he had ideas that he turned into projects that changed the neighborhood around him. He fixed things and developed projects that others needed. He changed things slightly - but he made a difference. So can you. Let the creative side of you come out. Share your idea in some way. Sharing your idea can change the world around you . . . and it can change you, too!