What is your favorite story?
Is it a book, a movie, a TV show, maybe something you binge watch on Netflix? Maybe it’s a Broadway musical or even a story told through a video game or a comic book.
Whatever the medium, what is a story you love?
I asked that question to a group of ministry leaders at a storytelling workshop I led last month and heard everything from Lord of the Rings to Nacho Libre. Some people mentioned beloved picture books from their childhood while others chose epic Hollywood blockbusters.
The stories the audience listed were very different from each other in many ways – different genres, different mediums – but there is one thing they all had in common – the same thing they have in common with your favorite story too.
Something about these stories engaged us. They grabbed our attention and held it. They captivated us and swept us into another world. In fact, they was so entertaining and memorable that we would even say they are our favorites.
Pretty powerful stuff.
And yet, as powerful as those stories may be, we know there is an even greater story, in fact, the greatest of all time. It’s God’s story, and not only is it mind-blowing and amazing, but it actually happened.
These incredible adventures of God are actually true and, get this, they’re still going on today. The story is still unfolding.
And the best of all? We are invited to be a part of it. This story – we can actually step into it and get swept up into an adventure with God that leaves us and the world around us changed forever.
With that in mind, when it comes time step up in front of a group of kids and teach the Bible, we have to bring our best. This isn’t just any old story we’re talking about here. It’s God’s story and it is spiritual dynamite so we have to give our best to bring this story to life in a way that kids will never forget.
Remember what we said about great stories? We said great stories are engaging and captivating. They sweep us off your feet into another world. They are fun and entertaining and they grab out attention and they don’t let go.
But sometimes that’s not how we tell God’s story is it? Sometimes we make it sound dull and lifeless and boring. Like it’s just a bunch of dusty old facts to be memorized. All history and no mystery.
But this is the Bible we’re talking about here! It’s the greatest story of all time and it demands the greatest storytelling to do it justice.
That’s what this blog is all about, helping you hone your creative storytelling skills so that you can give God and the kids your very best.
Over the coming months we’re going to talk about how to engage kids, how to grab their attention from the beginning, how to sweep them off their feet and take them into the world of the Bible and introduce them to the greatest character of all time, the God who loves them and died for them and wants them to know Him more than anything in the world.
In fact Jesus said knowing God is what his story is all about. In John 17:3 Jesus prayed, “Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent” (NIV).
Then, in John 5:39 Jesus said to the religious leaders, “You search the Scriptures because you think they give you eternal life. But the Scriptures point to me!”
Together we’re going to talk about how to tell amazing Bible stories that point kids to Jesus, and leave them wanting more. And when someone asks them the question, “What’s your favorite story?” they may just name the one you told Sunday morning.
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