When I was right out of college, I packed three suitcases and moved from Texas to Washington, D.C. My parents were understandably concerned. They worried that I would be alone and have trouble finding my own way. I had made a few connections, and within a couple of weeks of arriving I was invited to rent a room in the home of a family. There's a particular transience to the D.C. area. Nearly everyone is from somewhere else, and this family was no exception. They remembered what it was like to be new, and they were particularly good at helping outsiders become insiders. When I moved in, I was given a chore. My simple task was unloading the dishwasher. It may seem odd, but it made me feel like part of the family. Before too long, their friends became my friends, and my friends became their friends. Our life together painted a different picture than the one we so often see in the midst of American suburban life. Like most families, they were busy people. Their schedule was already full. The thing is, this family didn't try to fit me into their schedule. They invited me into their life. In reality, their decision to open their home and their lives to me—and to others—made their schedule richer, not harder. During the years I lived there, they didn't throw a Christmas party. They threw a Christmas decorating party. They made the chili. The guests put the lights on the tree. For anyone who was far from home, the experience offered a blessed taste of home. Their hospitality welcomed us into a new kind of family. A Promise for Outsiders The prophet Isaiah tells us about a new kind of family—a family that welcomes the outsider into a promised land filled with hope. The nations will see your righteousness, and all kings your glory; you will be called by a new name that the mouth of the Lord will bestow. ... No longer will they call you Deserted, or name your land Desolate. But you will be called Hephzibah, and your land Beulah... (Isaiah 62:2–4) Isaiah is often called the "fifth gospel" because his words point so clearly to the coming of Christ. His prophecy was written across seasons of Israel's history—from strength, to exile, to restoration. Again and again, Isaiah reminds God's people that despite hardship, they will not be forsaken. The land will not remain desolate forever. God will give His people a new name, a new identity, and a renewed future. The promise of Israel, Isaiah says, is available to all. Those themes are instructive for us as we think about the life of the church. Like Israel, we have a collective memory. Many of us remember a time when it seemed like everyone we knew went to church. Now that time has passed, and it can feel as though we're living in exile. But exile changes us. It makes us stronger. We may dream of returning to the place where we once were, but that place never looks the same. The house we grew up in always feels smaller than it did when we were kids. We can't expect the church to look the same either. Like the prophet Isaiah, we remember that no matter the hardship, the people who are ushered into God's promise are given a new name and a new family. The promise of Israel is a blazing torch for all to see. When I say Israel, I don't mean simply the nation. I mean the promise: the promise of salvation, the promise that God delights in His people, and the promise that no matter how rejected or forgotten we may feel, God desires to give us a new name. The question for us is this: How is that promise made visible through our lives? From Outsiders to Family One of the most beautiful pictures of that promise is found in the story of Epiphany—the manifestation of Christ to people outside of Israel. The Magi follow the star to the home where Mary, Joseph, and Jesus are staying. Long before many recognized who Jesus was, outsiders were welcomed into His presence. I love celebrating Epiphany because, the truth is, we wouldn't be here without it. Which brings us back to family. The Magi are outsiders who are invited inside. They bring gifts to Jesus. Their story is a tangible reminder that the whole world has been invited into the celebration of God's covenant with His people. Think about it. Israel was once a closed family. There were rules about associating with outsiders. Through Jesus, that family was opened to the whole world. The promise that Abraham's descendants would be as numerous as the stars in the sky was beautifully echoed in the star that led the wise men to Jesus. Thankfully, Jesus' family didn't have the television up too loud when the wise men came to the door. Thankfully, they didn't wait until all the laundry was folded before welcoming them inside. There was something special about this family. They revealed something of God to the world, and the world couldn't help but notice. The same should be true of our families—and of the church as a family of families. If God's covenant with His people opened the door for outsiders to become family, how might God use our own families to invite others into His life? Three Ways to Help Outsiders Experience Family One of the gifts of the family who welcomed me into their home is that they showed me hospitality isn't complicated. It often begins with ordinary acts of openness. Celebrate holy days that tell the story of Jesus. Celebrate holidays in ways that invite neighbors into God's story. For Epiphany, invite friends to bring gifts for children in need. Let the children help the wise men journey to the manger scene. On the Feast of the Presentation, host a shower or blessing for a newborn in your neighborhood. Our celebrations can become opportunities for others to experience the welcome of God. Invite people into your life—not just your schedule. The family I lived with didn't try to squeeze me into an already busy calendar. They invited me into the life they were already living. Share errands with someone who's new in town. Invite neighbors over for a spontaneous Saturday breakfast—and don't clean the house beforehand. Hospitality isn't about creating perfect moments. It's about sharing everyday life. Pray with expectation. Before you leave for the grocery store, head out to dinner, or run errands, pray with your spouse, children, or housemates. Ask God to show you someone who needs encouragement or a blessing. People in our fresh expression have made this a regular practice, and they often come back with stories of God's work in the grocery aisle or around an ordinary meal. A New Name. A New Family. The promise of Israel is the promise of a new identity, a new family, and a new name. As we live into that promise ourselves, we also have the privilege of helping others discover that the Epiphany—the manifestation of God's power revealed in Jesus—is available to all. FROM THE ARCHIVES: Some ideas become more valuable with time. This article has been lightly updated to serve today's mission while preserving the author's original vision.
The brown leaves crunched beneath my boots as my friend and I hiked a section of the Appalachian Trail. Along the way, we passed two very different kinds of hikers. There were the weekend hikers—families with dogs and daypacks headed back to cozy cabins at day's end. And then there were the thru-hikers. These were people carrying everything they owned on their backs, committed to walking hundreds—sometimes thousands—of miles. They weren't taking a holiday from the trail. They lived for it. Their hearts were set on the journey. And thru-hikers don't stay in cabins. Instead, when they're not sleeping in tents or hammocks, they stay in simple trail shelters. These small, open-air structures provide protection from the wind and rain, but they're not designed for comfort. They're places where strangers become friends, stories are exchanged, meals are shared, and then everyone heads back onto the trail. That image has stayed with me ever since. Cabins are for people who want to take a holiday from the world. Shelters are for people who see the world as their mission. The same can be true of our church buildings. When Church Buildings Become Cabins One of the greatest resources an established church has is its building. For generations, church buildings have represented faithfulness, sacrifice, and the life of a congregation. They have been places of worship, celebration, comfort, and community. But as our culture has changed, many church buildings have quietly shifted in purpose. Instead of serving as launching places for mission, they've become places where the church retreats from the world around it. They protect us from the unfamiliar. They reflect the preferences of those who call them home. They disconnect from the neighborhood. They unintentionally communicate that church happens inside these walls rather than beyond them. In other words, many church buildings slowly become cabins. Cabin or Shelter? Having a church building isn't the problem. The question is what that building is preparing people to do. Does it primarily gather people who already belong, or does it equip and send disciples into the neighborhoods God loves? How do you know? Take this simple test: Do the majority of groups and ministries of your church meet in the building? (+1 for cabin if yes, +1 for shelter if no) Do any community groups utilize your building? If so, do you know the names of the groups’ leaders and something about them? (+1 each for cabin if no, +1 each for shelter if yes) Does your church kitchen cook food mainly for church members or community members? (+1 for cabin if church, +1 for shelter if community) If you started a new ministry that utilized your building in a way for people who are not connected to your church, would your congregation be mad? (+1 for cabin if yes, +1 for shelter if no) Do congregation members see themselves as owners or stewards of the building? (+1 for cabin if owners, +1 for shelter if stewards) Ask 3 people at the nearest grocery store if they have heard of your church. (+1 for cabin if 2-3 have not, +1 for shelter if 2-3 have) In outreach events, do congregation members focus more on talking to people who enter your church campus or selling things from your church campus? (+1 for cabin if selling things, +1 for shelter if talking to people) Does your church tell more stories (in worship Sunday School, etc) of local missions and missionaries or foreign missions and missionaries? (+1 for cabin if foreign, +1 for shelter if local) "Does your church building tend to serve more as a cabin—a place for members to congregate—or as a shelter—a place to deploy people into mission?" Turning Cabins into Shelters The good news is that cabins can become shelters. It doesn't happen overnight, but it does happen one faithful step at a time. Remove the Walls Not the physical ones—at least not yet. Begin by identifying the assumptions, fears, habits, or traditions that keep your congregation disconnected from the people around you. Disrupt Comfort Comfort isn't bad, but it can quietly become the enemy of mission. Ask what small changes might help your congregation become more attentive to the needs of the neighborhood than to maintaining the status quo. Tell Better Stories Share stories of everyday missionaries in your congregation—people building friendships, serving neighbors, and noticing where God is already at work. The stories we celebrate shape the church we become. Audit Your Building Walk through every room in your church with fresh eyes. What spaces are underused? Who from your community could gather there? Could you imagine homework clubs, recovery groups, artists, neighborhood associations, music lessons, or community meals filling those rooms throughout the week? Audit Your Community Meet with local leaders—a principal, nonprofit director, mayor, librarian, or business owner. Ask them one simple question: What are the greatest needs in our community right now? Listen carefully. God often reveals new mission opportunities through the voices of our neighbors. Prayer Walk Walk your property and your neighborhood with open eyes and open hearts. Pay attention to who is there, who isn't, and what the Holy Spirit may be inviting your church to notice. Visit The Chapel (the FX Prayer page) for a downloadable Prayer Walk Guide. Find Teammates Don't try to transform your church alone. Invite others to dream, pray, and experiment with you. Mission has always been a shared journey. Turn Existing Ministries Outward Rather than creating something entirely new, consider how an existing ministry could become more outward-facing. Could your annual dinner become a neighborhood meal? Could your building become a home base for people serving in the community rather than simply a destination? A Place to Be Sent In the time and place in society we find ourselves, church buildings can be a game-changer in re-orienting toward mission and the Kingdom of God. When a church building is a shelter where travelers can gather and then see their mission as back on the trail, it can amplify the evangelistic zeal and change the direction of an existing congregation. Cabin or shelter—which will be part of your church’s story? Cabin or shelter? Which story will your church tell? FROM THE ARCHIVES: Some ideas become more valuable with time. This article has been lightly updated to serve today's mission while preserving the author's original vision.
Dinner Churches and other fresh expressions often gather people with little or no experience with church—or whose only experiences have been distant or disappointing. Many are spiritually curious but unfamiliar with Scripture, making the Bible feel confusing or inaccessible. That's why we began looking for simple "entry points" into the story of what God is doing in the world. When the early Church faced a similar challenge, they told stories about Jesus—His life, teachings, miracles, death, and resurrection. That's what the apostles proclaimed throughout the book of Acts. It's what they used for evangelism and discipleship. They trusted the stories of Jesus to introduce people to Jesus Himself. Early church gatherings often happened around tables and shared meals. There, people heard simple, focused messages built around a single story from the life of Christ. Listeners were invited into Jesus' story, and over time, Jesus was invited into theirs. These messages were usually brief. There's a reason for that. As Paul reminds us, "the gospel... is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes" (Romans 1:16). The first apostles trusted the stories of Jesus to carry the weight of their preaching. Creating a Bible for First-Time Readers We wanted a Bible that worked naturally in the Dinner Church context—one centered on the stories of Jesus found in Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, and Acts. It would provide an accessible place for people to begin without overwhelming them with study notes, cross-references, or explanations intended for experienced Bible readers. On a practical level, we also chose to remove the verse numbers. While helpful for study, they often interrupt the natural flow of the story and can feel unfamiliar to someone opening the Bible for the first time. We wanted readers to experience Scripture as a narrative that invites them in rather than as disconnected verses to analyze. We partnered with the American Bible Society to create this resource using the Contemporary English Version (CEV). We retained simple story headings while allowing the text itself to remain uncluttered. We called it Jesus Stories . Many Bibles are designed with study in mind, complete with notes and cross-references that serve mature readers well. Jesus Stories serves a different purpose. It removes many of those barriers so first-time readers can simply encounter the life of Jesus. Every guest who joins one of our Dinner Churches receives a copy as a gift, and our pastors preach from it every week. Why Stories Still Matter In a culture saturated with opinions, arguments, and endless content, stories still have a unique ability to disarm us. Rather than telling people what they should believe, the stories of Jesus invite them to encounter Him for themselves. Across our network of Dinner Churches, we've watched this simple practice awaken curiosity in people who never imagined church had anything to offer them. Week after week, guests tell us they find themselves thinking about the story long after dinner has ended. Those of us in the household of faith know why. Jesus continues revealing Himself through His own story. Over time, curiosity becomes conversation. Conversation becomes prayer. Prayer becomes a growing relationship with Christ. Three Parts of the Jesus Story Experience 1. Storytelling The speaker shares a seven-to-ten-minute message built around one story from the Gospels or Acts. Rather than offering a lengthy sermon, they read the passage and retell it in their own words, helping listeners enter the story naturally. 2. Personal Testimony The storyteller then shares how that particular story has shaped their own life. Perhaps it brought peace during a difficult season, inspired courage to take a next step, or became a source of healing and hope. The goal is simply to show how Jesus continues to meet people today. 3. Reflection and Prayer The gathering concludes by inviting everyone to reflect on what the story might be saying to them personally, followed by a generous prayer of blessing for those around the table. Why We Keep Coming Back to the Stories of Jesus We certainly teach from the whole of Scripture. Yet we intentionally allow the stories of Jesus to remain at the center of our preaching, discipleship, and evangelism. The rest of Scripture enriches and supports what we first discover in Christ Himself. More than ever, people are looking for authentic conversations about faith rather than polished presentations. Two thousand years later, the stories of Jesus are still introducing people to Jesus. We hope more churches and fresh expressions will rediscover the simple power of sharing His story. ------------------------------------------------------------- Putting It Into Practice: Telling a Jesus Story You don't need to be a preacher or Bible teacher to tell a Jesus story well. You simply need to know the story, allow it to shape you, and be willing to share it naturally with others. Step 1: Let the Story Get Inside You Choose a story from the Gospels. Start with a shorter passage, then work your way toward longer ones as you become more comfortable. Read the story several times—silently and aloud. Better yet, invite someone else to read it with you. As you become familiar with the story, reflect on these questions: What do I love about this story? What surprises or challenges me? What does this story reveal about God? What does it reveal about people? What invitation is Jesus extending to me? What will I do with this story—share it, apply it, or continue reflecting on it? Step 2: Let the Story Shape You As you spend time with the story, pay attention to how it is affecting you. Ask yourself: How does this story make me feel? Where is the tension or conflict? Which character do I most identify with? What details stand out to me or connect with my community? What questions does this story leave me with? Is Jesus inviting me to think differently, act differently, or trust Him more? Does this story make me think of someone I should share it with? Step 3: Let the Story Flow Through You Practice telling the story to someone else. Don't worry about memorizing every detail or trying to sound like a preacher. Simply tell the story in your own words while staying faithful to what Scripture says. As you prepare, consider: What is the main point I want people to notice? Which details help communicate that point? How would I naturally tell this story around a dinner table, over coffee, or in an everyday conversation? Am I telling it in a way that is understandable, accurate, and engaging? How might I encourage someone else to share this story with another person? Afterward, take a few minutes to reflect. What happened? What surprised you? If possible, invite your listener to respond to the questions from Steps 1 and 2. You may discover that God is already at work in ways you never expected.
