I had big plans to do something radically different on a Sunday morning. As the weeks went by, I tempered my ambition with a realization that either I couldn’t carry out a particular idea well or that it likely wouldn’t achieve the desired outcome. By the time Sunday morning rolled around, most of my crazy ideas had fallen at the chopping block, but I did keep a few of them.

I’m certainly no pioneer, but some of these things were certainly new to the congregation and to me.
I wore jeans - Every time I preach, I wear a dress shirt and a tie, this Sunday I didn’t. Not only did I wear jeans, I also drew attention to it. In true Anabaptist fashion, I cited a lack of Biblical evidence for the tradition of dressing up for church and used it as a justification for my rebellious act.
I strayed from the pulpit (a little bit) - This is a personal victory. Every sermon I’ve ever preached is my own thought plus a few quotes from other places. However, since it’s written out in front of me, I am slavishly bound to the pulpit where I can find my sermon. I just don’t trust myself to do a 20 minute sermon from point form notes in front of me, or even worse, from memory. If the whole manuscript is in front of me, I’m stuck. This Sunday, I asked for a lapel mic and deliberately walked out from behind the pulpit to make a few points.
I invited input - My sermon required input from the congregation at various times. Their suggestions dictated the flow of that part of the sermon.

So nothing radically different in style, but with the weather and a few prominent families being away on holidays that particular weekend, I knew I could try a few new ideas. Perhaps my content may have been viewed as radical.

The lectionary story from that morning was where Jesus goes fishing with Peter, and afterwards calls him to come along and catch people instead of fish. Sure every metaphor falls apart somewhere, but I challenged them to take this fishing/gospel sharing image a little further. I asked them to think about different styles of fishing so that we could look at what they mean for living out our Christian faith that way. None of it was deeply intellectual, but if I can paint an image in someone’s mind, it’s as satisfying as a good joke and more effective than a mnemonic device I use to send my point home.

Here are a few of the images I came up with:
Ice fishing - involves a small isolated hut with an even smaller hole cut in the ice. Some Christians like to shield themselves from the elements, and only allow themselves a narrow avenue for the task they were actually sent here to do.
Trawling - is power fishing. You get a big lure attached to a big rod, dragged by a big boat with a big engine, hoping to catch a big fish. The fishing conditions can change dramatically, but you won’t know because you’re going too fast. I compared this style of fishing to the kind of Christians who leave gospel tracts laying around, but don’t stick around long enough to explain them to people.

The following Sunday, I found a gospel tract in my mailbox at the church, and nobody took credit for it. Is there some truth that I’m supposed to be convicted of, or does someone in the congregation have a similar sense of humour to me? I hope it’s the latter.