my story...

Firstly... personal stories are good... they are real, they are full of life lessons and they connect with the living story. There are a couple of comments i wish to make on Steve's blog that i agree / disagree with.....

They make great introductions, serving to capture attention...
Sorry Steve, I disagree! As previously said in the last blog - stories are pivotal to a sermon... even biblical text is story... it's history, it's about real people living real lives.... story does not belong in the introduction. I do think however, we can get a little 'its all about me me me'... and i frequently find personal stories boring right from the get go.... do they really capture my attention? I think we need a better introduction to a personal story. We need to communicate the story more effectively. I think frequently, our presentation of the story needs work.

The bible is full of story.... and there is nothing more exciting and engaging to me... to go to church and hear a passage quoted from the bible... because i often hear it... but don't relate to it.... the woman at the well... what does that have to do with me anyway? YET, I am shocked when someone gets up to tell us their story, relating with the biblical text and relating with my own. I hear the story and i think... this person, like the woman at the well, had obstacles (a colourful, sinful story) that was in the way from a relationship with Jesus Christ... what obstacles are in my life? Wait a minute... i thought this story didnt relate? Through personal testimony, I connected with the biblical text... the bible comes to life.... how the heck did that happen? All of a sudden, im sitting further forward in my chair, waiting to hear the next amazing thing. It happens so much to me... and I never stop being shocked by it.

You know where i think good stories go bad? When the preacher does not connect and tie together the story with the message. Often, someone is asked to give a testimony... but the testimonial is not introduced well or connected with the message to begin with... then there is often a lack of 'pulling it all together.' A testimony should not be given, just to fill the programme or provide 'good feelings.' There should be a strategy for using it... because stories are so valuable.

In the beginning there was story...

.... each of us are a part of the living story. The bible tells us that in the beginning was the word, the word was with God and the word was God. The WORD implies story and intrigue and God is our narrator. I don't think the use of story is an important tool in preaching... i think it's the only tool. People relate to stories because something of a story will connect with their own. The question was - what if someone doesnt relate to a story, what does that do to the meaning of the sermon? It's a two part question... the first being....what if someone doesnt relate to the story.... i don't believe this exists. If a story is told about a person who overame their alcahol addiction... well then i don't relate with that topic. BUT I do relate with the championing of the human spirit... the overcoming of something big..... so when i hear a story like that... i think... what does God want me to overcome? There's also a sense of unity about story - even if you don't relate with the topic. Eric Liddell was big on mission and dreamed of going to China... but, as recorded in the movie 'Chariots of Fire', he said to his sister... God also made me fast... and he ran and won at the olympics. Now.... none of that applies to me. I do not have a dream to go to China (sorry China) and i can absalutely telll you without a doubt... i am not fast! So what do i get from this story, a story that was reccently recounted in a sermon at my church? It made me think about what God has graced me to do.

This brings me to the next part.... should a preacher change the story or define the meaning of a story so that he / she can get the point of the sermon across. I don't think so. I think how people receive the story, whether it is or isnt exactly what the preacher wanted to get across, God knows what everyone needs to hear. God works it out. I once went along and watched TD Jakes preach and i saw so many people impacted by his message. He used stories and illustrated so well and the topic was amazing... yet, what i got from it was..... it's poissible to deliver a sermon message in this creative way... and look at how impacting it is. Because that's my passion... to commuicate creatively. The message was great... but the real message for me - was in the delivery of the sermon. That's what I needed to see and hear. The story did not need changing because others needed to hear and see it in their way... that's why I think God is so amazing - all things knit together

Communications Team...

Good idea? Who has one at their church? How does it function? What are the ups and downs? I wondered if anyone had set one up at their church because it sounds like a great idea. Picture this... a team who deals with all communications in and out of the church... brand, signage, printing, website etc. But also how we communicate ourselves to visitors on a Sunday and throughout the week... from ushers to signage.

Then I ask.... how does one get around the fact that people resources are always stretched at church? I am a graphic designer by trade and I love creative arts... which means I do all things design and marketing, printing and anything to do with the website inclduing maintaining the e-mail accounts and setting up new sites and e-mails should the need arise. I also lead in drama activities. When I ask for help... the people who I know are able... are already stretched as it is... how do we develop the need for a communication culture in our church so that its not just up to the able few?

Expect the amazing to happen...

Tonight.. this is my safe place to communicate... and communicate something which I really wanted to share during the audiconference on Monday... Warning... i may appear to get emotional on you! I assure you, it's out of passion that I wish to continue our discussion on creativity in the church....


I have a theological problem with creativity because we are made in His image... we are made to be creative. Sin broke down that image.. But Jesus Christ reconciled us back to the father... I’m not saying that the image is fully restored; sin is still prevalent after all... I am saying... when we are in relationship with God – anything and everything is creatively possible. I completely believe in the original idea... and I believe that the church has the potential to reveal a creativity that the world has yet to see.
Furthermore, we have a responsibility to pursue this creativity because it is in the very essence of who God created us to be. We all have creativity within, whether we are in relationship with God or not. BUT I know there is a difference with God... I completely believe that. Yet, what is the church doing creatively that impacts the world and leads the way? I think we get too afraid to use our creativity. We can do music... we’ve been singing since the church was born. The disciples preached...we have learned how to use words... these things are safe. BUT what would the church look like if we really pursued creativity with force?

Creativity should be exercised... like a muscle.

This might seem completely corny... but, indulge me... this is what creativity means to me....(yes... i actually do this....)

I close my eyes and picture myself walk through a tunnel, through a gate, into the sunshine, into a garden. A beautiful garden. I see a park bench and Jesus meets me there. I sit beside him and together, without words, we look out onto the garden that we have created together. I ask God for an idea, a thought, an image... and as the thought or idea or image comes to my mind, He points to an area in the garden that has not yet been developed. And as I continue watching, i see the garden come to life with wildflowers and greenery. That’s what my garden is... its creativity in progress.. as it happens. I have learned that a... we should not be strangers to the ‘garden’...b. that we should look for undeveloped spaces in the garden and c. That we should allow God to show us what we can do when we are in community with Him. Everything has been written in the book of life... nothing surprises God... but that doesn't mean - that we won't be surprised by what we can do creatively - with God.

I strongly disagree with the idea that we should just simply copy and splice into our preaching, ideas and concepts from culture... it's a sad, pathetic copy of something someone has already done. It also gives us the excuse to
a. Become complacent... not exercise that creativity muscle... the world have the ideas... we'll just dip into that pool
b. Not depend on God to bring us to a new level of creativity... what can God give that we can't take from the world?
c. Blame the world when we don't pull if off... it's the world's idea / fault

Here's a 'far out' idea..... Let's ask God. Close your eyes. In the place where you are at, ask God what you could do creatively in the church. Ask God to give you an idea, a thought, an image, a word... anything.... let's be prepared to be amazed... let's expect something amazing.

Through the Grapevine...

I find it interesting that in reading an article about grapvine communication, the 'roumour mill' or the subject of gossip is raised... how could it not? Looking at the pictute on the right... nutrient feeds from the stem through to the tip of each branch... but how does it get there and when it arrives is it in the same condition as when it started the journey? The truth is... the closer a branch is to the vine, the greater the fruit! It is the same for communication... My senior pastor would like to pass information on.... He would speak with his PA... who in turn would send it on or delegate the job to the administrator.. who would... send out a flyer or send off an e-mail. She may even send it to those who are leaders and they in turn, will pass along the message. Then, Sunday rolls around... did everyone get the message the senior Pastor wanted everyone to know? I think there are several common complaints of grapevine communication:
1. The info (nutrient) just doesnt arrive to the intended people.
2. The info arrives... just missing some detail, or even, the addition of some!
3. The info arrives... with extras... pests.... in the name of 'opinion'... what if a leader gets the info but doesnt like what he or she hears... then passes the info along... can you expcect that the info communicated is free from their opinion? This is is the most dangerous because it can cause an avalanche of unhappy people... Ive seen it more than once.

BUT... I also think the grapevine way to communicate can be harnessed. An interesting fact about a grapevine (a real one!) is that in order for all branches to be fed...it must be in full sunlight. So, by that standard.... there should also be some kind of open forum of communication occuring alongside grapevine communication, so that any romour, opinion, incorrect info... can be dealt with quickly.

The grapevine DEPENDS on the SON (sun)

Now Entering... Vickie's Mind

Hi There

First let me introduce myself... I'm Vickie and I currently reside in Dunedin, working through a Theatre Studies Major (when will it end??!!) and a Biblical studies minor. So, communication is my 'thing.' My passion is to communicate in the most creative and effective way I can, to draw people to God. At my church, I am the 'graphics / web / creative arts' girl. I have previously owned my own graphic design and printing company. The skills I picked up to do all this, I'm proud to say, was all self-taught... that being said, I am convinced that from 5-155... anyone can learn how to communicate effectively and creatively. I also believe that the church should lead the way in communication... Pastor Brain Houston (Hillsong) - 'The church is not peripheral to the world; the world is peripheral to the church.'

This is a nice little segway for the following myth: Our congregation is the same as it's always been, and we feel comfortable with the way we communicate.

I think this is a two part statement and I'm not sure if I entirely agree with the first - our congregation is the same as its always been. Of course people are changing all the time - that's life. However, I know of congregations that do not change. A strong advocate for tradition (and I'm not against it), despite the changing world around them and the moving / growing nature of the individual, some congregations do not change. A rural Presbyterian church that I know of, had hired a new minister. He was compassionate and a great listener. He gave a great sermon and did home visits. Yet, there were some very small changes he wanted to make, that would ultimately benefit the congregation and encourage visitors. The congregation took objection without consideration and subsquently, the minister felt he was unable to do his job and so, moved on. The congregation.... doing exactly what they have always done. There's a flaw in this consistency... the church doesn't really grow and in fact, as people die, the church fades away. It has happened many times over... the church building becomes a dead emtpy monument to something God did years ago. If the building was in Europe, we would probably pay an entry fee to look at the art inside and take pictures of the arhitechture.

The second part to this myth... is that if a congregation is like the one I described, I can not imagine how anyone person would coomfortable with the way communication happens.