by Bre Hallberg
“People don’t need new facts—they need a new story.”
Isn’t that the truth? Have you seen this Chevy commercial? Here’s the link if you haven’t: http://www.YouTube.com/watch?v=h9OqyMSvTVM
It’s the one about the sons who find their dad’s 1965 Chevy Impala. After 20 years of family memories in this car, his dad had to sell it to make ends meet. And years later his sons found the car and bought it back and gave it to their dad. I don’t own a Chevy, but was amazed at the power of that story. They could have very easily listed all the facts, all the reasons why you should buy a Chevy, and I would have been the first one to fast-forward through that commercial. But there is something about the power of a story.
Just this month we featured a case study on TOMS. And after learning all about TOMS and reading Blake Mycoskie’s book Start Something That Matters, it confirmed the power story has. When Blake Mycoskie, founder of TOMS, saw a need, he did what few others would do—he took a chance. A trip to Argentina that was meant to be for fun opened Blake’s eyes. He had heard that kids in Argentina and other countries didn’t have shoes, but never realized what that really meant until he saw it with his own eyes. He witnessed the damaging health problems created by exposed feet, and felt the burden to do something about it.
“When you have a memorable story about who you are and what your mission is, your success no longer depends on how experienced you are or how many degrees you have or who you know. A good story transcends boundaries, breaks barriers, and opens doors.”
Blake’s shoes sold because he had a powerful story that moved people to take action.
So, what’s your story? Why is the vision and mission of your ministry so important to you? Is it part of your personal story? How often do you tell you parents and leaders stories of life change that happen through your ministry?
Stories have the power to move us to take action.
Stories have the power to invite others to be part of something that is so much bigger than themselves.
What stories are you telling?
