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1. Thou shalt know thy culture.

2. Thou shalt avoid languorous, ludicrous, lavish alliteration.

3. Thou shalt not lie. If a personal illustration is not yours then don’t try to make it personal. One pastor began his sermon with the statement, “Kay and I bought a car yesterday and….” This was an obvious mistake since his wife’s name was Lori.

4. Thou shalt not boast of thy intellect. If you are simply popping theological wheelies to impress your flock you are not transforming anyone.

5. Thou shalt avoid wandering for no reason. Movement on stage is useful if it’s purposeful. Avoid pacing, rocking, toe lifting, and repetitive hand motions. Underscore important things with movement. Keep in mind that if you underscore everything with movement, nothing seems important.

6. Thou shalt preach for transformation. If you don’t expect people to change, let the youth minister preach this Sunday.

7. Thou shalt read thy Bible. This is your job: to feed the flock. But you must feed yourself first. Remember the words of the flight attendant: When the oxygen masks come down, put your own mask on before attempting to help those around you."

8. Thou shalt not pray announcements to the congregation. “Lord, empower us as we go to the nursing home at 5:30 Monday evening after a light supper that is absolutely free to all participants with childcare provided for all those who make reservations 24 hours in advance.” Remember you are talking to God.

9. Though shalt not seek the approval of men by speaking only the comfortable words of scripture. If your congregation all thinks you are wonderful, you might want to reevaluate your message.

10. Thou shalt use multisensory techniques. Your message is always more memorable with music, props, stories, interaction, and art.