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The Power of Stories

We talk to a lot of people about the Table. We've talked about the power of social media, the importance of community, the shortcomings of Facebook... we have our share of talking points.

But none of them turn on the light bulbs like telling stories. When we tell people stories about how God is using the Table, people get excited. When we point to the examples of what people have done with the Table and how they're using it, that's when people start nodding and asking questions.

• People are filling needs to the point that the one asking is now giving?
• A missionary borrowed a car?
• People are praying more?
• Somebody found a roommate?
• People are finding church members in their neighborhood?
• Someone started organizing church suppers?
• People are finding jobs?
• Somebody shared their airplane?

Stories make it real and show us what can be accomplished. They capture our imagination and make us wonder what else could happen.

When you're trying to launch the Table at your church, tell stories. Tell stories of what happened at other churches. And as soon as your church starts using the Table, tell stories of how it's working. Those stories will turn on the light bulbs.

That's why we're asking for your stories in our Birthday Video Contest. Those stories are powerful. We want to use them to help other churches see how God is working through the Table and imagine how it could work in their church.

If you've got a story, tell it.

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You Wouldn't Do That on Facebook

People often ask why the Table is necessary if we already have Facebook and other social media networks. It's a good question with a simple answer: The Table is a smaller, safer, more intimate community. It encourages a different kind of connection that you rarely find on a worldwide network.

Would you post the following on Facebook?

• Your failures with [fill in the blank sin].
• Your struggles with [fill in the blank hardship].
• Your frustrations with [fill in the blank person].

Facebook lacks a certain sensitivity. Throwing out status updates and sharing pictures doesn't always accommodate confession, forgiveness or grace. Unfortunately, there's a lot of judgment out there. It can be scary to open up, and more often than not people won't. We worry about what friends, family and even employers might think.

But the smaller community of the Table offers an intimate space that's not scary, but safe. There's a sensitivity that you won't find on Facebook because the Table is rooted in real-life community.

It's also true with the more mundane. Would you be willing to share the following with the world on Facebook?

• Your address.
• Your stuff.
• Your needs.

Once again, sometimes Facebook is a little too big. Maybe you're having a board game night and you want to invite lots of people, but posting your address on Facebook seems like a little much. Sharing it with a smaller group on the Table might feel more comfortable. Likewise, you might be willing to share your chainsaw, favorite DVD or a pie pan, but you're not going to post it to Facebook where half your friends live hundreds of miles away. And your needs? It's hard to ask for help, and on Facebook that can feel a little awkward. What happens when someone questions your need?

Not so on the Table. It's designed for sharing and helping. It's not awkward, it's welcome. The smaller, more intimate community also makes it comfortable. It's like gathering with your friends around, well, the kitchen table. Facebook, on the other hand, is more like standing around on the street corner. You can have great conversations and meet amazing people while walking down the street, but it's probably not the place you'd pick for a sensitive conversation.

Facebook simply isn't designed for these kinds of connections. But the Table is. Not only that, but most of these scenarios have actually happened on the Table (just read some of our stories). People have been more open than we expected, sharing intimate and private concerns with their church family and being lifted up in support, prayer and love.

As John Piper said when describing a woman who shared a difficult struggle on the Table, "This is not Facebook, this is our church." This isn't about embracing technology, it's about being the body of Christ.

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If you have a story about making these kinds of connections on the Table, share it in our Birthday Video Contest. You could win an iPad!

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Happy Birthday

One year ago today we launched publicly. We're celebrating with a little contest, collecting stories about how the Table is impacting you. Make a video sharing your favorite Table story and you could win an iPad.

The first story we received is from Pat Herlitz, the pastor of a small church in Texas:

Watch his story and share your own in our Birthday Video Contest. You could win an iPad.

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Tell Us Your Story: Win an iPad

One year ago this week the Table launched publicly. We sat there on the edge of our seats, watching churches sign up and our map begin to fill. It was pretty cool.

Of course we got right back to work, answering questions, making improvements and rolling out new features.

But over the past year what's really made us excited, more than the number of churches or the pins in the map, is the stories. God is working in and through churches and the Table is enabling people to connect with one another, to serve together, to pray for each other--to be the body of Christ.

They're stories about overwhelming generosity, much-needed hope and simple connection.

So we decided to celebrate our birthday by celebrating these stories. We're thrilled to announce the Birthday Video Contest. All you have to do is make a video sharing your story and we'll enter you in a random drawing to win an iPad or other cool prizes.

Learn more about the contest and hear some of the stories from our team:

Watch Birthday Video Contest (2:33)

Check out the Birthday Video Contest for more.

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Why the Table?

If you want a one-minute answer to why Substance Church in Minneapolis uses the Table, this is it. Peter Haas, pastor of Substance and Table board member, explains:

"We were looking for something that would enhance our small groups. We were looking for something that would enhance the community of Substance, not merely the metrics. ... We thought, what can we do to enhance church in between church services? When we heard about the Table, I thought, wow, this is the technology we need to fill the gap."

Watch Substance: Why the Table (1:00)

Watch the full webinar, How They Did It: Substance Church Case Study, for more on how Substance has utilized the Table.

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Webinar: Small Groups Q&A with David Stark

For this week's Round Table webinar we brought in church consultant David Stark to talk about making the most of small groups on the Table. David has been a small group consultant for 17 years and helps start and grow small group ministries in churches all over the country. He's the author of Growing People Through Small Groups and LifeKeys: Discover Who You Are.

Watch as David talks about how to supercharge your small groups ministry with the Table:

Watch: Small Groups Q&A With David Stark (37:00)

Notes:

• With the communication revolution we're more connected that small groups used to be. That means small groups can go deeper.
• Leaders: Create a group on the Table for small group leaders. Add a video training channel, share curriculum in the discussion board with file sharing, use the Prayer Wall to pray for one another.
• The Table makes it easier for leaders to connect with organic groups, not to control them but to offer support.
• The Table helps get the program side out of the way so the body can be the body.
• The next generation is already sharing like this, so if you're not doing it you're going backward.
• Frees up pastors to do more.
• Where do I start? Start with the tools that are most exciting for you.

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We Need Community

One of the major needs the church must meet today is community. Our society is fragmented and divided, people move away from their families and don't put down roots like they used to. Peter Haas, pastor of Substance Church in Minneapolis and Table board member, see this as a major role for the church:

"We have to learn how to be the family that people don't have anymore."

We can do that when our understanding of church shifts from a once a week service to happening 24/7. But in order to offer that broader sense of community, churches need social media like the Table.

Watch Substance: We Need Community (1:11)

Watch the full webinar, How They Did It: Substance Church Case Study, for more on how Substance has utilized the Table.

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Small Group Webinar with David Stark

For our next Round Table webinar we're bringing in church consultant David Stark to talk about making the most of small groups on the Table. David has been a small group consultant for 17 years and helps start and grow small group ministries in churches all over the country. He's the author of Growing People Through Small Groups and LifeKeys: Discover Who You Are.

Some of the topics David will cover during our webinar include:

• Small group augmentation: face to face and virtual
• Schedule management
• Service opportunities
• Prayer
• Training small group leaders
• Curriculum delivery
• Recruiting leaders
• The new sharing economy and how it can benefit your small groups
• Controlled vs organic groups

Register now: Small Group Q&A with David Stark, Wednesday, Feb. 15 at 3 p.m. CST

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Making the Table More Accessible

Last month we introduced our Android app, another step forward in our mobile strategy. It's encouraging to see that it's making the Table more accessible to more people:

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The 200,000th Prayer

On Jan. 31, 2012 the 200,000th prayer was prayed with the aid of the Table. That means people have clicked the little ‘pray now' button—and hopefully stopped to say a prayer—more than 200,000 times.

• That's 200,000 pleas, requests, thanks and praises going out to God.
• That's 200,000 people being encouraged, lifted up and strengthened.
• That's 200,000 times fellow church members were there for one another.

Many of them probably received an email alert letting them know people were praying for them in their time of need (here's how you can tweak your email settings). How's that for a shot in the soul?

Here's a glimpse at what's happening thanks to those 200,000 prayers:

People are praying for one another daily, telling us that they're getting support and provision when they're in need, encouragement in the midst of trial, healing for the sick, and hope for those who felt hopeless.

People are shedding tears, being lifted up, learning more about each other and coming closer together. And God is moving forward.

We're all technology geeks here at the Table, with our iPhones, Twitter accounts and HTML know-how. But this is the kind of thing that gets us up in the morning. This is why we work for the Table Project. Helping the church be the church, seeing people pray for one another like this—that's why we do what we do.

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