With church partners in our Fourth-Soil Parenting Project, we’re experimenting with new ways to plant and nurture a story-sharing environment in congregations. Why? Because discipleship and faith formation are profoundly hindered when people have not yet explored, acknowledged, and witnessed to their own story. As more people in your congregation practice narrating important aspects of their story, you enrich the “soil” of your discipleship environment. So, how do we make it easier for your people to share their life narratives about their faith history, faith impact, and their “origin story”?
First, plan for and invite story-sharing in your worship service, special events, and community gatherings. Then offer people a basic script to guide their story-sharing, based on a simple set of questions they can think about ahead of time. You can also give people an index card that has three-to-five “complete the sentence” prompts. Providing people with scripts greatly increases the likelihood that they’ll be willing to share their stories. Scripts also keep the narratives more concise and focused. And many people are more comfortable sharing their stories if they do it with another person. Listed below are some of the scripts I frequently use with church members and leaders.
Sample ORIGIN STORY Script (questions)
- What is your name? How long have you been a member at this church?
- What’s one significant childhood experience that is still impacting you today?
- What’s one difficult or challenging experience you had with your parents that still impacts you today?
- How do you see Jesus/God taking any difficult aspects of your childhood and transforming them into something beautiful in your life?
Sample ORIGIN STORY Script (complete the sentence)
- Hi my name is ______ and I’ve been a member/ministry partner for ___ years.
- One significant childhood experience that is still impacting me today is…
- One difficult or challenging experience I had with my parents that still impacts me today is…
- Here’s how I see Jesus/God taking some difficult aspects of my childhood and transforming them into something beautiful in my life…
Sample FAITH IMPACT Script (questions)
- What is your name? How long have you been a member at this church?
- What individuals or experiences come to mind when you think of how our church has influenced your faith growth (1-2 sentences)?
- What changed in you through these individuals or experiences (5-8 sentences; describe before/after)?
- How has our congregation’s support made ongoing transformation like you describe possible (1-3 sentences)?
- How can others experience the impact you’ve described?
Sample FAITH IMPACT Script (complete the sentence)
- Hi my name is ______ and I’ve been a member/ministry partner for ___ years.
- When I think about ways people and experiences in our church have impacted my faith growth, I think of…
- As a result, some of the changes I’ve observed in my faith include (3-5 sentences)…
- I hope others in our congregation can experience transformation through…
Sample FAITH IN DAILY LIFE Script (questions)
- What is your name? How long have you been a member at this church?
- What habits/activities do you engage in during the week that help you live like Jesus?
- When and where do you talk about Jesus/God outside of a church setting?
- Who do you connect with regularly that inspires you/challenges you in your faith?
- What do you see as a next faithful step in growing as a Christ-follower?
Sample FAITH IN DAILY LIFE Script (complete the sentence)
- Hi my name is ______ and I’ve been a member/ministry partner for ___ years.
- A few ways I practice my faith and experience Jesus/God in daily life include…
- During the week, I’m most aware of Jesus/God’s presence when/where I…
- A habit I’ve embedded into my daily life that helps me be spiritually grounded is…
Invite people to submit their own recordings
Experiment with having people record their own videos on their smartphone and send them to you. Consider making an email template that includes a few sample scripts along with recording tips related to lighting, sound, camera angle, etc.
QUESTIONS
- What are the stories you’d like to capture and share in your ministry setting?
- How can you develop a list of people you’d like to invite to share their story?
- How will you decide when and where these stories will be shared?
- How might you repurpose content so that it’s used multiple times, on various platforms?
If you would like help as you explore what it means to plant a nurture a storytelling environment in your congregation, reach to connect with a Vibrant Faith Ministry Leadership Coach. Just CLICK HERE for more information. Coaching is an intentional process that moves you forward into the future you long for.
Jim LaDoux is the longtime Director of Coaching Services for Vibrant Faith. Jim lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota with his wife—he has two adult sons. He’s been a coach since 1992, and has a Master of Management Arts and is a certified PCC (Professional Certified Coach).
