Storytellers and Soul-Whisperers

Focus Statement

The Gospel is not always shouted—it is often whispered.

In sacred stories, quiet presence, and soul-deep friendship,

we bear witness to Christ not by force or persuasion,

but through faithful love and the grace of simply showing up.

Point of Relation

We’ve walked with Patrick—

captive turned missionary, outsider turned apostle—

whose return to Ireland wasn’t vengeance, but grace.

But the story didn’t end with him.

Patrick planted seeds, and generations later,

one of his spiritual descendants would carry those seeds back across the sea.

Columba, an Irish monk, founded the community at Iona.

And from Iona came Aidan—

chosen to bring the Gospel to the Anglo-Saxons of Northumbria.

The irony is striking.

Patrick was born in Britain—likely in Wales—

taken by the Irish, and called back to convert them.

Now, through Aidan, Irish Christianity returned to the very land Patrick had once called home.

Aidan walked among the people,

refusing a horse so he could meet them face to face.

He taught with kindness, lived with simplicity,

and gave to the poor without hesitation.

He didn’t preach to win minds—he lived to stir hearts.

The model Patrick began had come full circle,

whispered from soul to soul. And that path still stretches before us.

Things to Consider

Who are the soul friends in your life—the ones who listened before they spoke, who made space for your story without rushing your belief?

And who might God be calling you to walk alongside in that same way?

This week, consider how you carry Christ’s presence—not in volume, but in grace.

Where can your story meet someone else’s longing?

What would it mean to let your daily life become an invitation to healing, hope, and holy conversation?

What Scripture Says

Now, let’s turn to what Scripture says—the heart of our journey.

The apostle Peter writes not with thunder but with trust:

“But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed.

‘Do not fear their threats; do not be frightened.’”

This isn’t about platforms or debates.

It’s about the quiet, steady work of goodness—

of bearing witness with humility, not force.

“But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord,”

Peter continues. “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.”

Not with arrogance. Not with performance. With grace. With your life.

This is the soul-whisperer’s way.

It’s not about having all the answers—

it’s about being present enough for someone to ask the question.

The early Celtic Christians lived this beautifully.

They didn’t preach at the world; they walked alongside it.

They told stories. They listened.

They built belonging before belief.

Their lives were the message.

And Paul, in a letter we haven’t yet heard this morning, echoes Peter’s call.

“Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity.

Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt,

so that you may know how to answer everyone.”

That’s not a tactic. It’s a posture.

What if evangelism isn’t persuasion, but presence?

What if it starts with listening, with gentleness, with living so deeply in God’s story that others begin to wonder what story they’re in?

This week, Scripture doesn’t ask us to be louder.

It asks us to be truer.

To let our lives become stories that someone else might want to join.

What This Means for You

You don’t need a pulpit to preach. You don’t need a script to witness.

What you need is presence—

open ears, a steady heart, a willingness to walk alongside someone long before they’re ready to ask why you’re still there.

You may be the first story of grace someone ever reads or hears.

You may be the soul friend someone’s been praying for without knowing it.

So live your hope gently. Let your words carry salt and light.

And when the moment comes, speak—not to win, but to bless.

That’s where Christ is. That’s where the Spirit whispers.

What This Means for Us

As a community, we are called to be more than a gathering.

We are called to be a sacred circle—

a place where stories are honored, questions are welcomed, and grace is lived out loud.

As we continue on our Pilgrim’s Path this Lenten season, let us choose the way of the soul-whisperer.

Let us listen more than we speak, love without condition, and make room at the table for those still finding their way.

Together, we can become a living story—

one that points not to ourselves, but to Christ, who walks beside us still.

Sermon written by Rev. Todd R. Lattig with the assistance of ChatGPT (OpenAI).