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Communication - Storytelling
By daniel | March 1, 2005
This is the fifth in a series of essays based on my reading of The Revolutionary Communicator, by Jedd Medefind and Erik Lokkesmoe.
StoryTelling
My soul aches to hear a good story. Anything that sounds like the intro to a story, or even a good analogy, and my ears are wide open. Give me something that captures my imagination, and you have my thoughts at your disposal, though they may be closed to any other channel. Reading Jesus' parables never gets old, and the stories stick in your mind, until one day, their meaning explodes as you encounter something applicable and the real meaning of the story you love comes to light from your circumstances.
Jesus didn't use stories as an intro or as an embellishment to His teaching. His teaching was through stories, almost primarily. If you want to know what the Kingdom is like, look for the twenty or thirty stories that start with “the kingdom of heaven is like…” and that is how you will find Jesus' thoughts on it.
I am not good at storytelling - my personal penchant for hearing just abstract teaching straight on may have ruined me for that — I think storytelling is an acquired skill. Sit under a master storyteller, and you will most likely acquire it as well. If I could find a master storyteller, I would sit under him. Jesus' parables were perfectly fit to His generation and time. I'd love to be able to do the same. He spoke of lost coins and treasure, loving fathers and compassionless clergy, day laborers and homebuilders, wretched beggars and crafty businessmen. Who could resist such stories leden with such profound truth? Not I.
These are just a few thoughts, as we seek to actually love each other well, and communicate instead of just passing information.
Brother Daniel of Nashville.
Topics: Spirituality - Essays |
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