Most people don’t love any wedding video. They love their wedding videos. My teammate in ministry, David Rubio, pointed this out at our OC minister/staff retreat a few weeks back. We were discussing Donald Miller’s new book (which most of us had read prior) and the implications of what it would look like for Otter Creek to continue to allow God to write a big story for a church family. A story big enough for those outside of our faith community to say “that’s a beautiful story.”

In one of the dreaming sessions, David used the example of wedding videos. A lot of churches are living good stories. They are full of love, endurance, hope, and beauty. But, the stories they are living are like the wedding videos we keep in our house. When people come into our house, we put the wedding video in the DVD player. We watch, add commentary (”Oh, you’ll love this part.” or “I don’t even remember saying this.”)

It’s cute and fun.

For about ten minutes.

Then our guests lose interest. Not because it isn’t a good story. It’s fine. Some are even really funny. But the problem is that the story isn’t big enough for everyone to have a role.

A lot of churches are doing good work. But, I wonder if, instead of writing epics that draw all kinds of different characters into the narrative, churches are settling for putting the wedding video in the DVD.

The wedding is an important day for me and Kara. It will be forever etched into my soul. But it’s only one chapter in a bigger story. A story that includes Texas, Michigan, Tennessee, Honduras, Mexico, Uganda Scotland; friends, family, and Lucas; coaching college basketball, changing schools, ministry, grad school, becoming a writer.

I want to be a part of a church that writes a story so big, those who never saw themselves as players in the divine plot, will lean in, with a glimmer of interest in their eye and say, “Tell me more.”