To Tell the Story
Today was “Communications Day.” Our guest presenter was Dana Jones, editor of Response magazine, the official publication of the United Methodist Women. Her task was to help us begin to think about how to communicate our mission to churches and folks at home, while we are on the mission field.
The current trend amongst those who write and speak about evangelism these days, is to describe the act of evangelism as “telling the story.” As a missionary, my primary job is to tell the story … of God’s work in the world, in my life, in the Bible, and in the church.
As a journalist and filmmaker in my previous life, the idea of being God’s storyteller resonates with me. Practically nobody is interested in systematic theological definitions and formulas; but practically everyone loves a good story! Especially with pictures.
That’s what makes Scripture so incredible! It’s mostly a book of stories. If you got rid of the Epistles, there’d be nothing left except tall tales, surprising yarns, parables, and apocryphal visions. For some reason, God chose to reveal himself through narratives.
And so Dana walked us through the process of locating the multiple stories going on in our mission sites, taking pictures that tell stories, and getting these stories to people who need to hear them.
This blog is one such way that the story is told. My plan is to continue to use this very space to keep telling the stories that are ultimately most important.
I love to tell the story; more wonderful it seems
Good night, Rachel, Chloe, and Mallory.
Than all the golden fancies of all our golden dreams.
I love to tell the story, it did so much for me;
And that is just the reason I tell it now to thee.
I love to tell the story, ’twill be my theme in glory,
To tell the old, old story of Jesus and His love.
