a number of the simple way staff and residents are currently at the Christian Community Development Association [CCDA] conference in Minnesota which started last nite and is set to be an incredible time and i’m sure i will share a little bit about that here.

last nite, Richard Twiss, a native american leader [who also spoke some challenging things last year which i think in part led to this year’s theme being ‘Reconcile’] started off proceedings with a simple challenge:

“The original followers of Jesus didn’t quote books and verses – they told stories.” In fact the early Christians for many years told stories and it was only much later that the stories were put together and approved as the canon that it became about John 3.16 and Romans 8. Before then they simply recounted stories.

i think most of us find evangelism tough… but we all have stories… if you are a Jesus follower and don’t have any stories then you really have to question your Jesus following… but if you do [and i’ll bet you do] then maybe this is a way that will free you up from the pressure of evangelism or discipling or any other of those large christianese words…

simply tell your story more… and tell His stories more… and especially share the space where His story intersects with yours…

if His story was great enough to affect yours in the way it hopefully has, then it is great enough to affect someone else, and possibly a whole lot less daunting…

so go on and tell it [mountain optional]