Dec 12, 2024
In recent years our culture has really tapped into the power of
testimony. Groups and assemblies of storytellers sharing wisdom
gleaned from personal experiences have been cropping up in the US
and Canada. Listeners are motivated, inspired, and guided.
Confessional style storytelling of average people has been
popularized by a non-profit called The Moth. They stage over 500
shows per year across the US. The Moth Radio Hour was launched in
2009 and is now on 500 public radio stations and has one million
weekly listeners. The Moth’s weekly podcast is downloaded over 73
million times annually. Executive Director Sarah Haberman told
Forbes that “no matter where you’re from and whatever your
background, your story has the power to unite people, to break down
walls—even when you can’t be in the same room. That pursuit feels
urgent right now.”
Author Richard Wagamese wrote: “All that we are is story. ...
It is what we arrive with. It is all we leave behind. We are not
the things we accumulate. We are not the things we deem important.
We are story.”
The apostle Paul in Acts chapter 26 has this monumental task of
sharing the the good news of Jesus with a very influential
audience: Governor Festus and King Agrippa II.
There were probably a number of different strategies Paul
considered while waiting to address these dignitaries. However,
despite impressive education and vast knowledge of Scripture, Paul
chose to simply tell his story. Is this a lesson we should consider
when it comes to sharing the gospel?
Your story, whether you realize it or not, is compelling. Think of
how many times you have been convinced to do something simply based
off of someone's personal experience. This is why one of the
most powerful resources you have in sharing the good news about
Jesus is your story of faith. Here's why: Your story
opens hearts so God’s story can change hearts. To learn
more give a listen to part 15 of our series, To The Ends of the
Earth.