Join the project.

The Austin Story Project is a creative, collaborative, spiritually intentional project that uses the Christian practice of story to strengthen communities and make visible the transformative presence of God. We are seeking interested congregations, Christian organizations, independent practitioners and young adults drawn to explore storytelling as a formative, healing, and enlivening practice.

For those who apply and are accepted into this work, we will offer training, coaching, tools and resources as well as a collaborative community of learners. Participating churches and practitioners will:

  • Participate in two, four-day, in-person, all-expenses-paid trainings in transformative storytelling.

  • Receive coaching in implementing and facilitating various storytelling circles, events, and platforms.

  • Gather storytelling tools and resources for strengthening relationships within congregations and the larger community.

  • Understand how stories function within our personal, communal, spiritual, and public lives.

  • Learn how to create a variety of public, story-sharing events and platforms that foster connection and attune people to the presence of God.

  • Gain skills and methods for facilitating story circles that awaken people to the spiritual path of Jesus.

  • Discover how to craft personal stories for preaching, teaching, and facilitation.

  • Understand how stories affect the body and contribute to individual and social healing.

  • Learn to how use a transformative small group guide, In Real Life (IRL), that utilizes story questions drawn from Jesus’ most fundamental human experiences.

  • Host public film gatherings and discussion on biographies (“Luminous Christians” provided by The Austin Story Project) of various present-day Christians.

Apply Today

Applications for congregations, Christian organizations, and individual practitioners open April 28, 2025 and close August 15, 2025. Selected participants will be announced no later than September 2, 2025.

Congregations

Christian Organizations

Independent Practitioners

Young Adults

Applications for young adults open January 15, 2026.

Congregations of all sizes, budgets, and denominations or no denomination are eligible. They should be able to show that they have:

  • experience with storytelling of some kind

  • previous experience with successfully adopting new practices

  • enthusiastic supporters

  • connection with people or communities outside of their own membership

_________

Practitioners include denominational leaders, spiritual directors, consultants in the church sphere, social workers, therapists, and non-profit leaders. Criteria for selection include:

  • Christians or Christ-curious

  • Experience with storytelling of some kind

  • Demonstrated and current relationship with a group or community with whom to launch a story circle

  • Preference is given to pairs or trios of people in a shared practice.

_________

Young Adults include people between the ages of 25 and 35 … ish. Criteria for selection include:

  • Christians or Christ-curious.

  • Experience with storytelling of some kind

  • Demonstrated leadership or facilitation experience

  • Demonstrated capacity for vulnerability among people other than close friends

  • Strong desire for belonging and connection

FAQs

    • Attend the trainings in full.  First session is January 5-9, 2026.

    • Two people from a congregation must attend.

    • Each congregation or practitioner must lead at least three story circles between the first and second training.

    • Participate in monthly coaching calls with other storytellers.

    • Complete evaluation materials.

  • The training is led by Mark Yaconelli, founder of The Hearth. It includes, didactic sessions, self-reflection, telling personal stories in a group, learning to listen, and practicing facilitation.

    The first session is January 5-9, 2026.

    The second session is ….

    All sessions will be held at The Mercy Center, Burlingame, CA.

  • During 2025-2027, as many as 40 congregations, 25 practitioners, and 40 young adults will be selected to participate in this project.

Application fee of $100 per congregation, group of practitioners, or individual practitioners. $50 for young adults. Selected participants will be provided transportation, meals, lodging and materials for two training events and coaching.

If the application fee is a barrier, you may apply for a waiver.

Email: story@austinseminary. edu