The Loop

Wow, it’s hard to believe we’re in June!

Summer is here, and in the life of our student ministry, that means our calendar exudes fun! We have all kinds of exciting experiences and opportunities coming up for our students to take part in, but in all of it, there is one thing we keep finding ourselves coming back to.

Stories.

A few months ago, the kids and student teams put together some take-home boxes to help you, the leader of your home, begin to share your faith story with your family. Now we find ourselves, both in middle school and high school, kicking off summer series talking about the importance of stories.

For me, the importance of stories comes from the fact that, in reality, the Bible is a book full of stories. We see stories of God’s faithfulness to his people, sometimes in miraculous ways and sometimes in everyday ways. Yet, the premise is the same: God always shows up in the lives of His people. The same is true today. It just looks different and sometimes it’s hard to see.

We aren’t witnessing seas parting in half, the dead raising to life, or the blind being instantly healed, but that doesn’t mean we can’t see the evidence of God’s work. Each of us, if we think about it, can look at our lives and see specific ways in which God made things happen. In ways that otherwise would have no explanation, God shows up. These are the stories we’re talking about.

These are the stories that drive home God’s goodness to us. These are the stories we want to share with students. As humans, we are captivated by the stories of other people. I think that’s why so much of the Bible is told as a story. It draws us in, teaches us something, and shows us new perspectives.

We’ve already had the chance with our high school students to start this journey. We will continue through the end of July and have a rockstar lineup of guests, leaders, and students alike. In middle school, our leaders are working to help our students learn how to share a short story from their own life about how God has shown up.

As you can see, stories are important to us. Through stories, our students can experience Jesus. Through stories, our students can expand the Kingdom.

This summer we’re going to share stories. We want our students to learn from the lives of others. We challenge you to share your story, too. The story God is writing in your life is valuable and can help others grow, especially those in your own home who (whether you believe it or not) look up to you. So, be open, be vulnerable, and share. Also, don’t be afraid to ask about the stories your students are hearing throughout the summer. With everything we have planned for them, our goal is that they will be both captivated and inspired. We want them to be able to see Jesus in their story, too.

So, pull up a chair. It's storytime.

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