The Power of Story

After 11 years in ministry, it’s easy to take the memories you’ve made for granted. You can start to question the impact you are having on the people you’re trying to minister to. A few months ago, our volunteer team had a conversation in a Discord channel we use for our writers. One person mentioned they were inspired to write for us because of someone who had written a piece on our site. The author of that article went on to say they were inspired because of a person’s work that had come before them. This pattern continued. A crew of volunteers who often wonder if their work is more than clicks and numbers, found themselves inspiring each other, going all the way back over a decade to a few writers who also had wondered just how much impact they’d had. It’s their stories that keep mine going.

Ministry doesn’t happen without stories. Even Jesus used the power of story in the form of parables. Paul would often tell his own story to bring people closer to God. The Bible, seen as a whole, is God’s story. In the same way, our stories as people bring us closer together. Practically, your ministry needs to harness the power of story to bring people closer to your mission.

You may not always see it, but your ministry has an impact. The easiest way to discover that impact is to simply ask the people on your staff, volunteer team, and in your community. Don’t just put up a public call. Get personal. Ask specifically, “Has this ministry impacted your life in some way? If so, I would love to hear more about it.” Not only will it inspire you, but it will also inspire others.

A good story has three major ingredients: a relatable character, a clear conflict, and a satisfying resolution. In our case, the character is most likely going to be someone within our community and will often have relatable struggles for people in the demographic you are trying to reach. Think about your target audience and what they are going through that your ministry can positively impact. The conflict is that struggle. Was the person feeling loneliness, bitterness, or doubt? Did they need direction, advice, or prayer? Nobody likes to focus on conflict, but as Christians, we are often very good at turning problems into platforms. The solution is the easy part. How did your ministry make an impact on this person’s life? Where are they now as a result?

When you use story as a way to grow your mission, it’s important to leave ego at the door. Not only is pride unhealthy, but it’s a disservice when trying to reach people. Ministries will often, rightfully, point to God and say, “Look at all He is doing through our ministry,” or “We couldn’t have done this without the powerful work of Jesus.” Though this is certainly the right move, it’s also important to remember that it was your community, not your ministry, that made the difference. Say you have 60 volunteers at the ministry you lead. If it weren’t for those 60 volunteers, your ministry still exists, but it does not make an impact. You could stream for ten hours a day, but if all of your viewers disappeared, nobody’s life would change. When telling stories, remember they aren’t yours; they are your community’s. Those stories will help build that community.

You can share stories anywhere. It could be a social media post, a conference, or a one-on-one fundraising meeting. Stories are why we do what we do, and they should be shared in every way you can. Share your stories. The world needs more of them.