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Stories of Hurt, Brokenness and Struggle With God

I love the story telling we do at Gateway Church.  We are culture creators who make it OK to struggle. By telling stories in our Sunday morning services about pain, doubt and fear we are helping people in the seats recognize its OK to be a struggler here because ‘no perfect people are allowed.’

Through powerful story telling we are creating culture.  A culture that makes it OK to struggle, to get in touch with your soul and to understand God’s hope.  We are all masterpieces living under the mud of choices and sin.  God is restoring our community at Gateway.

I met a girl yesterday who told me the wall between her and God has been her same sex relationships the past two years.  She has been scared of God because of it.  Last week she let go of those relationships and put her faith in Jesus.  She is believing and hoping in a new way forward. Her future about same sex attraction is unknown.

However, no one told this sweet high school girl that she needed to stop her behavior and do what the Bible says sexually.  What happened was being adopted into a family of loving Christ followers, literally, who told her over and over again about the love of God in Jesus.  She was wooed to Him.  She is living in abundant grace and hope with a heart choice to change her behavior.  I wish you could meet her and see the smile on her face.

Watch these three short video stories about doubt, struggle and fear.

We have created a rich culture of authenticity at Gateway through story telling. This video clip was shown on Sunday morning during our ‘Walls’ Series about why we have mental, relational, and spiritual walls up in our lives that keep us from considering and living in God’s ways.

Here is a link to the message following this clip: Walls Week Two Message – Naming Your Walls

What kind of culture are you creating in your church through sharing stories?  Who are the heroes of your stories – the ones who overcome everything? – or the ones who doubt and struggle?