Theological students/graduates are surprised by a new communication tool
Introduction: Twenty-one students gathered in Melbourne, Victoria, to participate in a three day Bible storytelling seminar. Some were from the Melbourne School of Theology and others from the Reformed Theological College; but most were in some way connected to CMS and St Andrews. The staff came from Brisbane, Tamworth, Launceston and from St Andrews Hall.
Bible stories contain their own message: Students discovered some of the uniqueness of Bible storytelling. They said:
• Stories relate to the human psyche. When you tell people a Bible story, they can grasp its meaning.
• People encounter God when they hear Bible stories.
• Bible stories limit the potential agenda of the teacher to impose his pet truths about God on that passage of Scripture.
• With a story you don’t have to have the perfect words to explain a concept from the Bible.
• I learned that it is important to let people work out the meaning of the Bible for themselves.
• Bible stories are full of surprises and new angles to the truth.
A New Tool in My Box: Many students felt that they came away better prepared for ministry.
They said:
• Bible stories help me to empower others to tell the Good News of the Bible.
• Telling Bible stories is a better alternate to trying to give people systematic theology.
• Lots of people enjoy stories, so people will enjoy hearing God’s Word this way.
• I’m one of the people who can start today to share the Good News through Bible storytelling.
• Bible storytelling is useful for those teaching Religious Education.
People Will Hear: On Saturday afternoon students went out for lunch and to share Bible stories with people on the street – a reflection of Jesus sending out his disciples to preach.
• I discovered that people are approachable; strangers are willing to hear a Bible story.
• We don’t know who are the wheat and who are the chaff. If we tell people Bible stories we communicate the Good News to all.
• I learned that in a 2-hour period – less really if you take Melbourne tram transportation and eating into account – I could find 4 people who’d listen to two Bible stories.
• There are so many lonely people out there who are prepared to listen to a story from the Bible.
This Seminar Changed Me
• This seminar has been humbling. I have been reminded that God’s story, the story of Jesus, that seems so foolish to people, contains the wisdom of God to save people.
• I learned to be invisible, to point people to Jesus through Bible stories. The focus was no longer on me the Bible expert. I learned to be invisible, to point people to Jesus through Bible stories. The focus was no longer on me the Bible expert.
• This seminar gave me the confidence that I don’t need to be especially brilliant to be able to share the Good News.
• This seminar gave me a new perspective outside the seminary teaching context.
• I experienced the power of prayer yesterday to give me freedom in speaking to people. I learned that I can step out courageously and tell Bible stories to people.
• Just because some people say “No” doesn’t stop us. With the Holy Spirit we are unstoppable –
God’s got work for us to do.
• I think about the word unstoppable. It is mostly new Christians who share gospel, Christians stop sharing. We need to be unstoppable.
• I realized that my joy in teaching can be selfish. I can quench the Holy Spirit by indulging my joy in teaching.
Application to Church
• I was impressed by how much we’ve lost the art of story telling in our churches, when we simply read narratives from the Bible.
• I learned that the 99% of Christians who are not equipped to be Bible teachers (and I’m one of them) can lead Bible studies using this methodology. I learned that the 99% of Christians who are not equipped to be Bible teachers (and I’m one of them) can lead Bible studies using this methodology.
• I learned some of the implications of oral learning for how we do church, and for Bible teaching.
• I understood better the priesthood of all believers. Through this method believers are encouraged to exercise their priesthood.
• I will tell people that Bible storytelling is something that every Christian can and should do.
Application to World Evangelism: During the seminar there was discussion of the thousands of ethnic groups in the world that still have no church.
• I learned that oral cultures have different learning needs and learning styles. It is really important to take that into account.
• I learned that there is a need for us as a church to be seeking entrance into each of the 10
thousand unreached people groups in the world.
• I learned that people who belong to unreached people groups can be equipped simply and
quickly to begin to share the Good News.
Empowering:
Within six hours of the completion of the seminar one student wrote: “I told seven Chinese friends the story of the cleansing of the temple tonight. None of them are yet followers of Jesus. The biggest point discovered by them was that Jesus wasn’t hoodwinked into a trap, but was a great leader who knew – perhaps orchestrated – the events that were unfolding around him.
Within 24 hours of the seminar another student wrote: “This Thursday I’m going to start studying the Bible through Bible stories with a Persian friend of mine. Please pray for us. I’m going to ask him to bring some others along. He became a Christian in Korea through the Korean language. Though he cannot read it his speaking is far better than mine. He wants to learn English through Bible study.
Conclusion: One student wrote: I will tell people, “If you’re frustrated, feeling that you can’t tell the Good News very well, try learning this way to communicate.” Another said, “I will tell people that telling Bible stories can be great fun, and is a great tool for having Bible studies with non-Christians.”
Used with permission of KB
