Understanding and Ministering through Life Stories

Fri 4 PM | Convo Hall 6
Sat 5 PM | Convo Hall 6

Brandon McKoy

We may all acknowledge that stories are central in the formation of our identities, but how? What are life stories? How do we develop them? Dr. Brandon McKoy will walk us through the major elements present in all life stories, and how they develop from childhood through adulthood. Brandon will guide us to briefly share our life stories noting the elements present in how each person chooses to coordinate their life. Once we have a basic understanding of life stories, we will explore how we can use this knowledge to rewrite our own stories, help others dislodge oppressive narratives, enhance our preaching and teaching, and develop stronger connections with those we serve.

Brandon McKoy

Dr. Brandon McKoy serves as Senior Pastor at New Hope Baptist Church in Gastonia, NC, and he is an adjunct instructor at Gardner-Webb University in the department of religious studies and philosophy. His book, Youth Ministry from the Outside In: How Relationships and Stories Shape Identity (InterVarsity Press, 2013) has been used by seminaries and divinity schools world-wide to reimagine ministry practices. Brandon is also an Associate for the Taos Institute—a community of scholarly practitioners who extend social constructionist dialogues into diverse settings. He contributed the chapter Seeing through the Mirror in the book Spirituality, Social Construction, and Relational Processes (Taos Institute Publications, 2017). The book, an edited collection, explores ways that spirituality and social construction, can enrich each other for the benefit of the world. Recently, Brandon has used social constructionism in Charlotte, NC to train upper level law enforcement in relational and communal development.

Sessions:
145 Understanding and Ministering through Life Stories

Session #145