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Jennifer Holberg is Professor and Chair of the Department of English at Calvin University and author Nourishing Narratives.

The church gives us stories to imagine ourselves into. Stories shape us. At the same time, pastors and ministry leaders need to recognize that every person in our church brings their own stories. And, so, how can we create space to share and hear one another’s stories—as we are shaped by the story of the gospel?

THIS EPISODE'S HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE:

Jennifer Holberg is Professor and Chair of the Department of English at Calvin University and author Nourishing Narratives.
Jennifer Holberg shares what she loves about teaching.
“As people of faith, we have stories that give us more to be hopeful about, more to tell us how beloved we are. And they really counteract a lot of the stories that we have been told or tell ourselves.”
Stories can be positive forces in our lives or they can negatively impact us. It depends on the stories we tell and believe.
According to Jennifer Holberg, how we interpret stories matters.
The stories we tell ourselves about ourselves impact our identity. But Jennifer Holberg holds that we can tell ourselves new stories.
Jennifer Holberg says, “Church communities, if they are functional, give us other stories to imagine ourselves into.”
The Bible gives us many stories to help us understand our lives. As opposed to society, which often only gives one story (wealth, success, etc.).
Pastors, in their teaching, need to understand what stories people are bringing with them into the church.
We need spaces in church for people to tell their stories.
According to Jennifer Holberg, it’s important for all the generations in the church to share their stories with the other generations.

RELEVANT RESOURCES AND LINKS:

Jennifer Holberg:
- Calvin University
- Center fot Faith and Writing
Books mentioned:
- Nourishing Narratives, by Jennifer Holberg
- Evidence that Demands a Verdict, by Josh McDowell
- The Story of You, by Ian Morgan Cron
Related episodes mentioned:
- Episode 121: Rewrite Your Story, with Ian Morgan Cron, author of The Story of You

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May 26, 2025 - Lucian Truscott IV | Dr. Bandy Lee | Anders Aslund