Pass it on

"From heart to lips to ears" — that's how faith flows, says Dick Hardel. The executive director of the Youth & Family Institute of Augsburg College, Minneapolis, repeats that phrase at conferences he leads nationwide and in resources. How natural it should be for Christians to talk about their experiences of God, but how hard it is!

That's because, Hardel says, we don't speak the language of faith, at least at home. Many of us simply don't know it. But all can be taught, and that's the mission of this pastor who is a husband, father and grandfather. Check out his suggestions for ways people can learn to tell their faith stories and what congregations can do to help. Then read about three congregations that are implementing these.