Lunchtime stories at work
I wanted to try storytelling so I prayed and decided to invite a friend via a text message. I didn’t know if my friend would be interested but I thought that it would be good to invite her nonetheless to hear the Christmas story I was telling in our business district over lunch. To my surprise, she replied saying that she would love to come.
On the day, she could only stay for first half of the story but told me afterwards that the story sounded so much more interesting told by a friend. We met up for lunch the following week before the Christmas break and I asked if she would be interested in hearing more Bible stories to which she said yes, and was keen.
By the time we had gotten around to organizing lunch in the new year, it was already the first week of February. I decided to ask again whether there was interest in listening to Bible stories and the answer from my friend was the same so we decided that we would meet weekly over lunch to share Bible stories. We have done a total of nine stories and we will look to finish with the story of Jesus’ death and resurrection this week after Easter. I have been able to see God’s good timing as my friend was due to relocate for work a couple of months ago but the relocation has been postponed to a week after Easter.
For someone with little/no church background, the stories have helped my friend understand more about the storyline of the Bible. After each session, I send her the Bible passage from which the story comes from so that she knows the authority is from the Bible, and my friend reads the passage for herself in her own time. The stories helps her understand the Bible and reading the Bible becomes less daunting.
Compared to other forms of evangelism, the commitment to listening to stories has been an easier step to take for someone who is not quite prepared to come along to a church service on Sunday. The next steps may be to encourage her to read a gospel for herself or to go to a church where they can help her understand the Bible. Storying has been a great start for my friend hearing more about the God of the Bible and having her worldview challenged by God’s Word.
Which of your workmates might be ready to receive an invitation to hear stories? If no one is ready yet, who could you pray for?
Shared with permission
