McLaren the Pathfinder

This past Friday night, the Houston cohort got together and was treated with Brian McLaren as our guest. He was in town attending the Gathering of the Diocese and was kind enough to take time to speak and answer some questions. We gathered at 2115 Taft Street, home to Ecclesia.

Nelda and Wendy already wrote about the evening. About the only thing I can add are photos! Sorry it took so long.

Brian McLaren said many things that really hit me. He said things that inspired me, convicted me, and left me questioning my ideas. These are things that I'm still chewing on and no doubt will begin to surface here in the weeks and months to come.

But what I keep coming back to is his storytelling. He tells better stories.

Remember Nissan's campaign of "Tell Better Stories" for the Pathfinder? The commercials had some folks asking another couple what they did last weekend or whatever and they just went on and on about this incredible adventure. Their Pathfinder was able to take them somewhere that wouldn't have been possible otherwise.

Steve Portigal wrote about the campaign...

The product itself will let you tell better stories because the product is an experience, an experience that can be shared.

Brian is great at sharing experiences. He was telling stories about his recent travels around the world. Stories about new faith and renewed faith and, sadly, lack of faith. I kept thinking, "One more. Just tell me one more story."

People love a good story. I know I do. We've got to be better storytellers. We've got to tell better stories.

Stories like Jesus did.

"You wandered off? We miss ya and we're coming to get you and take care of ya and we want you to come home." Or, "I don't care what you were caught in the middle of, I'm not condemning you or tossing a stone your way."

Leave the lectures for someplace else. Tell me a story instead.