Not a few speakers have had to deal with a sea of confused or blank faces after sharing an illustration that didn't seem to connect with their audience.  Illustrations, after all, are meant to clarify and help bring home the point.  Here is a collection of illustrations for use with an Asian audience.  Also helps readers understand the nature and power of illustrations in a sermon.

Book Excerpt

'A young man was invited to be the speaker at several revival services at a rural church in the Philippines.  He soon noticed that there was tension in the church.  A deacon, though he lived only twenty steps from the church, no longer attended the church after having an argument with a church elder.  He had planted several bamboos in front of the church, swearing that as long as the bamboos were standing he would not enter the church.  The bamboos had grown.

So the speaker gathered together the elder, the deacon, and some church members, forming a circle around the bamboos, praying that there would be reconciliation and the devil's work would be thwarted.  Then without prompting, the deacon cut down one of the bamboos.  The elder followed suit, as did the lay-preacher.  The deacon and the elder shook hands, forgiving one another.

Sometimes forgiveness entails cutting down those things that separate us from those we have misunderstanding.  In this case, it is as simple as cutting down bamboos."