The Power of Story: Rediscovering the Oldest, Most Natural Way to Reach People for Christ

Rating:
Summary: Mixed Opinions on this book
Review: Leighton Ford has attempted to tackle a tough issue that is (or should be)facing all churches: evangilism. Ford focuses especially on evangelizing to Generation Xers. One aspect of the book was excellent: the section dealing with "who Generation X is." He has Generation X pegged. The excerpt of a speech and Ford's own presented reserach have accurately depicted the fears, hopes, inconsistencies, and world-view of people in their late twenties and early thirties and showed how their values interconnect. He also accurately presents the problems one faces when trying to speak to members of Generation X about the Christian faith, especially their apparent inability to see any need for a god since they already have everything they need (but not limited to that view). As I've tried to speak with my friends about the Lord, I get resonses similar to the ones Ford points out to me.

Ford also does an excellent job of telling Christians what NOT to do when attempting to evangelize to Generation X, namely argue with them and/or force God into conversations. This is good advice for witnessing to just about anyone. Ford then suggests a method of witnessing that the apostle Paul had used: becoming a living example of the Love that God the Father has for all people, the Grace that Jesus Christ displayed by taking the punishment for our sins as he died on the cross, and the Fellowship that the Holy Spirit creates among people who worship God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit.

While I do admire Ford's "thinking outside the box" in coming up with this simple method of witnessing, I wonder how effective it is. Of the three fictional example stories Ford includes in the book, the only one that seems believable to me is the one concerning the Gen X sports reporter. I cannot picture the Jewish television executive or the lawyer converting to Christianity as a result of the events in the fictional stories (two of the three conversions result as tragedy enters the lives of the characters--I imagine people will turn to almost anything that will fill a painful void in their lives). Then again, I may be wrong. But whether I'm right or wrong in my thinking, I pray that the Holy Spirit, through some way, works through you to bring others to Chrsit.

Rating:
Summary: Mixed Opinions on this book
Review: Leighton Ford has attempted to tackle a tough issue that is (or should be)facing all churches: evangilism. Ford focuses especially on evangelizing to Generation Xers. One aspect of the book was excellent: the section dealing with "who Generation X is." He has Generation X pegged. The excerpt of a speech and Ford's own presented reserach have accurately depicted the fears, hopes, inconsistencies, and world-view of people in their late twenties and early thirties and showed how their values interconnect. He also accurately presents the problems one faces when trying to speak to members of Generation X about the Christian faith, especially their apparent inability to see any need for a god since they already have everything they need (but not limited to that view). As I've tried to speak with my friends about the Lord, I get resonses similar to the ones Ford points out to me.

Ford also does an excellent job of telling Christians what NOT to do when attempting to evangelize to Generation X, namely argue with them and/or force God into conversations. This is good advice for witnessing to just about anyone. Ford then suggests a method of witnessing that the apostle Paul had used: becoming a living example of the Love that God the Father has for all people, the Grace that Jesus Christ displayed by taking the punishment for our sins as he died on the cross, and the Fellowship that the Holy Spirit creates among people who worship God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit.

While I do admire Ford's "thinking outside the box" in coming up with this simple method of witnessing, I wonder how effective it is. Of the three fictional example stories Ford includes in the book, the only one that seems believable to me is the one concerning the Gen X sports reporter. I cannot picture the Jewish television executive or the lawyer converting to Christianity as a result of the events in the fictional stories (two of the three conversions result as tragedy enters the lives of the characters--I imagine people will turn to almost anything that will fill a painful void in their lives). Then again, I may be wrong. But whether I'm right or wrong in my thinking, I pray that the Holy Spirit, through some way, works through you to bring others to Chrsit.

Rating:
Summary: Opening your eyes to the unchurched
Review: The book uses story well to communicate how THE Story of Jesus can relate to today's unchurched.

I found the sections on the Fatherhood of God, the grace of the Son and the Fellowship of the Holy Spirit the most helpful as Dr. Ford uses each of these attributes of God to show how our friends need these characteristics of God in their lives and how this is how God will meet them where they are at.

It was a well thought through book and helpful for understanding our culture presented in a caring manner.