It may really be as simple as a plan

I found myself trying to come up for a breath of air as I swirled in the pool of words coming from the pastors mouth. It was a passionate flow of all the desires of his heart that he longed to see his church begin to practice. As topic after topic of his recent sermons came out, I began to notice a common thread. It was all about an expectation that a well preached sermon would bring to pass every desired result. He was having a very hard time trying to grasp why the people could not see the simple logic, he had preached it, now go do it.
What was missing is a plan. I would say that I did not disagree with one desires that he had. I just didn't see any connecting point from informing to activating. It is the norm, you will find a long list of desires in churches, but a short list of plans and an even shorter list of strategic methodologies. I am convinced that the typical church person is not responding to the sermons because there is no real way to respond. We have walked to the altar and worn it out, but a viable action plan is most often missing.
So I am thinking for pastors this week. As you close your sermon, imagine how will the people go out and do this and what am I willing to lay out for them as a pathway? If we would give just a portion of sermon preparation to follow up planning, we might see more desires come to pass.