Quest Ministries: The Story in Various Forms

Saturday, May 18, 2013

The Story in Various Forms

I have seen this icon in a variety of places in my travels throughout the Easter season. It declares the reality that something is wrong—we died as a result of our transgressions. So our redeemer-hero, the Lord Jesus Christ, died and rose from the dead to rescue us and to raise us to new life.

Many stories replicate that story. The one that I have in mind today is The Silver Chair by C. S. Lewis. Prince Rilian is held captive by the Queen of Underland. So Eustace, Jill, and Puddleglum are guided by Aslan's unseen presence to go down into the Deep Realm to rescue him. Throughout their quest to find and restore Rilian to Narnia, they need to discern truth from error. Finally they release Rilian from his enchantment; and they battle the Queen to escape her realm. The four retrace their steps underground and emerge in Narnia in the midst of the Great Snow Dance.

The threesome—Eustace, Jill, and Puddleglum—acted as one in behalf of Aslan to rescue Rilian from the dominion of darkness.

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PROFILE

Contact Information:

Experience:

For over forty years Stan has developed people and organizations through preaching, teaching, organizing, writing, motivating, and listening. He especially enjoys interacting with people in one-to-one and group settings.

Stan has a Master of Divinity from Gordon-Conwell. In 2012, he completed a certificate program in spiritual direction from Selah (http://leadershiptransformations.org/selah.htm).

Stan also loves to help people navigate life’s challenges by discussing popular stories. Fiction written by C. S. Lewis, J. R. R. Tolkien, Charles Dickens, Victor Hugo, and a host of others help us understand how God’s Story interacts with our own.

Specialty Skills:

Organizing people, events, and projects

Analyzing challenges, and proposing and implementing solutions

Creative writing

Conversant with computer software and the Internet

Video-conferencing via Skype and other software

Accomplishments:

Stan led an organization that was on the brink of disbanding. Through his leadership it became a more vibrant cohesive group, optimistic about its future. He led its members in group activities. He also worked with its leaders to evaluate and update the organization's purpose, financial health, and organizational structure. As a result, the group became healthier, larger, and more outward focused and welcoming.

He led a group in a ten-week discussion of Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings. The majority of the participants read 100 pages per week to prepare for their sessions. He met with the group for two hours each week to discuss the contents, truths, and applications of this beautiful piece of literature.

For several years Stan led a multi-week training course for an organization. The purpose of the training was to help members understand and communicate the organization's core values with potential members. He recruited people to be part of the training, taught them how to clearly express the principles, and provided the means for them to be in touch with potential members. Leaders emerged from this training program, confident in their ability to communicate.