A World of Campfire Stories

Imagine sitting on chairs in the church’s parking lot; multiple “campfires” are burning safely in their containers, and people are roasting marshmallows and telling stories. They smile as they tell small “c” campfire stories about their church. They express wonder as they tell big “C” stories from the Church more broadly. But then the tone shifts as they begin to think about the campfire stories of the world — stories that often break their heart.

• News stories that highlight the brokenness of the world come at us more quickly than we can digest them. The needs of the world can overwhelm us. Still, telling these stories is useful because they surface the ways in which we are called to act as witnesses to and ambassadors for God.

Gathering these world campfire stories can be a bit tricky because many folks hear only certain voices and stories. With this limited hearing, we may not gather the stories we need. Below are a few ideas to help you surface the campfire stories of the world that resonate with your congregation. These come from “Our Journey 2025” of the CRCNA.

How to tell Broader Campfire Stories

1. Start with Prayer

• Cultivate practices of prayer and spiritual discipline, transforming our lives and communities by the power of the Holy Spirit. We seek God’s leading and guidance as we gather world campfire stories.

2. Listen Well across generations

• “Listen to the voices of every generation, shaping us for ministry together.” Different generations listen to and tell different world stories. Make sure you are listening to the passions of every generation.

3. Embrace Diversity

• “Grow in diversity and unity by seeking justice, reconciliation, and welcome, sharing our faith as we build relationships with and honor the cultures of our neighbors and newcomers.” Getting outside our usual spaces and interacting with believers from diverse backgrounds brings richer stories.

4. Think Missionally

• “Share the gospel, live it missionally, and plant new churches in our neighborhoods as we discover how to connect with our local and global ministry contexts.” When we move out into the neighborhood where we connect with our neighbors and envision global ministry, our world stories get both smaller (close to home) and bigger (out into the world).

Every congregation needs to have a bundle of campfire stories they tell about themselves, the Church, and the world. Every family of God needs to consistently and wisely tell these stories — sometimes around a real campfire in the parking lot while roasting marshmallows.