What  is a “faith story”? An example comes from Christine Polak.

During the first 10 years that we lived in Wisconsin, Loren and our neighbor Carl would spend several weekends in the late summer and early fall cutting down trees, splitting the logs and stacking them neatly under both of our decks. We heated our homes with wood burning furnaces. Wood was plentiful and fuel oil was expensive. After 10 years, our income was higher and the price per gallon of fuel oil was lower, so Loren and I discontinued using the wood furnace.

Fast forward to Ballwin 20 years later. We had a large tree in our backyard with one dead branch that needed to be trimmed. After 10 years of consistently cutting down trees and more years trimming them, Loren had lots of experience. We were aware of the dangers involved but this was just a branch, not the entire tree, so I was not overly concerned.

I was concerned about him balancing on a ladder to cut the branch and wanted to be sure the ladder was secure, so I was at the base holding it in place. As Loren began to cut, I was looking up and lots of sawdust was raining down upon me, so I looked away. It was from this moment that I don’t recall all the details, only that I heard, “Run” and I did. The branch had snapped upward knocking Loren’s arm and the chain saw was propelled away from him. He was clinging to a branch and the ladder had toppled over. The chainsaw was still running when it landed in the place where I had been standing.

Loren did not tell did me to run, and even if he had I would not have heard him above the roar of the chainsaw. I am very thankful that the “voice” spoke to me and that I listened.

Why is this a “faith story”? First it inspires faith in the reader, as much as the writer. The effect is as important as the purpose.

Second, it portrays an extraordinary experience: The voice that Christine heard, telling her to “run.”

Third it implies a change in the writer: I am very thankful that the “voice” spoke to me and that I listened.  

Finally, it is a compact story, offering only details that concern the experience of faith.

And yet . . . we should not insist on dramatic experiences for faith stories. They may be quiet and reflective. They may be something we learned, but somehow we were changed in the learning. They may be moments we observed, but that inspired us. If they are about faith and not too expansive, I call them “faith stories.”

The demands of “faith stories” are only that we engage the reader about the inspirations of life that result in faith. Yet faith stories can be transformative for the reader, as well as the writer.