Some Word Associations Are Better Than Others — Maybe?
There are words which have more and words which have less usefulness to someone who is engaged in biblical preaching.  To provide a list of related words around the concept or word “bowling” is seemingly far less useful than the word “boating.”

The disciples were caught in a storm, Jonah was swallowed by a great fish, the sea of Galilee is of significant interest to the writers of the four Gospels, etc.  Having a list of related words which centers around — water or boating — seems to have a lot of potential to get the speaker’s, preacher’s, and even the writer’s creative and mental juices flowing!

“Bowling” — not so much!

YET – – – That is not to say that there are not related ideas which are connected to bowling which might prove useful in preaching as . . .

• an analogy
• a metaphor
• a figure of speech
• a way to create or develop an illustration
• create an introduction
• a way to phrase a main/sub point

backswing
delivery
frame
gutter / gutterball
headpin
hook
lane
match
pin / 10 pins
split
pocket
convert
bumper
league
team
release
return
shoes
alley
recreation
professional
arrows
pinsetter
foul line
loft / lofting
mother-in-law — (7th pin)
spare
strike
alley
perfect 300
etc.

 

An Example (Let’s try it — off the cuff):

“You know that in the game of bowling if you do not make a strike, what you do on the second ball still matters — and in fact, if you make a spare — you take all 10 pins down with two balls — what you do after you make that spare — still matters.

There are some people in life, who when they fail to make a strike, they do not see that the next ball delivery — still matters!

Yes, it wasn’t a perfect choice, decision, or response — but you still have an opportunity to deliver the next ball and knock down the same number of pins you could have with a strike — and then you have yet more opportunities to capitalize on your spares.

No one in this world is bowling 300 — I can assure you — that only can happen in the sport or game of bowling.  Some may be pretty good at completing the spare, but most of us hook, or gutter, or take out only a few pins even with two attempts at each frame. . . . “

 

Whatever the list of related words, they are all designed to think outside of the box, about ideas which are related to the “topic” and maybe missed.  Such lists will coax your mind into thinking thoughts it would not have thought about — and/or provide words-concepts-thoughts which can be used in a variety of ways.

This “Dictionary of Related Words”  should be added to your arsenal or speaker’s tool chest.  Begin one as I have, and continue to add to it.

 

“A Dictionary of Related Words”

is a dynamic idea generator for the creative process

which is a part of speaking and writing!

Oh, by the way,  here is the “related word list” for “funeral.”

 

Words Related To . . . .

Funeral

— Ted Martens