Story 2010 Opener

A number of you asked if I would put up my monologue from the opening session of Story last week.

Done and done.

I’ve posted it below along with some stunning photos from Joshua White of me interacting with the holograms designed by Barton Damer and brought to life by Clark.

As for the monologue itself, you may be able to hear the influence of Dan Allender, Fredrick Buechner, and Paul Tillich. After you read my mash-up of these great thinkers, go and order everything they’ve ever written.

Again, thank you for your kind words and encouragement to post. I hope you enjoy the text.

*Since posting earlier today I’ve added an mp3 scratch track with the voice over, as well as the video of the hologram + music scored by Nate Yaccino.

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What will you tell them?

What story will you tell the world?

The one where you win?

Or the one where you lost it all?

Will you show them your beauty and your glory and your fancy clothes?

Or will you show them the mud and dirt that stains the outside of your sleeve?

Will you tell of your hopes and your dreams and the goodness you have seen?

Or will you tell them of the darkness you’ve created with your own hands?

If you do not tell them both

If you don’t tell them the whole story

If you don’t tell them all that you have seen

They will never believe you

Now what about what you haven’t seen?

Will you tell them of the angels / those messengers of the Lord?

Will you tell them of the invisible kingdom?

Will you tell them of the unseen God?

Will you tell them of the unseen beauty inside their own neighborhoods?

The unseen beauty inside their own hearts?

The unseen beauty waiting to explode from their broken places?

Listen to me

A New Creation has occurred and we are all asked to participate in it

It / is / unseen

So don’t compare your religion and their religion, your rites and their rites, your prophets and their prophets

All this is of no avail

We only want for you to tell them all that you have seen and all that you have not

Tell them that here and there in the world

And now and then in ourselves

Is a New Creation

For the kingdom is now and not yet

Make them feel what you have felt

Sing for them what you have heard

Tell them everything you have and have not seen

For the kingdom is now and not yet

For the kingdom is seen and unseen

Here and there in the world

And now and then in ourselves

Is a New Creation

For the kingdom is now and not yet

For the kingdom is seen and unseen

And you must tell them all about it

This is the Story

*If you want the full experience, play the track below while playing the video on mute.

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