Tell me a fact and I'll learn.

Tell me a truth and I'll believe.

But tell me a story and it will live in my heart forever.

Scott Pelley, a "60 MINUTES" correspondent said, "We think of issues in terms of stories people can relate to. Steven Spielberg didn't do a movie called 'The Holocaust'—he did 'Schindler's List'; He didn't do a project called 'D-Day'—he did 'Saving Private Ryan.' We go out and find a story that makes issues come alive for the audience. So, when a producer rushes in and says, 'Let's do a story on climate change,' I say, 'That's an issue; tell me the story.' Don Hewitt the executive producer of '60 MINUTES' used to say, 'We aren't looking for the news of the day, but rather the stories of our time.'"

Tell Me 'The Story'

Did you know there is only one sign of the end? There are many signs that we are nearing the end, but only one sign of the end. It's found in Matthew 24:14, and it's all about "The Story." "And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come." That is why "the Story," His story, is so important, so vital.

I have known some terrific "storytellers" in my time. My parents were good friends with Josephine Cunnington Edwards, and I devoured every book she wrote. Eric B. Hare was a frequent guest in my Sabbath school class at Sligo Church in Maryland when I was a little girl. I still remember his exciting mission stories. And then there was Paul Harvey, who passed away earlier this year. He was a dear friend of our family; and while the world knew him as "the most listened-to newsman in America," I knew him as a consummate communicator who always told us "the rest of the story." But when it comes to great storytellers, I was blessed to be related to one of the best. My father, George Vandeman, was a wonderful storyteller. His conversion story, entitled "I Met a Miracle," still gives me goosebumps when I read it. A collection of his best stories and sermon illustrations have been compiled into a book by Pacific Press called Helpings for the Heart. During the course of his remarkable ministry, my father used stories to draw people to Christ.

So many hymns in our church hymnal celebrate "The Story"—hymns like "We've a Story to Tell to the Nations," "I Love to Tell the Story," and my personal favorite is "Tell Me the Story of Jesus." We sing about "The Story" all the time. Why is it difficult sometimes to "tell" it?

I'm encouraged to report that I believe we now have the technology in place to take "The Story"—the saving, life-transforming story of Jesus—to the entire world through the Internet, through mobile phone technology, through traditional media of radio and television, through social networking and through traditional evangelism. We need every tool to tell "The Story."

Tell Me a Fact and I'll Learn

I love to learn facts—little known facts, famous facts and tidbits, dates. Sometimes I think I missed my calling and should have been a history teacher. I can tell you every fact and historical date relating to It Is Written, and most facts about Voice of Prophecy and other media ministries. For instance, It Is Written was the very first religious television program broadcast in color (this statistic is actually on a trivia Web site).

October 19 marked the exact date of the Voice of Prophecy's 80th anniversary. On October 19, 1929—on the very eve of The Great Depression—H.M.S. Richards Sr. started his first radio broadcast on KNX in Los Angeles. Faith For Today was the first television show sponsored by the church. It began in 1950 in New York City, founded by William and Virgina Fagal. In 1974, Walter Arties founded the Breath of Life ministry, and C.D. Brooks was its first speaker. La Voz de la Esperanza was founded in 1942 by Braulio Perez Marcio. And in 2007, The Adventist Channel was launched—the first digital inspirational global broadband network. These are interesting facts. I like learning them, so tell me a fact and I'll learn.

Tell Me a Truth and I'll Believe

As Seventh-day Adventists, we are blessed to have the Bible as our only creed. Based on the teachings of the Bible, we hold certain fundamental beliefs or truths that include the Nature of Man, the Sanctuary, the Trinity—and then three separate ones for the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit. We have Baptism, Stewardship, the Gift of Prophecy, the New Earth—28 in all. I believe every one of them. My two personal favorites happen to be the Sabbath and Death and Resurrection. And the single most significant reason I believe all of these truths is that they are all wrapped around the story of Jesus.

Tell me a story and It Will Live in My Heart Forever

That, my friends, is what the story of Jesus is all about; it not only stays with us and lives in our hearts, it has the power to transform us and the ability to make us want to share it with others.

I watched the way my father skillfully unfolded the truths of Scripture by wrapping them around the story of Jesus. He would capture the attention of his audiences with a sermon called "The Heavens are Telling" and share slides of the stars; then in night two or three, he'd tell his own conversion story—about the Friday night he marched out of his own preacher-father's service and shook his fist at the heavens and said, "Holy Spirit, leave me and never come back." Then, night after night, he led the people through the various truths of Scripture. But, always, he began and ended with the story of Jesus. That's what it was all about then. That's what it's all about today!

Ron's Story

My brother Ron is 67, and he lives in a nursing home in Glendale, California. Ever since his complete mental breakdown when he was 21 years old, Ron has lived with the mysterious, often frightening, illness of schizophrenia. He's been in and out of hospitals, institutions and various mental health facilities most of the past 40 years.

Sometimes, during my visits, he was lucid and able to carry on an almost "normal" conversation. Other times he was non-responsive, sometimes hostile, and sometimes he was just quiet. We almost never spoke of spiritual things.

At a recent visit, I found Ron to be quite talkative and animated. He was delighted that a visiting clergy had left copies of the Gideon New Testament with Psalms and Proverbs. Ron asked me if I had read the Gospels.

"Of course," I answered, "it's the best part!"

"But have you read Matthew, Mark, Luke and John in order—starting at Matthew and reading straight through to John?" he asked.

"Well, no," I admitted. "I can't remember the last time I just read through all four gospels, especially in one sitting."

"You should do it," he insisted. "The story is so simple."

"And what's the story?" I asked, almost hesitantly.

"The story is this: Jesus took our pain!" he declared.

"Jesus took our pain," I repeated, not believing that my brother, who lived in such a state of mental turmoil and pain, could grasp "The Story" and then describe it in just four words—"Jesus took our pain." I pointed out to Ron that even our father couldn't have summed up "The Story" as simply and eloquently as he did.

Yes, friend, Jesus did take our pain. He took yours and He took mine. He took my brother's pain and promised us a day when our pain, our tears, our heartaches would be no more. If Ron could tell "The Story" so beautifully, so simply, surely I can tell it, too.

Don's Story

It was 108 degrees in the shade, and my son was graduating from a well-known Christian university in Thousand Oaks, California. I was concerned that day because my husband, his father, had been diagnosed with cancer just five months before, and we still didn't know the extent of his illness. Had it spread? Was he a candidate for surgery? What was his treatment plan to be? We didn't know the answers that day, but he was determined to see his son graduate from college even though he was ill. So he went with me to the giant football field. There was no shade, no breeze—only the hot sun beating down on us all.

My heart sank as I glanced at the impressive printed program in my hand. It looked like it was going to be a long afternoon. And while I wouldn't have missed that day for the world, because my son was graduating from college, I now believe we were all there to hear Don Conley's story.

Don Conley was a 60-year-old man representing all those graduating from the Adult Education Program. Don had always wanted to go to college, but never got around to it. He married out of high school, had three children in quick succession, and worked hard to support his family. Don worked in the information technology field most of his life. Then, tragedy struck. He was diagnosed with end-stage heart failure in 2002. In 2003, he was lying in the hospital at UCLA just waiting for a heart transplant, without which he would surely die.

"I stand before you today because of a young man I never met," he said humbly. He told us about Jason, a 17-year-old who died tragically in a car accident and whose parents, in the midst of their overwhelming grief, decided to donate all of his organs. When Don received Jason's heart, he learned that Jason's dream was to graduate from college.

"Today, Jason and I graduated from college," he said proudly. "I wanted to fulfill the wish of my donor."

There wasn't a dry eye on the football field that day. There was silence, then thunderous applause. His story made our day. It made us forget the heat. And it made us forget everything but the powerful spiritual application of his story. His story will always live in my heart.

Here's "The Story." You know it by heart: "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only-begotten son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life" (John 3:16).

Let's fulfill the wish of our Donor and tell "The Story," the saving story of Jesus, so that He can take us home, what do you say?

"Tell me the story of Jesus. Write on my heart every word. Tell me the story most precious, sweetest that ever was heard."1

Connie Vandeman Jeffery is the associate manager of the Adventist Media Center and associate speaker for the Voice of Prophecy.

Note: Connie's husband is currently in remission from cancer after being diagnosed in December 2007.

1. Crosby, Fanny. "Tell Me the Story of Jesus." Lyrics. The Quiver of Sacred Song. John J. Hood, 1880.