One topic of conversation in our ministry household has been the subject of sermon illustrations and where they come from. Both my spouse and I find that people love it when you use real situations from your life to connect the truth with their lives. Sometimes simple things like the grocery checkout line, the traffic, etc. make you seem as common and normal as they are.
 
Other times, there are topics from your family life that bring real life to the sermon topic and conversation. This is always where our children have perked up in the sermon series. They always wanted to know if they were “in this week’s story.”  It was never a competition among them, just the cherry on top, so to speak.
 
However, there are times when the pastor/speaker runs out of good connections to the audience. I know our family has always been like the litmus paper of the authenticity of the pastor’s illustrations. They will honestly confirm or deny that “nugget of truth or life situation.” Our family hat has become an accountability point for my ministry spouse. If the illustration won’t fly past our family, it probably will not fly.
 
How about your household? Do you play a part in how the story unfolds and life is lived out from the pulpit illustrations? What if you are running dry with ideas? Where do you go?