When is a sermon not a sermon? For 25 years I was a lay preacher in the Methodist Church in the UK. During that time I developed a style of preaching that used stories to engage the congregation, tackling issues of theology and Christian living through the actions and words of characters. Sometimes this allowed me to say complex things in a way that kept the listener with me. At other times it gave me the freedom to tackle controversial or emotive subjects that might have been difficult in a straightforward exposition. I don't offer the contents of this book as the future of preaching. They are just stories, tales from the pulpit that, so I'm told, have spoken to people of the workings of God in this world. I hope they speak to you.