I am a youth leader who, quite honestly, is ignorant of most things biblical. I have heard all of the common stories and can tell you roughly what they mean, but my memory is weak at best and details are lost on me, meanings forgotten, and my ability to have any sort of meaningful conversation about any story in the bible is limited. In the past, that hasn’t really mattered since nobody really asked any questions. The teens listened to the sermons and heard the stories, and then we moved on to socializing and game playing.

Then we started ‘the God story’. For the first time ever, I am hearing the stories and they are taking on a life of their own. The people involved are taking on real meaning to me. For the first time, Noah, Cain & Abel, Adam & Eve, etc., are seeming relevant to me, and I am relating to them in all sorts of ways. I am actually excited to go to our youth events, not just to socialize with the teens, but to also hear more and revisit all those stories that I thought I knew in the past, but have so much to learn about. I think the excitement is contagious and for the first time since I’ve begun volunteering with this group, I am hearing some really amazing questions being asked. Not questions asked out of obligation, but out of true curiosity and the desire to learn more.