We are four episodes in to our 're-engage' season -- having covered questions like 'what we're about' and 'what we do', we then spent some time thinking about our VERGE project.

Each of our projects are a response to a roadblock to faith formation. For the VERGE project we thought about the metaphor of 'pulpit' as an obstruction to learning.

The RESOLUTE LOVE project seeks to overcome the roadblock of the 'platform' -- where the distance created by depersonalised messaging can amplify a sense of feeling disconnected. If you're someone who is caring for a person struggling with their mental health, then we want to help you find connection with others in the same boat. We're still exploring the best ways to do this, but if you know anything about ATS, you'll know it starts with story -- which is why we're beginning by giving you the opportunity to tell yours.

The first step of this project is gathering some stories through our online survey - you can find it at www.resolute.today

The projects we adopt are responses to roadblocks to faith formation.

VERGE is a project seeking to overcome a big obstruction to learning -- the pulpit. Notsomuch the piece of furniture, but what it can represent in people's minds as they engage with the Story of God.

In this third episode of our 're-engage' series, you'll get to hear a couple of examples of how the power barrier of the pulpit is dismantled -- opening up some significant moments for people to access God's Story.

You'll find more information about the VERGE project on our website -- https://accessthestory.com/workshops/verge

The second episode in our short 're-engage' season deals with the mission or 'ambition' of AccessTheStory. Following a season of retreat -- more like sabbatical -- we've identified the opportunity to broaden our scope while still valuing the work we've done so far.

Here's some of our thinking around that, and an introduction to our new mission statement -- 'releasing people into God's Story through timely ministry responses.'

Coming back to the airwaves after a season of retreat, we're starting a short season to re-enage our support-base and ministry networks.

Today you'll get an unfiltered insight into Trav's heartbeat for AccessTheStory, a bit of the story over the years, and some core practices that sustain our hopes for the future.

Enjoy!

how mental health first aid helps us go deeper in our understanding and experience of the incarnation

As Trav reflects on some recent conversations with churches who are trying to find Youth Pastors, he asks the question: "Is the apparent lack of good youth ministry practitioners in local churches symptomatic of a larger problem?"

Trav gives four suggestions to help navigate this larger problem.

In the midst of a mental health epidemic, and overly-simplistic religious posturing, what if the care of God is more holistic than we ever imagined?

My church has experienced a migration of sorts over the last few months.  Covid seems to have accelerated the process for people to change their spiritual home, but I'm not sure a church transfer will necessarily equate to spiritual renewal.

We're exploring what it means to plant a micro-church - here's a short reflection on one of the key questions we ask our group.

Part two - where Bekk Sellars  explains what she means by  "My Calcutta".  Do yourself a favour, and listen to Bekk unpack the story of how she initiated the youth outreach community in her neighbourhood, and how she has seen God bring light into the darkness. (Part one of two).