Telling Tales (5)
To be sure, the thought of storytelling invokes the disdain of many expository-minded Christians who think that this is the only one best way to know God’s word. They are able to tolerate – maybe even appreciate – very brief stories that illuminate sophisticated articulations, but not the telling of stories as entire sermons in themselves. Embracing the simplicity of stories that seek to drive messages without confounding complications is “Sunday School stuff”, they say.
But I have decided that this isn’t the way I want to communicate the story. I want to communicate the story in a way that makes a little child sit in my arms and an elderly man hang around me, simultaneously, both listening to the same story and identifying with the message of the story.
Some will say that this makes a sermon shallow. It has “no standard” (local expression, meaning “lacking in quality”), they claim. They crave profundity, for profoundly abstract thoughts are what determine the depth of a Christian. What a presumptuous assumption! Besides, one should never confuse complication for profundity. Profound depth can be communicated in the simplest of ways.
I have begun to draw away from the paradigm of expository preaching that I so highly exalted since having gone through vigorous theological training. I now gravitate towards the art of telling stories. Rather than being known by the literati as a keen expositor of the word, I want to be known by the simple-minded listeners as the man who tells tales. But of course, if expository preaching is your cup of tea, I’ll keep cheering you on. As for myself, I’ll keep “telling tales.”
Comments (5)
perhaps the trouble amongst sincere preachers is the exaltation of one "form" of preaching over other "forms". The Bible where we should primarily derive our preaching from has already modeled a variety of genre. A basic understanding of cultural developments past and present, including insights from other sectors like psychology helps us "recover" the importance of story (or to use more academic jargon "Narrative"). Further, I would like to point out as one who sees the importance of plot, conflict, resolution, mystery and paradox which is where the "narrative" framework provides is not merely stringing some tragic or comedic stories to entertain (thus the accusation of shallowness?) but entering into the theological movements and dynamics within a given text as well as the wider context. This is no easy task.
Take Jesus' Parables for example, they may appear "simple" but there's more than meets the eye. That's the power of indirection.
Having said that, we do have other genre like the OT prophetic books which show us more direct proclamations or even confrontations. But to appreciate these statements require a significant grasp of the story (history) of that time and the over-all "salvation history" moving forward, climaxing in Christ, and continuing until now and beyond.
In short, what I'm trying to say is ... this is more than about preaching forms, it's about theological vision! :-P
Posted by Sivin | July 28, 2006 11:20 AM
I agree that there is something basic about the story as a communication form. However I think we still need to ask what am I trying to communicate for what purpose and to whom. I need to tailor my sermon in response to these considerations.
Posted by Soo Inn | July 28, 2006 11:30 AM
Tell tales or expo. preaching -I am thoroughly enjoying this ride.
keep it up sk!
Posted by luke | July 28, 2006 10:51 PM
like soo inn suggeested, it may depend on the 'target audience', e.g. Paul doesn't appear to have told many stories (he certainly doesn't appear to write like a story-teller but this could just reflect my poor grasp of NT genres).
so for a certain group of ppl, stories "work" best. for others, exposition-tambah-application (tambah air?) works well.
still, i would think in GENERAL, given the 'times' we're living in, a more narrative-oriented communication is preferable, if only because we need greater imagination-capturing tools to challenge those of the world's, and what better than stories about our Lord?
Posted by alwyn | July 29, 2006 12:25 AM
I like your entries about telling tales. Great and keen insights. I came from a course in seminary on contextualization in missions and statistic shows that nearly 70% of the world’s people are oral communicators by necessity or preference. 20% to 30% of the world’s people are print or literate communicators. We would do well to tell story because they are more likely to remember than expository preaching - I am done with it too BUT I agree with you on expository preparation. God bless.
Posted by Lim Heok Cheow | July 30, 2006 2:24 AM