September 30th, 2007

Last night was rainy, rainy. We missed Thursday night and rescheduled for Friday so as not to interrupt our storying rhythm. We met in the house of the couple we are evangelizing and not in the usual house. After eating brownies and ice-cream to celebrate a birthday. I asked the group if they remembered the story from last week. Everyone remembered a piece of it, but no one could tell it through. I told it again.

(At this point I am doubting myself again. When I began with this group, I was pretty strict about them learning the story and repeating it. I began to think it was using up too much time and cut out the second retelling by the learners. Now I am worried that this was not a good idea. They are familiar with the story and remember the highlights, but cant retell the story.)

After retelling the story of Jesus resurrecting Lazarus, I told more of the story of Jesus. This time I picked up where I left off last week with them, Jesus had just resurrected Lazarus and all the people who heard about it were starting to believe in Jesus. The religious leaders and the Chief Priest had already decided that they needed to kill Jesus. Tonight I told about their deal with Judas and the preparations that the disciples made for the passover dinner. I told of what happened in the upper room and of the arrest in the garden and how all the disciples abandoned Jesus and of Peter's betrayal. I ended the story with Jesus alone at Caiaphas's house, having been betrayed, abandoned and denied.

Next week I will tell of the trial and crucifixion of Jesus ending with his burial. I might go ahead and tell some resurrection stories as well, but it depends on how much time we have. Not only do I need to tell the story, I need teach it to them, so that they can remember and retell the story.

The couple who invited me to start this Bible storying group told me that the unevangelize couple is wanting to receive Christ, so I will give them this opportunity on Thursday.