Jim was one of my professors in my master's work that I finished in 1981. His lectures and procedures for learning about a congregation have been very helpful through the years.
In his book, he invites pastors to learn about their congregation and community basically by listening to the stories that are told and, particularly, to those that are retold. In a very short fashion, his point is that the retold stories can help identify the values, essentials, identifications, integrity, characteristics, and hopes of a church and community.
Immediately, I recall the retold story of the chandelier that was falling on the preacher 'who jumped over the communion rail to avoid being hit' about sixty years ago during worship. Why was it retold quite a few times by different people at this local church?
I am taking time to read again his book that was published after his death to cancer. Such prepares me to listen well and ponder the deepest meaning of the story being told.
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