So What's Your Story?

All right, I have an assignment for you: What is your faith story? Here are the guide lines:

• 100 words or less. It must be concise, focused and true.
• No "christianese". In other words, only use words that everyday regular people use.

Every follower of Christ needs to be able to cleary articulate their faith story. Your faith story is the most powerful tool you possess in connecting people to Jesus.
(Read Just Walk Across The Room by Bill Hybels)

Think of it this way. What is the Gospel? It is quite literally, "good news". It is a story. Jesus came to earth, lived a perfect life, die on the cross for our sins, went to heaven to prepare a place for us, and one day will come back for those who follow him. It is not a formula, doctrine, fives steps to salvation. It is what it is: Good News. What people who are seeking God want to hear is how that "Good News" changed your life. They don't want you to spout out the basic Bible doctrines, refute evolution or support the basic tenets of Christianity, they want to know your story.

Infomercials have been doing this forever.

"I was overweight forever, then I bought this Bowflex and now I'm ripped!"

"My parties were boring, then I bought this Greatest Hits of the '70's and now my parties rock!"

My favorite faith story of the Bible is found in John 9:25. Jesus has healed a man born blind. The man has been dragged before the Pharisees for questioning, here is his story.

“Whether he is a sinner or not, I don’t know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!”

Simple, concise and to the point. One other thing, he doesn't defend Jesus or try to prove anything. He just tells the Pharisees and his friends and neighbors how Jesus changed his life. Sometimes that is all God seekers want to hear. So here is the deal: What's your story? Please share your story in the comment section below. It is a great exercise to help you prepare for connecting people to Jesus.

Here is mine to get things rolling. Remember no more than 100 words!

Much of my life was spent trying to prove to God that I was good enough for him to love me. My problem was that I was never good enough. My life was marked with guilt and shame because of my obvious inadequacies. In 1998 during a Christian conference the light bulb finally went on and I realized that no matter what I had done God loved me anyway. That realization changed my relationship with him and gave me a clear focus on how to live life. Today I live for him because of his never-ending love for me.

Following The Rabbi

"A talmid did not follow a rabbi as a student. They desired to gain the rabbi's knowledge, but for a greater goal-they wanted to become like the rabbi himself.

A talmid followed the rabbi everywhere-every day, and every hour of the day-often without knowing or asking where the rabbi was going. The talmid rarely left his rabbi's side for fear that he would miss a teachable moment. He watched the rabbi's every move, noting how he acted and thought about a variety of situations.

Talmidim trusted their rabbi completely. They were eager to hear the rabbi's teachings and they worked passionately to incorporate the rabbi's actions and words into their lives. The disciple's deepest desire was to follow his rabbi so closely that he would start to think and act like the rabbi himself." ~ Ray Vander Laan

A thought for you to ponder: Is it still possible to follow the rabbi Jesus in this same manner?

Becoming A Talmid

"In Jesus' day, gifted students would listen to various rabbis and then approach their chosen rabbi and ask, "May I follow you?" In effect, the student was asking, "Do I have what it takes to be like you?" The rabbi would either accept the student as a talmid or would encourage him to pursue a trade.

Jesus broke this pattern when he chose his own talmidim. As he asked his disciples to follow him, they knew without a doubt that their rabbi believed in them. And as they came to see Jesus as the Messiah, they realized that God believed in them too." ~ Ray VanderLaan

Isn't that one of our basic needs as humans? To know that someone believes in us, to feel that we have something to offer. Jesus enters the scene and changes everything about how we view our place in the world. He initiates a Kingdom then invites us to be a part of it. He invites us to learn from him, to serve with him, and fight for the hearts of others at his side. This rabbi did it different...and I for one am glad he did.

The Talmidim

"The Hebrew word for disciples is "talmidim" and in Jesus' day, it was common for a group of talmidim to follow and learn from a rabbi. These disciples were usually in their teens when they began to follow a rabbi, and most of Jesus' disciples were probably fifteen years old or younger.

Being a disciple of Jesus-a talmid-was not a simple matter. It was a radical and life-changing commitment. Jesus' twelve talmidim ultimately followed in the footsteps of their rabbi: They changed the world, and most of them gave their life in the process.

As we learn about the disciples' life and goals, Christians are challenged to imitate the radical lifestyle of a talmid as we follow our Rabbi." ~ Ray Vander Laan at followtherabbi.com