Why Disciple-Making with Stories?

GOAL: Expose every local church ministry to the possibility and benefits of using Bible stories as a base 

CONCEPT: Offer a one-day “Disciple-Making with Stories” experience to churches as an alternative to Christian Storytelling Conference

ATTRIBUTES 

  • Draw: From a storytelling conference To a disciple-making exploration 
  • Experiential: From describing To demonstrating 
  • Focus: From people from many churches To people from a single church or community of churches  
  • Repeatable: From 1 conference/year To multiple programs/year 
  • Compact: From 2 ½ days To 1 day 
  • Convenient: From all participants traveling To only speakers traveling 

CONTENT

  • Experiencing BibleTelling (methods and approaches) o Sunday School-based (Mark, Penny, Grace) o Family-based (Rick/Paula)
    • Small Group-based (Anne, Penny, Phyllis) o Whole Church-based (John/Jan) 
  • Story-Based Outreach and Discipleship o Life Skills (demonstrate how to lead a class)
    • Language Olympics (demonstrate 1-on-1 tutoring, group administration) 

§ include Prison Ministry o Whole Bible Story (demonstrate best approaches) 

  • Communication Skills (Marie Claire) o Communication Begins and Ends with People o Combining Personal Stories with Bible Stories 
  • Whole Bible Story (Mark, Rog) 
  • Church-based BT Seminars (Israel-Jordan, Turkey-Greece-Rome) oInclude BT Youth Discipleship program w/Christian Birthright Seminar in Israel  
  • Story Concert 

COSTS TO THE HOST CHURCH 

  • Travel expenses for speakers (any airfare or significant mileage) 
  • Housing with members (speakers pay for own hotel) 
  • Lunch and dinner for speakers 
  • Resource sales the day of the program (or, better, in advance) could help reduce the costs to the church (e.g., for every $100 in sales, $20 would go toward speaker travel/meal expenses) 
    • All the Stories of the Bible 
    • BibleTelling: Telling God’s Word 
    • Life Skills from the Book of Proverbs 
    • Language Olympics
    • BibleTelling Seminar Leader/Participant Guides

John Walsh on why everyone is a storyteller–and can get better at storytelling.