Choose a topic, any topic: sports, business, children, travel, etc. Most of us have been in a situation where someone tells a story that evokes a response from someone else to tell another story of even greater proportions, which then evokes a similar response from yet another. And on it goes. We are all drawn to a great story.

In fact, this little illustration sums up what many describe as the essential quest of humankind, the search for a grand story in which all other stories find their meaning . . . the story in which you and I find our meaning.

The term “modernism” is used to identify a worldview that holds to the belief that traditional stories are no longer relevant, and that the “true” grand story can be discovered through science and reason. Modernism, however, has failed to produce the grand story. And tragically, we now live in a world that many call “post-modern,” a world in which many doubt that there is a grand story.

Even in our post-modern world, people are still drawn to stories that give meaning to life. But because they have bought the lie that there is no grand story, most people settle for smaller stories. And in our world, there are as many smaller stories as there are different kinds of people. This contributes to what we call “relativism,” the idea that truth is whatever is true to you.

In the last century, when modernism reigned, many people still had what Francis Schaeffer called a Christian memory. Even though they might not bow down to the God of the Bible, they were aware of concepts like sin, judgment, and a Holy God. In that world, a simple Gospel presentation based on a set of spiritual truths was often very effective. Given God’s timing and the work of the Holy Spirit, those truths had impact because they were connected to a grand story of which most people had at least a secondhand awareness through its influence on the generation of their parents, or perhaps their grandparents.

In today’s post-modern world, many people have lost the Christian memory. Many have no personal relationship with a Christian. And when we present the Gospel simply as a set of spiritual truths, we are just pitting our small story against some other small story. But God’s redemptive story is not small! It began in eternity past, and it goes on forever! It is the grand story, which gives meaning to every other story . . . and to you and me!

Around the world, people are coming to Christ after viewing The HOPE. For this response we praise God! But we must give credit where credit is due. While most people are enthralled with the beauty and quality of The HOPE, the response we are seeing is not because we have created a powerful media tool. It is because this media tool is based upon the most powerful story a person will ever hear!

We believe that those who have come to Christ after viewing The HOPE have been captured by the greatness of God’s redemptive story from creation through Christ. And just like you and me, they have been drawn by the call of the Central Character to find their place in His grand story.