The preacher's task is to make it possible for their listeners to meet Jesus Christ in their own lives, rather than to simply 'convert' them. To this end, preachers must connect with those they are speaking to in ways which help them make sense of the Christian faith in their own circumstances and in the times we live in. Waiting on the Word poses a series of questions that go to the heart of the preacher's own vocation: - What do people expect from a sermon? - What are their pastoral and intellectual needs? - How can the preacher feel confident that he or she has the words needed to meet the spiritual, ethical and political challenges of today? - How can he or she develop 'presence'?