1. what’s your story?

2. Our Roadmap Session 1: Why Become a Contagious Christian
Lost people matter to God/to us
Relational evangelism
Session 2: Being Yourself
Evangelism Styles
Positives (and cautions) of your styles
Session 3: Building Relationships
Friends/Family, New Friends
Three Approaches to starting spiritual conversations 2

3. Roadmap Session 4: What’s Your Story? Session 5: What’s God’s Story?
Session 6: Crossing the Line
Session 7: Putting It Together
Session 8: Objection!

4. Preview Learn why your story is important
Write out your personal story
Practice telling your story in a safe environment

5. Prayer, Community Building
Group Leader: The first person in your group to state the historical reason why we celebrate July 4th. Lead your group through the following: 1. Everyone acquainted in your group? 2. How do you feel when someone says to you: “Tell me about yourself”? What do you usually begin with? 5

6. Why Your Story Is Important
Your friends are INTERESTED in it
Your friends can RELATE to it
It is HARD TO ARGUE WITH

7. How to Organize Your Story
Paul’s Story—Acts 26: The Three Handles
Before Christ
4-11
Meeting Christ
12-18
With Christ
19-23
“Do you believe the prophets?”
(Acts 26:27)
Believe in God’s Promise One, Jesus Christ! Acts 26:6

8. Writing Your Story:
If you’ve known Christ all your life from infant baptism, write about what that’s been like, knowing you’ve been His child from early on, thankful that your parents understood God’s desire for baptism. Write about a time(s) you may have doubted or wandered, but how He’s remained faithful to you…
If you professed faith later in life, see next slides…

9. Writing Your Story: Before Christ… Meeting Christ… With Christ…
If God brought you to faith later in life, organize your story in the following way:
Before Christ…
Meeting Christ…
With Christ…
Concluding Question…

10. Writing Your Story: Before Christ
What were you like before God saved you?
What made you start thinking Jesus could make a difference in your life?

11. Writing Your Story: Meeting Christ
What were the events that led up to your moment of conversion?
Describe your moment of salvation.

12. Writing Your Story: With Christ
How did your life begin to change (good or bad) after the day God adopted you as His child?
How is your life different than “Before Christ”?

13. Story Tips
Theme
Describes the biggest DIFFERENCE in your life

14. Story Tips Middle Handle – Meeting Christ
Keep your description simple, clear, and EASY TO IMITATE
Believed as a baby? Talk about the beauty of God’s means of grace – how He provided for children to be saved, how your friend’s children can be part of God’s people through baptism(!), etc.

15. Story Tips
Conclusion
End with a question or statement that evokes a RESPONSE

16. Story Tips
Scripture
If there is one key verse in Scripture that really fits, use it; if not, don’t force it

17. Story Tips
Language
Avoid using Christian phrases or “church talk”

18. Story Tips
Length
Keep it SHORT

19. Story Tips
Sequence
Be able to start and end your story with any of the handles

20. Story Tips “Putting Others First”
First encourage your friend to talk about his or her spiritual background
Emphasize the parts of your story that are similar to your friend’s

21. Activity: Practice Telling Your Story
Video
What were Nate’s strengths and weaknesses in telling his story to Paul?
In your small group, tell your story to your group (if you’d rather pick a partner and tell only him/her, that’s fine)
Group or partner – give friendly, constructive feedback and encouragement.

22. Wrap-Up Identified why your story is important
Wrote out your personal story using the three handles
Practiced telling your story

23. Our Roadmap Session 1: Why Become a Contagious Christian
Session 2: Being Yourself
Session 3: Building Relationships
Session 4: What’s Your Story?
Session 5: What’s God’s Story?
Session 6: Crossing the Line
Session 7: Putting It Together
Session 8: Objection! 23

24. Closing For the coming week:
Review and practice what you’ve learned, asking God for help, guidance, and opportunities
Read the Lutheran Witness article(s)
Let’s pray… 24