Story

A Lack of Story: Misanthrope or Introverted Philanthropist? By George Baum

What if that quiet kid in the corner really won't feel better after sharing her story?
Audience or Actor: Finding Purpose within God's Story By Brian Brophy

Why is it that we'll forget what the sermon was about last week but notice if the preacher repeats a story from last year? Why can't we remember the seven points of whatever, but can use the seven illustrations in our own talks? Why does my mentor remind me so often of the children's story that changed his life? There's something profoundly touching about a narrative. Something inherently life-changing goes on in the depths of our souls when we become a part of someone's journey.
Beyond Words: Story Encounters of the Third Kind By Mark Miller

As storytelling once again takes prominent role in contemporary culture, this should be wonderful news for the church—"the keeper of the greatest story."
Inhabiting the Biblical Narrative: How I Learned to Stop Doing Bible Studies and Start By Tony Jones

There is one "over-arching, all-embracing story for all of humanity," and we can lead our students into claiming that story as their own.
Keeping up with Motorcycle Man By Phil Davies

My testimony had always been pretty G-rated. I grew up in a Christian home with parents who loved me and stayed together. I accepted Christ at church as a kid, sidestepped a lot of typical teenager pitfalls—but I realized something. The events, people, joys, and struggles of my life, as boring as they may appear, were still just that: my life.
Lost in the Story: Youth Worker as Resistance Leader By Shawn Stewart

Imagine this: a youth worker and his cohorts come up with the crazy idea of stealing a Nazi German airplane and flying it over the Alps, with the futile desire to save his country from yet another invasion. They fly directly towards the American allied airfield in Italy, hoping they won't be shot down by the Germans or the allied forces. This is a glimpse of a story that I've fallen into, quite accidentally.
Refrigerator Art: Reflections from India By by Derek Elkins

"This may be a stretch for some, but if we believe God doesn't merely love, but is love itself, then we might also say that God is music. God is poetry."
Rhythms: Embracing the Story as Community By Tim Milburn

Drawing from corporate examples, Milburn makes a case for teens and adults co-developing stories together as a central focus of youth ministry, growing out of the natural rhythms of healthy Christian discipleship.
Secondary Worlds and Primary Beliefs: Gandalf, Harry Potter, and other Fantasy as Spiritual Food By Mike Perschon

Is it possible that fantasy fiction like Harry Potter and The Lord of the Rings is not anathema to mainstream Christianity?
Shadow Stories: Underneath the Veneer of Niceness By Sean Buvala

What would happen with kids if we told stories—personal testimonies and those from Scripture—in their true forms, with all of the open-endedness and the questions?
Tell Your Story By Steve Gerali

"We need to tell our stories, because God ministers to us and through us in the same way."
The History, Philosophy, and Purpose of Story By Rick Marschall

"This issue's focus on story is profitable, as current church trends encourage the use of narrative, the affinity with anecdotes, and the concern for relevance. What's surprising to note is that there are those in the church who think this expositional shift is something new."
The Story Dance By John Losey

In a village near a forest lived a man named Ed. He loved to explore the woods and share his discoveries with the people of the village. One day while wandering, Ed came across a wild bird that he had seen many times before. A medium size white bird that was fairly common and ordinary looking. It was called the Truth Bird.
The Story of the Good Samaritan (Alternate Ending) By Steve Case

It turns out there was an alternate ending to Jesus' parable of the Good Samaritan...sort of.
Valuing Storytelling over the Story By Jimmy Davis

I agree with the basic premise that we should take advantage of technology and media to communicate the gospel to this generation. But I wonder if we spend far more energy thinking about how to tell the Story than about the Story itself or about what kind of people storytellers should be.
We Have a Story By Michael Matthew Mercer

"The use of storytelling should be merged with, not replaced by, multimedia to bring perceptions into truth and fantasy into reality."
Youthworker's list of resources concerning the subject of "story"

(the theme of our May/June 2004 issue)