We live in a world where personal experience holds more authority than rules, doctrines, or even experts. That means that if we want to reach people, if we want to bring them into a deeper relationship with Jesus, we have to start with something more powerful than apologetics or theological arguments—we have to start with our stories.
The Power of Story to Reveal Truth
Have you ever noticed that some truths are so hard to accept? This powerful story reveals why storytelling might be the key to making truth more palatable:
This simple yet profound story reminds us that truth alone—when presented in its rawest form—can sometimes be too stark or difficult for people to accept. But when truth is clothed in story, people welcome it, engage with it, and are transformed by it.
Truth and Story Go Hand in Hand
Story has the power to change hearts by helping people see truth in a way they might otherwise resist. Consider Iron Man from the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Tony Stark’s journey isn’t just about a superhero—it’s about transformation. He starts as a selfish, egotistical billionaire but undergoes a radical conversion after being captured. Throughout the movies, his story is one of struggle, failure, and growth, culminating in the ultimate act of self-sacrifice.
This story resonates because it mirrors our own path to holiness. We don’t change overnight. Like Tony Stark, we stumble, we get things wrong, we revert to old habits. But over time, through small acts of grace, we become more like the people we were meant to be. That’s why storytelling is so powerful—it reveals truth in a way people can grasp, even when they aren’t looking for it.
Evangelizers Need to be Storytellers
There’s a reason why storytelling is so effective in evangelization. If we come at people with cold, hard facts—‘Here’s what the Church teaches and why you’re wrong’—they turn away. But if we clothe truth in story, in personal experience, in testimony, they lean in. They listen.
Jesus Himself understood this. He was a master storyteller, answering people’s deepest questions not with theological lectures but with parables. When asked, “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” He didn’t respond with a legal treatise—He told the story of the Good Samaritan. Because story speaks to the heart in a way argument never can.
Why Story Matters Now More Than Ever
As Pope Francis has said repeatedly, we are not just in an age of change, but at the change of an age. One of the biggest shifts happening in our culture is where people get their sense of truth. It used to be that we looked to hierarchical authorities to tell us what was true. But today, people look to the personal experiences of the people in their networks for answers.
When my mom needed guidance about how to care me as a baby, she went to her sources of hierarchical authority – her mom or the pediatrician. Today, when a young mom wants to know if her baby has an ear infection, for example, she doesn’t call the doctor first—she posts in a Facebook mom group or a Reddit thread. She goes to her network as her primary source of truth. And the response from her network that carries the most weight? The mom who shares her personal experience saying, "Let me tell you what worked for me."
The same is true for faith. If we lead with doctrine, people tune out. But if we share a personal story about how faith made a difference in our lives, they listen.
Moving Beyond Defending the Faith
For a long time, we focused on apologetics as the primary means of evangelization. While it sometimes still has a place, it’s no longer enough. People aren’t looking for intellectual debates. They're not interested in the "naked truth." They’re looking for something real.
You cannot argue someone into a love relationship with Jesus by beating them over the head with Catholic moral teaching. But I can invite them to consider the possiblity of a relationship with him by sharing what he has done for me, by sharing my experiences and my stories of how he has made all the difference in my life.
"The reason I live the way I live is because of the person I love. I would like to introduce you to Him because I think you might grow to love Him too."
This is the shift we need to make. Instead of trying to win arguments, we need to win hearts. Instead of simply trying to share doctrines, we need to share the story of how God has changed our lives.
Story Helps us Respond to the Call to Witness
This shift toward personal experience is actually good news for evangelization. In the past, sharing faith often meant relying on hierarchical authority—the credibility of theologians, clergy, and Church teachings. But today, what matters most is lived experience. You don’t need to be an expert or have a theological degree to introduce someone to Jesus. You just need a story.
Think of how many people have been impacted by The Chosen—not because it offers a theological breakdown of Christ’s life, but because it brings the Gospel alive through compelling stories. Or consider how social media influencers shape culture not by presenting academic arguments but by sharing their personal journeys. We are in an age where lived experience is the gateway to truth. And that gives every single one of us the ability to evangelize in a way we never could before.
Seeing Stories Through the Eyes of Faith
Each of us who is baptized is called to consecrate the world—to make holy the spaces we live and move in. This means looking for God's Truth, Beauty, Goodness, and Oneness in the stories of the world.
At a youth event, I once challenged teens to find God’s truth in secular music. One boy brought Iron Man by Black Sabbath. At first, I was skeptical, but then he pointed out, “The lyrics talk about someone who’s rejected by society, dies, and comes back. Sounds kind of like Jesus.” I can tell you that since then, I've never listened to that song without thinking of Jesus – all because one young man shared how he was able to see Jesus' story in it.
My own teenage children sometimes accuse me of "Jesus-ifying" everything. We'll be sitting down to watch a movie or TV show together and I'll start talking about how it reminds me of something related to our faith. My hope is that even as they roll their eyes, I'm showing them how to look at the world with the eyes of faith. That even if we're just watching the bad guys blow something up, we can find God’s fingerprints there. That we can take the stories of the world and make them holy.
How to Evangelize Through Story
If we want to reach people today, we need to shift our focus. Instead of leading with theology, we need to lead with personal experience. Instead of giving people answers, we need to share our own journeys. Here’s how:
- Recognize God’s Story in Your Life – Take time to reflect on how God has moved in your life. What moments deepened your faith? When have you encountered Christ in a profound way?
- Share Your Story First – Before telling someone what the Church teaches, tell them why you believe. Start with, “Here’s what happened to me.”
- Listen to Others’ Stories – Evangelization isn’t just about speaking—it’s about listening. Be curious about people’s experiences and open to seeing how God is working in their lives.
- See God in the Stories of the World – Movies, books, music, and even video games can reveal deep truths. Train yourself to see how God speaks through culture, and use those connections in conversation.
Commit to Storytelling as Disciples
As we continue this journey of discipleship, let’s commit to becoming better storytellers. Let’s look for the ways God is writing His story in our lives and share those moments with others. Because in the end, the Gospel isn’t just a set of teachings—it’s a story that God has been writing since the beginning of humanity. A story written throughout all of creation, throughout all of salvation history. A story He has written throughout our own lives. It's a story with the power to change hearts.
Start by sharing your story today—what moment in your life has most revealed God's presence to you?
Want to dive deeper?
Unpack your own story of faith using one of our story reflection guides.
View Everyday Evangelization: The Power of Story on Youtube
Contact Us to schedule a parish mission or workshop on the Unleashing Power of Story