Rhythm of Sharing Your Story

Brazos Pointe Living Room Podcast:
Howie, IKEA, and Squaring Up - A Conversation about Listening

Instructions:

Read It:
  • I Peter 3:15 - Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect. 
Explore It:
  • Why is it important to share our stories with “gentleness and respect?”
  • What value can be added by a listener who looks for God’s work in the story?  

Do It:
  • Sharing - Ask each group member to share their 3-Word Story with the rest of the group.
  • Listening - Ask each listener to look for God’s work in the story being shared. Allow a little time for listeners to encourage each person who has shared their story.
  • Bonus: Pray over each person who shares and celebrate what God has done. This is an encouragement to your group members and a form of worship as you recognize God’s work and honor Him for it.
  • As a closing, pray the BPF prayer of surrender:
Dear God, 
I surrender my whole self
I surrender my fears., my assumptions, and my comfort.
Help me be bold and confident in You.
Grow my love for those who need Jesus.
Help me to steward my connections and my story. 
AMEN.

3-Word Story Crash Course 

(For those who missed last week.) 
  1. Work on your 3-word faith story this coming week and be prepared to share it with your group. You can say as little as 3 words or elaborate as much as you'd like but aim to be brief enough to allow time for each person to share. Here's the process for building your 3-word faith story:
  1. The 1st word represents who you were or what life was like before you believed. (Even someone who isn't a Christ-follower believes something.)
  2. The 2nd word represents how you came to believe.
  3. Your 3rd word represents who you are or what life became after you started living in light of your belief.
3 -Word Story Example from a Christ follower:
  • (Before Belief)
  • Empty – I was lost and confused as I searched to satisfy my desires and longings. It seemed that nothing was really working. I felt some temporary happiness, but it was unsustainable. I knew I needed more.
  • (How I believed)
  • Filled – Jesus used my Christ-following friend to help me see how Jesus filled him. After a night of wrestling, I eventually surrendered and decided to follow Jesus. I got baptized and committed to pursuing a relationship with Jesus.
  • (After belief)
  • Overflowing – It's not always easy, but through my commitment to seek Jesus, I am learning that He can satisfy my longings in deeper and long-lasting ways. He is more than enough. He not only fills and sustains me, but His love overflows out of me and into the lives of others. I've got a long way to go, but I know that Jesus is enough for me and the rest of the world.
  • Randy's 3-Words:
  • Behaved – Good kid but aware that he still did bad things.
  • Pursued – Church camp experience - Knew God was pursuing him and would forgive him
  • Devoted – Understands that God is the devoted one.
  • One last note:
  • If someone who followed Christ at a young age is struggling to remember what life was like before Christ, ask them to create their story around what life is like when they have denied Him. This is not a salvation story, but a sanctification story. These are important to share, too. All Christ followers should be striving to become more like Him and these stories speak into that.