Finding Our Story

by Ryan Peter

“From strife to rest; from darkness to light; from death to life; from war to peace; from hate to love. This is the story of man and the story of God.”

This was one of the tag lines for The Story this weekend – three evenings of film, music, poetry and storytelling. It was a fantastic production in every way – moving and inspiring, showcasing the amazing talent we have in our community. (Yes, it was all a home-grown production!)

But what I took from The Story was such an overwhelming sense of my own sin and an even more overwhelming sense of God’s grace, and just how much bigger that grace is compared to my sin. It seems to me, after this weekend, that living with a deep sense of these two contrasting realities is necessary for a healthy Christian life. It’s partly why Jesus probably instituted that we regularly break bread, so we can remember what He did and why.

I must admit that The Story had a way of highlighting these two aspects deeply in a way that didn’t let you leave and just move on. It’s interesting how the Christian life is made up of so much sorrow (due to our sin) and so much joy (due to God’s abundant grace and mercy) all at the same time. I believe this is a good thing.

While I was moved I also had fun with friends at this weekend. If we do The Story again later on in this year I really recommend it. It’s a great opportunity to invite friends and family who may be closed to the Gospel but open to art and film, two wonderful ways of telling God’s Story.

Check out the photos below on our Facebook page.