Know Their Story is Live!
Ep 1 – Listening with Love with Pastor Ritch
January 24, 2025
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Episode Summary:
In this episode of Know Their Story, host Jimmy Houck, Outreach Minister at Bethany Church, sits down with Pastor Ritch to explore the power of listening in evangelism. Bethany Church has set a bold goal for 2025: to engage in 2,000 meaningful conversations, truly hearing people’s stories as a way to share Christ’s love.
Jimmy and Pastor Ritch discuss how listening is an act of love, drawing from biblical stories like Hannah’s, and how God’s relationship with humanity begins with attentive listening. They break down the three key stages of sharing Christ—Praying, Knowing Their Story, and Proclaiming—and why skipping straight to proclamation can miss the heart of meaningful evangelism.
Pastor Ritch shares personal experiences, practical evangelism strategies, and the importance of taking an authentic interest in others. He challenges listeners to step outside their comfort zones, engage in spiritual conversations, and reflect Christ’s love by truly listening.
The episode wraps up with actionable ways to practice this in daily life—whether in casual encounters or long-term relationships—showing that even small conversations can open doors to life-changing faith.
Key Quotes:
🗣 “Love does listen. If we truly love others, we will listen to their stories just as God listens to ours.”
🔥 “God doesn’t need us to be happy, but He gives Himself so that we can be happy in Him.”
🤝 “You don’t have to know someone’s entire life story to start a conversation that matters.”
🏡 “If five believers in a neighborhood each spoke to their neighbors, the message would no longer seem like a one-off—it would be a movement.”
