Jesus said, I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly. (John 10:10)

This abundant life to which we are invited transforms people and transforms whole communities. Life shaped by the presence of God brings abundance to individuals, congregations, communities, the whole world!

Jesus’ promise of abundant life extends to all people, and this promise is what inviting others to hear the story of Jesus is all about. Our calling is to help others experience the fullness of life when we allow Jesus to enter in and be active in our lives.

The Inviting leadership team has created a workshop, with accompanying materials, for use in all of the congregations of the synod. The workshop, “The Story of Jesus: The Power to Change Lives,” leads participants in sharing their own faith stories with one another, identifying their congregation’s culture, and planning for congregational change toward a more inviting culture.

The goal is to explore the kind of community we are and how well prepared we are to function as welcoming communities that exist in large part for the people who are not yet here, for whom the promise of abundant life is yet to be made real.