phases is to risk fulfilling the proverbial cliché of allowing the tail to wag the dog. We have all heard (and, to be honest, many of us have preached) sermons in which a how element supplanted the process of developing a clear significant what. In the experience of hearing the sermon there was a disconnect or just plain confusion. The process looks something like this. Reverend Harris hears a joke on Tuesday that has nothing to do with the text for the week, but it is cute so he uses it as the introduction