Jesus Cropped from the Picture

Becoming People of the Story

participants. For example, a small group Bible study that meets to study books that emphasize a Substitute Center may be locking its members “in a SLIM prison” (see Chapter 11). It may be better for the small group to reconsider their study materials rather than risk continued exposure to the SLIMming Effect. A third question is, “Does this activity use Target Marketing to segment the congregation, or does it promote a sense of loyalty to the Church Universal and the local church?” For example, does the women’s Bible study have its own sense of identity apart from the local church, or are the women consistently aware of their connection to the whole? Perhaps it has it become its own affinity group (church B). Every dimension of church life must embody, re-enact, and express the Story through theology, worship, discipleship, and outreach. The process of target marketing can be reversed through a re-integration around the Story. Therefore, children, teens, adults, men’s and women’s ministries, small groups, substance abuse groups, counseling ministries, elder and deacon boards, Bible studies, Sunday school classes, and short-term mission teams all must see themselves in light of the Story. Developing an identity, as People of the Story , is a process that can occur at the simplest levels. For example a faithful nursery worker, who lovingly holds babies each week, is doing powerful Kingdom work. The baby’s parents are freed up for worship and the child experiences the security of being loved by an extended family of faith. Without saying a word, the tender servant of God is passing on a sense of

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