I adapted the following from a portion of my D.Min. dissertation Equipping Lutherans for Faith Storytelling.
I grieved when I realized the people in my congregation did not feel that they had a grace-filled faith story to tell other people. We were a group of people who were collectively walking the talk of Christian discipleship. We were living out the gospel of Jesus Christ through feeding and housing ministries. We strived to practice authentic hospitality, and our worship reflected both tradition and communal creativity. When I went out of town, I often talked about my congregation with words expressing love and joy, but most members felt ill-equipped to talk about the congregation and their faith. In response to this grief and after a great deal of research, I created a faith storytelling workshop for my congregation.
I began my theological exploration convinced that the two perspectives my Lutheran tradition has to offer the ecumenical conversation about faith storytelling are the priesthood of all believers and our being theologians of the cross. Both are confirmed as gifts in the tradition. Through the daily task of ministry and my reading, I also discovered a third gift, the room for mystery in the Lutheran tradition. Room, or openness, to mystery may not be unusual in all contexts, but I believe it is in southwestern Idaho, where I live.
A Place at the Table 