A Presbyterian pastor changes his teaching style

A Presbyterian pastor in Australia shares how attending a story training changed his life and ministry.

I wondered how I would use the skill of Bible Story telling in my church. Thinking it would benefit the children I started telling Bible stories as children’s talks. Imagine my surprise when not only the children but adults started asking, ‘Tell us more stories!’ This request grew into ‘teach us to tell Bible stories’ as people realized Bible storytelling was an effective way of sharing the gospel with both churched and unchurched contacts. Suddenly there was a transformation, people who thought they could never evangelize were keen to be trained to be evangelists… and it was as simple as telling a Bible story.

But it didn’t stop there! With the use of a Bible story in my sermon, the congregation started to understand the full impact of the gospel! They used their imagination and became involved in the study of the text. One lady recently connected the story of Lazarus being raised from the dead (which I shared some weeks before) with a sermon I was doing on the Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus. She connected Abraham’s words in the parable ‘If they don’t listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead’ with the fact that some Jewish leaders after witnessing the raising of Lazarus plotted to kill Jesus and Lazarus! From this she said, ‘I understand now, not all people will respond to the gospel.’ This has inspired her even more to share the gospel. In the past she had become disheartened by a lack of response, now she understands our commission is to share the gospel and trust God to change hearts.

Bible Story telling is an important tool for sharing the gospel, in working alongside the exposition of the Word. It has empowered my ministry; it has empowered our congregation’s ministry; and it can empower yours!