Transcript Bible Storying - IMBRESOURCES.ORG

Bible Storying:
 What
 How
is it?
is it different from
Chronological Bible Teaching?
Bible Storying:

Telling the story as a story and not simply
talking about the story.

Organizing related story pieces into
coherent narratives.

Linking related stories as part of a larger
and coherent narrative.
Bible Storying:

Chronological Bible Teaching was a
precursor which established the concept of
maintaining a chronological timeline for
relationship.

Chronological Bible Teaching established
the value of providing a strong Old
Testament foundation for the Gospel.
Bible Storying
 Telling
the Bible stories in an
intentional manner as a strategy to:
Bible Storying
 Telling
the Bible stories in an
intentional manner as a strategy to:
Evangelize
Bible Storying
 Telling
the Bible stories in an
intentional manner as a strategy to:
Evangelize
Plant Churches
Bible Storying
 Telling
the Bible stories in an
intentional manner as a strategy to:
Evangelize
Plant Churches
Disciple & Mature Believers
Bible Storying
 Telling
the Bible stories in an
intentional manner as a strategy to:
Evangelize
Plant Churches
Disciple & Mature Believers
Train Church Leaders
Bible Storying
 Telling
the Bible stories in an
intentional manner as a strategy to:
Evangelize
Plant Churches
Disciple
Train Church Leaders
Train New Bible Storyers
Bible Storying
 Telling
the Bible stories in an
intentional manner as a strategy to:
Evangelize
Plant Churches
Disciple
Train Church Leaders
Train New Bible Storyers
Bible Storying
Each Objective Is Best Met By
Tracks Which Are Groups Of
Stories That Begin With
Foundational Stories And
Progress Toward Closure.
Bible Storying
Primary Objective Is To
Evangelize—
Which Requires Listing Of Basic
Bible Truths
&
Knowledge Of Any Worldview
Issues Related To These
Basic Bible Truths
To Evangelize
 Basic Bible Truths Leading to Salvation
1. God is one God, sovereign, creating and
acting in history.
2. God is all powerful, all knowing, the
source of all grace and provision for
all man's needs.
Basic Bible Truths
To Evangelize
 Basic Bible Truths Leading to Salvation
3. God communicates with man by His
Word, He is faithful to his Word.
4. God loves man and wants fellowship
with him.
Basic Bible Truths
To Evangelize
 Basic Bible Truths Leading to Salvation
5. God is holy, righteous, hating sin.
6. God’s righteous nature demands that sin
be punished by death and eternal
punishment (separation from God).
Basic Bible Truths
To Evangelize
 Basic Bible Truths Leading to Salvation
7. Man is accountable to God for all he says
and does.
8. Man is a sinner by inherited nature (birth)
and by freewill choice, and is separated
from God by his sin.
Basic Bible Truths
To Evangelize
 Basic Bible Truths Leading to Salvation
9. Man can do nothing to save himself
from God's judgment and ultimate
punishment for sin.
10. Man can approach God only through
the means God has provided through
a perfect (acceptable) substitute sacrifice.
Basic Bible Truths
To Evangelize
 Basic Bible Truths Leading to Salvation
11. Jesus the Son of God (the Promised
One come from God) is the only perfect
sacrifice for sin.
Basic Bible Truths
To Evangelize
 Basic Bible Truths Leading to Salvation
12. Salvation for man involves faith and
trust in God's provision by believing
on Jesus as the only Savior from
God's eternal punishment.
Basic Bible Truths
To Evangelize
 Basic Bible Truths Leading to Salvation
13. Confession of sin and Repentance
are outward signs of man’s response
to God’s invitation.
Worldview Issues Related To
Sharing The Gospel
Perceived
Needs
Worldview Issues Related To
Sharing The Gospel
Perceived
Needs
Changes:
• Recent Past
Worldview Issues Related To
Sharing The Gospel
Perceived
Needs
Changes:
• Recent Past
• Presently happening
Worldview Issues Related To
Sharing The Gospel
Perceived
Needs
Changes:
• Recent Past
• Presently happening
• Impending Future
Worldview Issues Related To
Sharing The Gospel
Perceived
Needs
Changes:
• Recent Past
• Presently happening
• Impending Future
Barriers to
the Gospel
Worldview Issues Related To
Sharing The Gospel
Perceived
Needs
Changes:
• Recent Past
• Presently happening
• Impending Future
Barriers
to the Gospel
Bridges to the Gospel
Worldview Issues Related To
Sharing The Gospel
Perceived
Needs
Changes:
• Recent Past
• Presently happening
• Impending Future
Barriers
to the Gospel
Bridges to the Gospel
Worldview Issues: Bridges to
the Gospel
Prior knowledge of the Gospel
 Dreams
 Curiosity about the Gospel
 Testimony of Believers
 Answered prayer/signs & wonders
 Redemptive analogies in culture
 English as first or second language

Worldview Issues: Bridges to
the Gospel
Desire for ESL
 Literacy
 Orality
 Access to Media
 Scriptures in heart language
 Unfulfilled personal needs
 Cultural parallels

Worldview Issues: Bridges to
the Gospel
Personal identification with stories
 Desire for relief from oppression/fears
 Desire for a better way/higher moral road
 Community event
 Relationship with storyer
 Framework or structure for communicating
a lengthy message needing careful building
to closure

Worldview Issues: Barriers to
the Gospel
Ignorance of Gospel
 Apathy to Gospel
 Resistance to Gospel
 Hostility to Gospel
 Gospel as one of many possibilities
 Gospel message limited to Christians only
 Distortions of Gospel message

Worldview Issues: Barriers to
the Gospel
No Scripture in heart language
 Lack of literacy
 Time Factors in urban situations
 Agricultural seasons and weather
 Cultural festivals and practices
 Lack of access due to geography or
government intervention
 Demon possession

Worldview Issues: Barriers to
the Gospel
Unwillingness of communicator to use
preferred teaching modes
 Unwillingness of communicator to organize
message for clarity and understanding
 Poor command of language
 Wrong vocabulary
 Poor understanding of target culture
decision making practices

Worldview Issues: Barriers to
the Gospel
Nominalism
 Poor testimony of those professing to be
Christians
 Syncretism
 Other religious teachings
 Fear of persecution
 Fear of spirit world
 Loss of social privileges & benefits

Traditional Evangelism Model
“I” Model
LOSTNESS OF MAN
Little or No Thought
of Target People’s Worldview
Our Concept of Gospel
Shaped by Our Worldview
Gospel as Set
of Theological Propositions
Our Preference for “Most Efficient”
Mode of Teaching
Literate Word Culture

Selection of Theological
Propositions
Organization of Logical
Presentation

Expositional
Propositional
Content-Centered Presentation
Little or No Thought
of Reproducibility
Worldview Sensitive Evangelism
Model — Lomé”Y”
Worldview Sensitive Evangelism
Model — Lomé”Y”
LOSTNESS OF PEOPLE
Biblical Truths Leading to Understanding of
Accountability to God for Sin
Gospel as Good News of Forgiveness for Sin
& Relationship with God Through Belief in
Christ as Savior
Worldview Sensitive Evangelism
Model — Lomé”Y”
LOSTNESS OF PEOPLE
WORLDVIEW REALITIES
Perceived Needs
Understanding of Accountability
to God
Worldview & Culture
Expressed as
Spiritual Barriers & Bridges
Their Language
Literacy & Preferred Modes
of Learning
Biblical Truths Leading to Understanding of
Accountability to God for Sin
Gospel as Good News of Forgiveness for Sin
& Relationship with God Through Belief in
Christ as Savior
Worldview Sensitive Evangelism
Model — Lomé”Y”
LOSTNESS OF PEOPLE
WORLDVIEW REALITIES
Perceived Needs
Understanding of Accountability
to God
Worldview & Culture
Expressed as
Spiritual Barriers & Bridges
Their Language
Literacy & Preferred Modes
of Learning
Biblical Truths Leading to Understanding of
Accountability to God for Sin
Gospel as Good News of Forgiveness for Sin
& Relationship with God Through Belief in
Christ as Savior
Understanding of Their
Culture & Worldview
Barriers & Bridges to Gospel
………………………………….
Consideration of their Preference
for Learning Mode
Oral Culture or Literate Culture
Worldview Sensitive Evangelism
Model — Lomé”Y”
LOSTNESS OF PEOPLE
WORLDVIEW REALITIES
Perceived Needs
Understanding of Accountability
to God
Worldview & Culture
Expressed as
Spiritual Barriers & Bridges
Their Language
Literacy & Preferred Modes
of Learning
Biblical Truths Leading to Understanding of
Accountability to God for Sin
Gospel as Good News of Forgiveness for Sin
& Relationship with God Through Belief in
Christ as Savior
Understanding of Their
Culture & Worldview
Barriers & Bridges to Gospel
………………………………….
Consideration of their Preference
for Learning Mode
Oral Culture or Literate Culture
Selection of Stories Informed
by Worldview & Culture
Chronological Arrangement to Preserve
Historical & Other Biblical Theme
Relationships
Oral Culture Narratives
Concrete Relational Content
Listener Sensitive & Reproducible
Worldview Sensitive Evangelism
Model — Lomé”Y”
LOSTNESS OF PEOPLE
WORLDVIEW REALITIES
Perceived Needs
Understanding of Accountability
to God
Worldview & Culture
Expressed as
Spiritual Barriers & Bridges
Their Language
Literacy & Preferred Modes
of Learning
The Worldview Realities
Inform or Influence the
Choice of Stories and Themes &
Instruct the Mode of Teaching
Biblical Truths Leading to Understanding of
Accountability to God for Sin
Gospel as Good News of Forgiveness for Sin
& Relationship with God Through Belief in
Christ as Savior
Understanding of Their
Culture & Worldview
Barriers & Bridges to Gospel
………………………………….
Consideration of their Preference
of Learning Mode
Oral Culture or Literate Culture
Selection of Stories Informed
by Worldview & Culture
Chronological Arrangement to Preserve
Historical & Other Biblical Themes
Relationships
Oral Culture Narratives
Concrete Relational Content
Listener Sensitive & Reproducible
Core Bible Stories
The Bible — God’s Word of Truth
 Creation of the Spirit World
 Creation of the World We Live In
 Creation of First Man and Woman
 Sin of Disobedience & God’s Judgment
 Judgment of a Sinful World
 God’s Promise of One to Bless All People

Core Bible Stories
God Will Provide the Substitute Sacrifice
 The Passover Lamb, Sign of the Blood
 God’s Holy Law to define Sin
 Blood Sacrifice to Cover Sin
 The Prophet’s Message of an Anointed One
to Suffer & Die for our Sin
 Birth of Jesus According to Prophecy
 Baptism of Jesus, Behold the Lamb!

Core Bible Stories
Victory in Temptation
 You Must Be Born Again
 Jesus Has Authority to Forgive Sin
 Jesus Has Authority over Nature
 Jesus Has Authority over Demons
 Jesus Demonstrates Mercy by Healing
 Jesus Has Authority Over Death—Jesus is
the Resurrection

Core Bible Stories
Jesus is Good Shepherd, Knows His Sheep
 We Must Believe the Message of the
Prophets While in this Life
 My Broken Body & Blood Shed for You
 Jesus is Betrayed, Falsely Accused,
Condemned to Death
 Jesus is Crucified, Decision For & Against
Jesus, It is Finished!

Core Bible Stories
Resurrection—He is Alive!
 Return to the Father—He will Come Again!
 Jesus the True High Priest Making
Intercession for Believers Before the Father
 Jesus will Return to Receive His Own, to
Defeat Satan, to Judge Unbelievers

Criteria For Choosing Stories
Stories strongly challenging listeners’ WV
 Stories confronting listeners with choice
 Stories likely to be misunderstood by
listeners
 Stories openly accepted by listeners
 Stories preferred by listeners
 Neutral stories—interest / disinterest
 Bridging & background stories

Criteria For Choosing Stories
Teaching themes focusing on primary track
task—evangelism, church, discipleship...
 Teaching themes that link stories to make
coherent presentation
 Teaching themes related to target people’s
worldview
 Minor themes like blessing, deliverance,
angels, work of Satan & evil spirits

Criteria For Choosing Stories
Some Typical Themes
Payment for sin
 Broken relationship (oneness) with God
 Suffering—Bengali Muslims
 Peace with God—Hindus
 Forgiveness
 Blessing—Chinese
 Honor—Muslims

Criteria For Choosing Stories
Some Typical Themes
Characteristics of God—Non Specific
 Kingdom of God—Muslims
 The True Way—Buddhists
 The Great High Priest
 Emmaus Road—Reflexive to Prophecies
 Stories of the Prophets—Muslims
 The Story of Jesus—Prophecies & Gospels

Criteria For Choosing Stories
Some Typical Themes
The Word of God—Muslims
 Women’s WV issues

 purity-uncleanness
 powerlessness-life
circumstances
 self-worth
 relationships-with
God, families
 healing
 provision
for widows, those in need
The Bible Story
Verbatim Story (read or told from
memory)
 Enhanced Verbatim Story (for clarity)
 Shaped Story — Light Editing
 Paraphrased Story — Lightly Rephrased
 Paraphrased Story — Deeply Expanded
 Recast Story — New Setting, Plot or
Characters

The Bible Story
Dramatized Story — Dialog &
Movement
 Sung Story

The Storying Session

Pre-Story Time (Opening Dialog)
 Greeting
according to custom
 Talk about recent & current events
 Recall/review previous truths & stories
 Ask questions or make comments to sensitize
listeners to new teaching theme
 Review any background, bridging or linking
stories needed to get into current story
 Give a listening task if appropriate
The Storying Session

Read From the Bible
 Use
clean or unmarked Bible
 Handle Bible according to expectation
 Pick up Bible and hold in hand
 Read from Bible part of story to “anchor”
story in Bible
 If reading offends, memorize and quote with
open Bible before you
 Continue to hold Bible after reading
The Storying Session

Tell the Story
 Hold
Bible while telling story
 Tell the story as a “story” and not as a report
of what characters said and did
 Use summary statements to bridge time
 Tell the story accurately, but interestingly,
preserving the biblical rhythm
 At end of story — Stop!
 Put down the open Bible
The Storying Session

Lead Listeners to Discover Truths
 Ask
someone to retell the story
 Let listeners respond to listening task
 Begin discussion with factual questions
 Lead into questions requiring thinking or
projecting of listeners into the story
 Bring closure with application questions:
“What is God saying to you through this
story?”
The Storying Session
 Discovering Truths
 Handle
continued
incorrect answers in a culturally
sensitive manner
 Don’t entertain questions about yet-to-berevealed truth
 Defer answering questions you don’t know
—you will look for an answer in God’s Word
 Give a memory verse to sum up lesson
 Enjoy fellowship as a story promotes
“community”
The Bible Storying Strategy
Church Planting Phase
Range of Stories
Genesis
Gospels Acts 1
Acts 12-28
Epistles
Revelation
Evangelization Track
Review/Affirmation Track
Church Planting Tk
Characterization Track
New Evangelization Track
End Times Track
Also “Oral Bible” Strategy