Today on the Evangelist Podcast we hear about the Story Durham mission.
SPEAKER_01The Evangelists Podcast. Encouragement to speak life to a needy world. With Glenn Scrivener and Andy Brinkley.
SPEAKER_00Welcome back to the Evangelist Podcast, where we encourage you in your Christian witness, bringing you interviews and info useful in evangelism. I'm Andy Brinkley, and my colleague and boss, Glenn Scrivener, is currently away on mission in Belfast. He's taking part in their Story Belfast week. But while Glenn was in Durham last week, he caught up with some of the team involved in putting on the missions week. They are Sam UD, Niv Lobo, and Noah Strange. For those of you who don't know what the story missions are about, I'm going to give you a quick overview. So the week comprises of a number of different speakers, who each have their own sort of unique life story. They might come from any walk of life, like an artist, a banker, drug addicts, etc. But they've all come to know and love the Lord Jesus. So as the week progresses, one of them each meeting is interviewed for about half an hour, and then the speaker in this case, Glenn, uh shares the gospel and relates it to that person's life story. As I understand it, there's been very good response. People love to hear other people's stories. That's what all the you know newspapers and magazines and you know soaps on television, other people's stories. It gives a good opening, doesn't it, when when you say to someone what's your story? or maybe they ask you, and you can give your testimony. It's not necessarily a new idea. Roger Carswell's been doing this for years, uh, but it has been very effective in communicating the gospel in a in a relatable way. So let's hear the interview then.
SPEAKER_05So here we are at Story Durham 2017. It's very, very exciting. It's uh it's been in Christian Today. Is it is that a magazine, an online magazine? Yeah, and did you so I'm with Sam Udy, and I'm with Noah Strange, and I'm with Liv Lobo, um, and uh some of the brains trust behind uh Story Durham in 2017. But uh Sam, you just did uh did you do an interview with Christian today? Were they interested?
SPEAKER_03I did, yeah. They'd heard about um Story running in Durham and a few CUs around the country since it first started in Durham last year, and they wanted to hear what's been going on, um chat about the vision behind it and the impact it's been having. Um and it's a friend from home actually who works with Christian today, so he gave me a call yesterday afternoon.
SPEAKER_05Ah it's who you know, isn't it?
SPEAKER_03It is definitely who you know.
SPEAKER_05But everybody knows about Story. In fact, everyone knows so much about Story, I'm about to go to Belfast, and they're about to do a mission, and guess what they're calling it? Story Belfast. Come on. Yeah, yeah. And we think there are how many different stories around the place this year? I think there's at least 10 in other unis. It's hard to tell. Amazing. Why have so many different universities picked this up? Oh, that is a fantastic question.
SPEAKER_03Um I ask fantastic questions. I really do. Do you know earlier today uh Glenn followed me on Twitter for the first time because of the actually my high my highlight of story 2017? Um I I think I think people have um have picked up on a a tool that is a fantastic way to engage students and people um uh in 2016-2017. I think um uh well I could take you back to the to the start if you like. Um I was a student in Durham and I reflected on my first two mission weeks here, which were which were fantastic, um, but saw that there were people in the city in the student culture we weren't reaching. Um, and so we set out to ask the question who are the people that we aren't reaching and why, and what can we do differently to change that? Um I think the main thing was was challenging a misconception and a preconception that uh from a from a small but significant part of the student body that the Christians are out to convert and to preach and to Bible bash. Um and to be honest, if there's even one person in Durham that thinks that and that's stopping them from coming to an event, I would love to try and challenge that um misconception. Um and stories I think are a really powerful way of communicating a lot of things, they communicate um uh value and purpose for people that you talk to when you say what's your story. Um they cut through intellectual questions to questions of identity and the heart, and they provoke self-reflection, but they're also universal because everyone has one. So it's a stories are a platform that I think everyone can engage with. Um and I think I think that might be one of the things that CUs around the country, or at least in Durham, we've we've picked up on. Um, that the fact that life stories are universal means that that's a fantastic tool to engage with. Um a few months ago we had the the um pleasure of gathering together as as a UCCF staff and relay team, and um Richard Cunningham gave an address, and and in it he was reflecting on um different cultural engagement in 2017, and he reflected on on Brexit and um Donald Trump's election as president um of the United States and our tendency uh to polarise opinions. Um, and he reflected on that and then said that the one thing that was needed then was empathy. Um and I think that's really that's really translatable to to story by putting someone up on a stage and um interviewing them for half an hour, you're forcing uh your audience to empathize with a person. It's very easy to disagree with someone intellectually and reject them on the basis of their beliefs, but it's very, very difficult to reject someone's personal experience. Um we've reflected a little bit on um how you engage students uh in a culture that says, well, where people can say, well, that's good for you but not for me, it's true for you but not for me. Um that's difficult. But the incredible thing about that is that um it's very difficult in that same culture for a student to reject someone else's personal experience. And so seeing someone on a platform being interviewed and sharing their life story has been a way that people who would I think tend to polarize who aren't Christians, they've been forced to engage with the story. Um and I've just found that fascinating to see it unfold, and I think that's reflected in the the really warm and open atmosphere because people's first engagement with the gospel at an event isn't the preach, it's through the medium of someone's story.
SPEAKER_05Yeah, and for years Roger Carswell, who came in and did the talks last year, for years he's been doing these things called Transformed Lives or Real Lives, where he interviews somebody and then preaches off the back of it. And and now, I mean, Roger doesn't go anywhere without doing that sort of format. And so was that kind of in conversation with him as well about how the evenings would run?
SPEAKER_03Yeah, you know, it's actually it was it was almost coincidental we had a a bit of a plan for that, and the fact that it we thought it could be good to do interviews, and that's his style anyway. Um so the two fitted really well together. Um yeah. So last year you had people like Major Major General Tim Cross? Yeah, I think the same as true and Noah, perhaps we'll say later, for both years to try and get a variety of stories. Um there's a half an hour interview every evening, um, and to get a variety of stories of Christians in different spheres of society um to share how their lives have been impacted by their faith. So we had Tim Cross, who is the most senior British Army officer involved in post-war planning in Iraq. Um we had a former UVF terrorist, and then this year Noah and his team have got Ken Koster, who um was the chairman of Lazard, he's an investment banker, um had a musician, an entrepreneur, um, and the last night, last year and this year is a student as well. Um I think it's that breadth of story that that captures different people in the student world. Um the fascinating thing with that I think is that we've had students coming along who would never go to a evangelistic event at a church, and after course Christianity explored, and have no interest in exploring faith, but are fascinated with the story of how a banker can call himself a Christian, or how a terrorist can say he's forgiven. And so I think that that thing of trying to reach more people has been shown by people turning up who said they've never come before, but they just are interested to hear.
SPEAKER_05Um we're sat here in uh a tent in the middle of a field.
SPEAKER_03It's a rather large tent. It is. The lights are currently off, and so is the heating, so it's behind the staircall.
SPEAKER_05We haven't put the generator on yet, uh, and so we're huddled around my iPhone with its little light going. Um but when the generator uh comes on, um there is this massive sound and light show. I mean we've we've got screens and we've got uh it's it's done up really, really nicely. Uh why is that a value for you? That when people I mean, because just at lunchtime I came in and behind me there was like this guy who was obviously his first time at Story, he's like, no way, they have spent money on this. Um and yeah, you have spent money on this, but why is that a value for you?
SPEAKER_03Yeah, good question. Um I think I think a few of our team came to realise very quickly that um you're always communicating something. Um nothing is ever neutral. And so when a person walks into a venue, um if they're given a cup of weak orange squash in a plastic cup, that communicates something. Right. Um if they're given a high-quality coffee with nice latte art on the top, that communicates something else. Um I think I think for a while I've probably tended to think that evangelistic events should look nice and be hospitable because it makes people feel at home and helps them open up and relax. Um my thing on that I think has changed and evolved, and I think that um that excellence uh events makes the gospel tangible to people. I think if if you, Glenn, were to stand up on the stage and talk about how welcoming Christ is, um, if that welcome wasn't reflected in the way that people were treated when they walked in a venue, there's a disconnect. Um I I think I'm I'm fascinated by some of the responses we've had last year and this year of people who reflect on how personal the events in this marquee feel and how valued they feel by um the people putting this event on who they don't even know. Um and then when they come to hear about what Jesus did for them and what he's really like, it just it it kind of all fits together like a jigsaw. Um I think that's why we have a high high value for essence.
SPEAKER_05And and you know, branding doesn't bring anyone into the kingdom, but in an age in which this is the way that we're interacting with our friends and drawing people in and inviting them, um obviously that's that's been a high value for you because I mean the the branding, the video, um, the websites, um, that's all been just superb, really.
SPEAKER_03Yeah. I I think I'd say two things on that. The first would be I read a fascinating article by a um a graphic designer in Sydney who wasn't a Christian, and he um would drive around Sydney and he saw church billboards that by his own standards as a graphic designer were excellent. And there was something he wrote that there was something about that that people in the church were doing things that by his standards were excellent that drew him in, and he ended up going to a church, and one of the churches they did design very well, and he got saved. Um that I think is amazing. Um I actually can't remember what the other thing I was gonna say was. So, what was your question then?
SPEAKER_05Um there wasn't really a question.
SPEAKER_03As we stream it, my voice goes up at the end of a sentence, so it seems like something great to say. I just can't remember what it was. That first sentence. Oh well, uh branding. I I think I think in the last few years we've we've definitely seen a shift in the way that millennials and students uh engage with content uh and engage with um events and branding. I think flies are great, but my experience of university is that no one comes to an event off the back of a flyer. Um that probably wouldn't be true.
SPEAKER_05It depends on the university.
SPEAKER_03Well, it does. And so I'm speaking specifically in the Durham context. Flyer engage isn't really a thing. So it's it's fantastic to reinforce something that people are already aware of. Um and it it genuinely does have a place, but I think we we recognise that social media is a very powerful tool that in our context in Durham just hadn't really been harnessed. Um and so we uh last year and the NORA and the team this year created a really high-quality video and worked hard at engaging people online. Um the video this year has been viewed by 40,000 um unique people. Um some of the testimonies have been read uh 10,000 times in a film that we published online. Wow. Um last year actually someone uh watched a video, um the promotional video, and was so captured by that that they came to the marquee by themselves, purely off the back of the video. And I think if I'm I think I'm right in saying they then became a Christian because they saw something that was excellent that drew them in.
SPEAKER_05Yeah, I believe in videos, that's good. And so so Noah, you are Hello! Hi. You uh what's what is your title? Grand Poobah of missions Story Chair? Story story maker.
SPEAKER_02That's what me and sound call it, probably officially Story Chair. Okay.
SPEAKER_05And so was there much of a dis was there much of a discussion after you had the great success of Story 2016? Did it take you a long time to agonize over should we do this again or should we try something different?
SPEAKER_02Um I think yes and no. I think it was a very quick decision because I knew like my gut thinking was that was so good and do it again. But I did take my time over it, and I think I'm really glad that I did because I think it it is rare, and I don't know that many others, and I think we'll see, as we've kind of said, a lot of other universities are doing story now. I'll be very interested to see next year if that carries on, if this is like a new thing for universities to do, and I think it is rare for an event suite to do two years in a row, even despite the incredible success last year was. Um, and so I spent a lot of time talking to my team and thinking about it myself, and thinking I don't just want to create the same um week again, I don't want to do it all over again so someone thinks, oh, I did that story last year, and so I don't really want to come again this year. Um and so yeah, it was an easy decision, but I did take my time doing it because I think it is a very important one. I think one that has worked clearly. Um I think it's important to um yeah spend time over that. Well familiarity is quite important, I think.
SPEAKER_05So I mean I've spoken to to loads of people, they're not members of the CU, but they did come along to stuff last year and they know what they're getting, and they feel safe. And it's yeah, and because of the professionalism of it, and because it's a recognized brand, it's something that's easy to kind of slide into and listen. How big is your team?
SPEAKER_02Uh nine people.
SPEAKER_05Wow.
SPEAKER_02Um, yeah, so it is uh a big operation, there is a lot to do, yeah. Um and so yeah, it kind of functions. So we have obviously the CEU exec um um running the whole C, but then there is nine people in that, and there is also nine people in my team for running this week. It is uh a big operation and has taken a lot of time.
SPEAKER_05Has anyone like done the maths on how many how many hours you guys have spent on this? I don't think I'd like to know, to be honest.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_05Your tutors don't want to know.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, my my supervisor when I met with him the other week, he's like, I do really like your project now, but I mean you really should do a lot more. I was like, maybe next week. Next week. Yeah, yeah. So studies have been a little bit on hold this week. Yeah, but they've been on hold for for a good while now. But I think that's fine. Two or three years, yeah. Yeah. I think it's that and I think the team bit is so crucial to it. Like this only happens, you only do something to this scale whilst everyone is still doing a degree, um, if everyone on the team is really behind um what you're doing, and so yeah, I think it is important that we as a team we we are a really close and tight team because we have to be. We spend so much time together, um, we make important decisions together, we've produced this kind of big event that a lot of people have come to. Um, and I think that basically just comes down to me and my team really getting behind what we're doing, and I think then that translates to the right to see you and why so many people have come to help out and be involved. And yeah, you really need to see you behind this and and inviting people.
SPEAKER_05It would be uh dreadful to have such a huge maquis and uh nobody come. But uh I I've been astonished, you know.
SPEAKER_02How old are you, Noah? Uh uh 20. 20. I think how am I 20? Turn 20 in December, yeah.
SPEAKER_05Yeah, at 20 at 20 years old, there's no way I could have like pulled off anything like this. It's been astonishing to see just the levels of maturity and organization, and uh yeah, this is this is a hugely big deal. Yeah. And so tell us tell us some good stories about this week.
SPEAKER_02What's got what's gotten you excited about this week? I think just I I was just looking there. My friend just sent me a text. Um, he's um friends of um Sam as well and came along to Story last year, and he just sent me a text. It's quite long, but he started it with hey mate, just wanted to say that I thought Story was great again this year, even for a non-believer like me. Seriously, though cracking job. And I think I think for me I've been amazed, and like uh we kind of so we have a cafe as well, um, kind of run lunch bars and evening events, much like every events week. Um, but because we have a marquee, we have a cafe as well, and like Sam said, we serve good coffee, um, and we want this to be uh a really great space for conversation to happen outside of the events. Um I think for me, I think in doing all this operation, I haven't been able to do as much of kind of the conversation, the on-the-ground stuff that I enjoy doing. I love speaking to my friends by Jesus, um, but I haven't been able to do that. So for me, the highlights have been one, seeing everyone else do that, and see that I think for me, I felt the highlight was last night after the talk, um, after kind of the event finished, there were hundreds of people that stayed for another hour just chatting. And some of those are about their degrees, some of them, you know, it's not about kind of Jesus and life and Christianity, but a lot of them were. Um, and for me that's been a real highlight, and just to then see some of my friends um who came along for a coffee because they probably wouldn't come to an event, and then be like, oh, I might as well just stay. Um, and for me that's been a real encouragement. Um, and yeah, there's been just some fantastic stories, um, and I think that's why I wanted to put together, I wanted to put together a week that um one is really welcoming and engaging. We have this marquee that this is lovely, a privilege of having such a wonderful space to have these conversations, but then doing things that aren't the same every night and having real variety in what we're doing. Um, and so there's something here for everyone, um, and everyone can um engage with part of it and and come along. And yeah, I feel that's yeah.
SPEAKER_05We had the the great good news just before we started recording. There's a guy who's been coming pretty much to everything in the last week, ever since Sunday evening, just just coming back and back and back and back. And and one of the CU guests had the privilege of just praying with him. Amazing. Astonishing. If it was just him, then it would be all worth it, wouldn't it? Yeah. On Tuesday we had the gang leader Ryan Lennon, and I mean he had a story that in many ways I hope no one else has. I hope that none of the other 700 who came actually shared in in uh a lot of the horrors that he had to go through in his life. But actually, just him being open and honest just prized open a whole bunch of other people who were open and honest about their own stories, even though they didn't have the same difficulties that he had. But honesty begets honesty, doesn't it? And and that's been so important. As people open up, then you can preach Jesus into the situation.
SPEAKER_04And I know one of the things we've appreciated, I think we were talking about this earlier actually, is the way that um you Glenn have worked hard to take what your interviewers no, don't stop recording for this, but have worked hard to take what the interviewees have said and proclaim the gospel in the light of that, picking up little um nice touches they had or particularly prized moments in their story. And I think that's um that's a selfless thing for you to do as a speaker, uh, and it's it's more demanding than just getting up there and and and hammering at what you're gonna say anyway. But I think the gains for that in the long term are just so much richer. And I I remember uh I remember thinking that when we heard Rupaine's story on Monday night, but then again, I think it was last night, and there was a mention back to him. For anyone who'd come to that, and I think plenty of people had, that was just a wonderful bit of continuity that really said, No, we do care about stories. The fact we interviewed that guy was not just uh, you know, now it's done. Um that's been a really great way to set the spirit of this event, Glenn. So thanks for that.
SPEAKER_05Yeah, well, off the off the back of it. I mean, there's there's different events you're invited into to preach off the back of. And actually, having spoken with someone about the most deep things about their life, that is the best platform for preaching the gospel from. Um yeah, which is why Roger Carswell never does anything else these days, and and I'm starting to get set in my ways like that too. Um and I'm here with Niv Lobo as well. So, Niv, you are a UCCF staff worker, and this is kind of your job. This is a good job to have.
SPEAKER_04It's an amazing job to have. It's not all my job. Um, this is really something that happens uh maybe three or four weeks in in my year, and the rest of the time is also brilliant because I get to spend time with wonderful young Christian students who, like Sam and Noah, are taking a lead, are making Christ known, and even though they are young, um age-wise, are doing the most extraordinary things for the Lord. It's beautiful to see and it's great to be a part of. But yeah, I've I've loved this week, it's been such a privilege to be here.
SPEAKER_05Yeah. And you've been doing the lunchtime talks tackling some big objections to Christian faith. What are you trying to do in your lunchtime talks? So you've got about 20 minutes with them, and then there's some QA. So, what's what's your motivation? What's your tactics?
SPEAKER_04Well, I suppose first to remember that uh every question is being sincerely asked by people made in God's image, and they matter, and their question matters. And so the the pain or confusion or angst that's behind those questions is is something we've got to take seriously. But also, and above that, that the scale and beauty of the response that we find in Christ is sufficient and wonderful. And I suppose we're longing to marry the two, to identify with where people are coming from when they ask that question, persuasively to articulate what Christ brings to that, and to invite them away from something that's hollowing them out in the long run, to the one who'll give them life. Um I'm not sure how easy that is to do, and I I I just think when you when you realise the scale on both counts, the the the depth of the question being asked and the height of the response we've got to give back. Right. It's tricky, but it's wonderful.
SPEAKER_05And where do you where do you how do you kind of balance that thing? Because on on the one hand, um questions can be smoke screens for all sorts of reasons why people don't want to believe. And on the other hand, questions are coming from from deep places of interest, and there's such a thing as seeking after the law. So how do you discern what where a question is coming from?
SPEAKER_04It's very difficult. We long to be dialogical, and that's easier conversation because hey, there they are. You can have a literal dialogue. But in one of these, you do have to make the a charitable assumption that the question is being truly asked by people who really mean it. But I I I think I think that is just the the way I have to go.
SPEAKER_05Yeah, yeah. So what have been some of your highlights? And you guys can chip in as well. What have been some of your highlights this week?
SPEAKER_04Um well I think so I I do an awful lot of this and I love it, and I'm blessed to be part of something called Christian Persuaders that Richard Cunningham sort of steers uh via UCCR. I think UCCR, indeed, the director of UCCF. But thinking about how we train people to articulate the gospel in this context and how to commend Christian truth in a manner keeping with the beauty and and compelling nature of that truth. Um let me just reflect on what's different about the story. I think how hard the students have worked to create a space and an environment in which people are valued and welcomed in means that there's a civility to the tone, which is just beautiful. It means that the discussions we're having are are meaningful ones. And like today, someone will say, Oh, I see that, but I have to know about this, and I can come back. But it it doesn't feel like a fist fight. Right. Um and that's lovely. I uh no one wants to be in an arm wrestling match after a talk about suffering. Yes. Um and so that we have a hospitable space. People can come and bring the question. That's a beautiful thing we're part of here.
SPEAKER_05And isn't that interesting? Like if it was held in a lecture theatre, perhaps even that very environment would make it feel a little bit more like an intellectual arm wrestle. And maybe the fact that this feels a lot more like a I don't know, like a posh wedding reception or something. Here we are in this market. My wedding is not gonna look this nice. That's what I've been thinking about. You should you should hold it in February next year. Posh get Darm C to go. That'll be something else. It's not really used during the day, right?
SPEAKER_03So what have been your highlights, Sam? Well, I I think I actually I'd pick up on and major on something that Niv alluded to. And Noah and his team are far too modest, I think, to use language like this. But um, his team, and then you two is uh Niv and Glenn as speakers, have have worked together to I think genuinely create a culture um around this week. What's what's fascinating is is multiple experiences I've had this week where I've sat down with people who don't go to church and they've sat in front of me and they've said, So what's your story? And asked me to share my testimony. Right. Um and that that isn't just a random question, it's a reflection of people starting to engage with a brand, if you want to call it that, or a or a method of engagement with with bigger questions of life and faith and meaning. Um and I think the marquee has has been the central point for that. But actually, there are conversations going on around the city that are based around this story theme. Um, and that's really the the personal element that Niv was just talking about, I think, has been really present, and I love seeing people being able to reflect on and and appreciate space to engage with uh spirituality or faith or Christianity and not feel pressured without any of us copping out and just saying, here, just come and find your own meaning. Um I don't think any of the content really is different to to other mission weeks, but the tone and the atmosphere in this marquee is is incredibly unique.
SPEAKER_04I spoke to someone yesterday who says I'd love to see a story done done by a Muslim society or another society. And then he paused and went, but they probably wouldn't. This is the kind of thing you guys care about, which I think was a lovely underlining of what Noah and his team have been trying to do.
SPEAKER_05Yeah, it's a it's a true expression of Christian faith. It's not just yeah, there's this packaging and we've you know got this accidental Christian message in the middle of it. What's next for people, Noah, if uh they've come along to a story and they've gotten interested. I guess follow-up has got to be a major concern as well.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, I think it's uh something I would love to have uh more time for, and something I've just been sitting down with uh um Karis who's uh heading up uh eventually, wherever they want to call it, uh, next year in Durham, and my I have loads of things to say about things I would have done differently, but my major one is follow-up. Um we have a course, um, it's called Story Continues, it's gonna be really good. Um, and it's running the three weeks that are left of um of terms. Um but I could have done that a lot better, we could have done that as a team a lot better as a CU. Um we could have done that a lot better. So yeah, follow-up is crucial, and especially to have the conversations we're having this week to then dye them off and kind of cut it off as soon as you lose the marquee, and this goes back to just being a school field. Um, I think it's more than just a shame. I think it's actually I think it's terrible. I think it's like not there's no worth in us doing this because we have heard some incredible stories of people committing um to following Jesus for the rest of their life this week, but for the majority, it is oh, I'm a little bit more interested now, or I now trust a Christian, or I now might come to church one week. Um, and to leave them there is very wrong of us, and so we've tried um we've yeah, we have this course, and I think we've also really stressed to people obviously we're giving out uncovered um gospels at every event and every single gospels, and so yeah, and so that's uh I guess that's one way of doing it, and that we really want people to take it away and then encouraging the CU in in kind of when we meet um following story to say, look, like don't just leave this. This wasn't a story that's great, like we should be staring Jesus, you'd be sharing your story and asking an interested people in in other people's stories the whole year, let alone 20th to 24th of February. Um but yeah, I think it's crucial and something I would like to have done a lot better, and something I think Darm CU will do very well next year.
SPEAKER_05No, I th I think you are doing, and especially because you've served the CU by making something so easy to invite their friends to. Yeah. So it's just it's just so easy to bring a friend. It's been so easy to bring a friend to the you know, Christmas carols and the cathedral, so easy to bring people here. And then you've got to trust that those relationships are are where discipleship happens actually.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, yeah, definitely. I don't know what your experience has been, Glenn, but the the people I've been able to pray with after an event, either to accept the Lords for the first time or recommit, it's always been me and their Christian mate with them. Yes, and that's been really lovely because I've known ah good, they're gonna go on with a friend who'll say, let's keep going, let's know the Lord together.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, yeah. I think one thing I really tried to um major on in our prep for this was that story isn't just kind of me and my team putting on really nice events so that you have something to invite them to. That is obviously one part of it, and one part of it has worked well, but actually it's I really want you guys to be a part of this. Durham C you are hosting Story, not Noah Strange and his team. Um, and so because of that, they feel more invested. Um, it's a we rather than a me. And so that I hope then that carries through, and it's clearly carried, it's it's clearly worked in the week that people have invited their friends to, not just because they have something to invite them to, but because they are part of the thing that they are inviting them to. And I I would love, and I hope, and we'll I guess we'll see in the next few weeks and yeah, that that carries on, that is a we uh and not um no a stranger's story.
SPEAKER_05Yeah, and you know, and one of the huge benefits of a mission is Christians uh just see how good the good news is, you know, when you share Jesus, you start to go, yeah, Jesus is quite good, um, isn't he? And yeah, you understand all the good things you have in Christ when you share him with others. So uh you'll have blessed the CU, you've totally blessed Durham uh as a community, and um and you've blessed the rest of the Christian communities as they've looked on and seen here is a format that works and here's something that can be multiplied throughout the the country and around the world. Let's let's see, let's see a story around the world with the world.
SPEAKER_03There's there's rumors of us of one story in Michigan, which we have been able to confirm, and also a story in in somewhere in Southeast Asia, again unconfirmed. We've been told by Lindsay Brown, um who is a reputable source that that's true, but we can't verify it.
SPEAKER_05Well, you know what I believe, evangelists. You know what they're like with the statistics. Guys, you've done a tremendous job. It's been such a privilege to come here, and uh, you've built a platform for the gospel, and it's just been the easiest thing in the world to stand up and say Jesus on it. And uh so uh we will keep on praying for people at Durham to uh yeah, to go on knowing the Lord. But thanks guys. Thank you very much.
SPEAKER_00So that was Glenn Scrivener talking to Sam Udie, Noah Strange, and Niv Lobo, who've helped to put on the Story Durham event at uh Durham University this year. So what's your story? Why not have a think about how you and your church, youth group, college, or university could draw people to the gospel with stories? You know, one thing we could do is write down our story and print it off as a tract for people to read. I know one church here in Eastbourne, uh and they've got a number of church members who've written their testimony, and it's been sort of typed up and put into a booklet, and uh they've been put the booklets have been put in the foyer of the church, so if any visitors come, they pick up this I don't know if there's a picture of the person or not, but um you know, it just gives uh sort of a relatable story, and someone could pick that up and say, Oh, that that could be just like me. Um and when you think about it, it's not surprising uh that a lot of the Bible is story. The story of Adam and Eve and Abraham and Isaac and Israel and the kings and how God is going to He brings judgment and then he redeems and then Jesus comes his whole story, isn't it? Um and when Jesus came he he told stories. That was part of his ministry, is that he told stories to get the message across. And history is basically his story, isn't it? And of course that history is not finished, his story is not finished, and neither is ours. So anyway, that's it for now. Don't forget to subscribe to the Evangelist Podcast for more encouraging episodes. If you don't know where to go, just go to speaklife.org.uk slash tep, and that will take you to the podcast page where you can subscribe. Thanks very much for listening.