Because of the importance of symbolism in religion, this study analyzes language use and storytelling in congregations of two religious denominations - Church of God (Cleveland, Tennessee) and the Southern Baptist Convention - in Southern Appalachia. Interest centers upon recurrent themes, stories, and metaphors in church leader talk. Attention is given to the role such language plays in symbolizing organizational values. While study findings show many similarities between the two denominations, fundamental differences in church values are illustrated through both qualitative and quantitative methods. This study emphasized the importance of stories and metaphors in understanding religious life and the usefulness of discourse analysis in research on religious organizations.