How do you teach people about Jesus without using a typical "sermon?" In this episode, you'll hear from Verlon Fosner and Kris Beckert about "Jesus Stories," a simple, Biblical and enjoyable approach that fits well in settings like Dinner Church.

Fresh Expressions is a worldwide movement of everyday missionaries who want to see churches thrive in the places we live, eat, work and play by leveraging the creativity and endurance of the inherited church. To learn a simple five-phase process for starting a new expression of church go to freshexpressions.com/howtostart.

Season three is brought to you by FX Connect, an online community full of other church leaders passionate about reaching new people in new places. Access our entire library of practical and inspiring training materials and connect with other church leaders at fxconnectus.org.

Verlon Fosner & his wife Melodee have been in church leadership for 35 years, and for the past 18 years have served a 93 year-old church in Seattle, Washington. In 2004, their long effective church began to decline, and they were faced with the decision: move to the suburbs or become an urban church. They felt called to not only stay, but to dive further into the urban neighborhoods of Seattle – especially the ones with a sparse church presence.  What began as an urban Dinner Church spread into a multi-site Dinner Church, and then expanded into a national Dinner Church Network.

Kris Beckert is pastor of Table Life Church. She completed the M.Div. at Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, DC and has served at churches in the Baptist, United Methodist, and Nazarene traditions. Prior to being called to ministry, she received an M.S. in environmental science from the University of Maryland, where she also worked in the field, researching coastal environments and enhancing science communication. Kris is an avid runner, cartoonist, and archer and enjoys cheering for her Carolina TarHeels and Philadelphia Phillies.