The Know Their Story initiative has been all about learning to notice and love the people around you. It’s about stepping into conversations where others feel safe enough to share deeply with you—not just so you can see if the door is open to share the gospel, but because you...

In Paul’s letter to the Romans, he wrote something surprisingly humble and deeply insightful: “For I long to see you so that I may impart some spiritual gift to you that you may be established; that is, that I may be encouraged together with you while among you, each of...

This year, you’re likely to meet people who want to share their stories—but who may have no interest in hearing the gospel. Some of those stories will celebrate sin. Some will reflect deep spiritual confusion or even hostility toward truth. And some may genuinely offend you. So what do we...

When Jesus sent out His disciples, He gave them this instruction: “Be wise as serpents and innocent as doves” (Matthew 10:16). It’s a beautiful pairing of intentionality and character. Being wise as serpents means being thoughtful, discerning, and strategic about how we engage with the people around us. It reminds...

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said: “You are the salt of the earth… You are the light of the world… let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 5:13-16) It’s easy...

Last week, we talked about having simple conversation starters—or “handshakes”—ready in your back pocket to break the ice. This week, we’re focusing on the next step: “bridge” questions—the kind that help move a conversation from surface-level to something deeper and more meaningful. I’ve found that bridge questions tend to fall...

One of the most helpful tools in personal evangelism is having a few good questions “in your back pocket.” These are the questions you can pull out at the right moment—one type breaks the ice and opens a conversation, while the other helps move the conversation to a deeper, more...

The number one reason I don’t initiate conversations with strangers isn’t that I think they’re too busy. It’s not because I’ve tried and been ignored too many times. It’s not even because I can’t think of something warm and friendly to say. It’s because I’m too busy. I rush from...

Colossians 4:5 says, “Conduct yourselves with wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of the opportunity.” Making the most of an opportunity doesn’t always mean diving into a deep conversation or sharing the gospel immediately. Sometimes, it’s as simple as offering a warm smile, speaking a kind word, or asking a...

Colossians 4:2 urges us to “devote ourselves to prayer.” But what exactly should we pray for? Colossians 4:3 provides a clear answer: pray for open doors for the gospel. When someone shares a personal story with you, they are opening a door into their life. These moments are opportunities to...

One of the goals of “Know Their Story” is to help us, as a church, grow more comfortable initiating meaningful conversations with both acquaintances and strangers. Every day, we cross paths with people who need to experience God’s love and hear the good news about Jesus. But in our eagerness...

This year, we’re embarking on an incredible journey — to hear 2,000 new stories in our community. Everyone has a story, and as a church, we believe that truly listening, engaging, and caring for others is a key step in sharing God’s love. That’s why we’re launching the “Know Their...

Today is our travel day. We have a group that left at around 7am and another group that flew out at around 9am. My group had a pretty smooth trip home, but the other group had some challenges as some important items didn’t arrive when expected in Peoria when the...

This was our final day ministering in NYC. We went to Central Park. While we were in Central park we took a little time to visit Trump tower and the Plaza hotel where Kevin McCallister spent so much of his Christmas vacation back in 1992 (movie reference!). Sully and I...

A story wall is an invitation to those who are passing by to come and write out a short story from their lives and literally nail it to a wall. It can be a story of struggles and obstacles. It could be a story from childhood. It could even be...