Book excerpt: Sermons use words. And though it may seem obvious that preachers should be careful and exacting in word choice, preachers often set aside this aspect of preaching in favor of exegesis, form, and sermonic focus, and make such language work a secondary task. In Finding Language and Imagery, Jennifer L. Lord asserts that, because language shapes faith, preachers must be disciplined to find fresh words for sermons and to make good choices about both their own words and those borrowed from others. By presenting key tools and terms, along with writing, exercises, Lord helps users develop both their understanding of language and their skills to capture the religious imagination of their listeners. Book jacket.