What is the difference between tell me the stories of Jesus, and tell me your story of Jesus?
We tell people the stories of Jesus because we have learned the inspiring Bible stories of the One who gave His life for us that we might have eternal life. The One who showed us how to live by the way He lived. The One who always expressed unconditional love.
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But when we tell people our story of Jesus, we tell people how He shapes our lives. How daily we seek to live out our lives with the character and nature of Jesus. How we apply the unconditional love of Jesus in interactions with all people. What it means to strive to be a fully devoted follower of Christ.
The stories of Jesus come alive through our real-life testimony.
When we tell our story to people, they can personally connect in real time. This may motivate them to think about the possibility of their own Jesus story.
Planning words vs. future story
How do congregations tell their story of Jesus? What is the difference between reciting a two-to-six-word motto or a nine-to-15-word congregational vision statement versus telling people your version of the story of the spiritual strategic journey of your congregation?
When you recite a motto or vision statement, you are providing a static picture of the congregation. You are repeating words that act as a rallying point around the directive actions by congregational leaders. There may be excitement or celebration about being part of this but only modest personal spiritual passion.
When you tell people your story about the spiritual strategic journey of your congregation, you provide a living narrative of the congregational journey. You place personal passion into the story as you express how it feels to be living within the reality of a God-led journey. You invite people to experience their own unique adventure consistent with the congregation’s spiritual strategic journey.
At its core, this is the difference between a left-brained strategic plan driven by metrics toward success and a spiritual strategic journey focused on God’s future story of missional ministry. This represents the difference between a Strong congregation and a Soaring congregation.
What is God’s future story of missional ministry? For me this is an adventure I have helped congregations with all my life. It is one key to empowering congregations to soar.
First, congregations engage in a season of spiritual discernment where they generally seek God’s direction for them. This lasts 100 days and involves large group prayer and small groups of three people meeting 10 times over the 100 days.
Second, congregations develop three scenarios for the future, focusing on the direction toward which God is pulling it. Sometimes these scenarios are developed before the 100 days of spiritual discernment and sometimes after the 100 days.
Third, the congregation discerns which scenario is most like where God is leading it over the next seven or more years.
Fourth, it then crafts its future story of missional ministry by answering this question: If we with faithfulness, effectiveness and innovation live into the call of God upon our congregation, describe what the life and ministry of our congregation might look like seven years from now.
Fifth, it develops detailed actions for the first three years of the spiritual strategic journey for living into its future story.
Sixth, it begins living into its future story of missional ministry.
Seventh, it celebrates progress which fulfills the story every 120 days and adjusts details of the story according to God’s leadership and their fulfillment.
EDITOR’S NOTE — George Bullard spent five decades in Baptist congregational and denominational ministry. His ministry roles included three churches, three associations, three state conventions and one national entity. He began as a columnist for TAB Media Group’s publication The Baptist Paper in 2022. Bullard now serves as a strategic thinking mentor for Christian leaders through his ForthTelling Innovation ministry. TAB Media Group published his new book “Soaring with Faith: The Difference Maker for Congregations” — available on Amazon.
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