Why Storytelling & Dialogue?

Who is the most powerful person in the world?

“The most powerful person in the world is the storyteller.  The storyteller sets the vision, values and agenda of an entire generation that is to come.” – Steve Jobs, Apple founder and iPhone inventor

Who has influenced the world's history more than any other person, including Steve Jobs? Who's birthday determines the counting of history's years? Who came as a storyteller, questioner, and listener? Yes, it was Jesus the Builder from Nazareth, who continues to build with living stones to this day.  Meanwhile, one of history's other great builders was Herod the Great, who also tried his best to kill Jesus as a little, defenseless baby.  Herod the Great's impressive buildings and palaces continue to slowly degenerate into deeper ruin, while the Builder from Nazareth continues to build with living stones, impacting billions of people in new ways in our generation.

We can easily make the argument that Jesus is the most powerful, influential person in world history, both past and present. 

What was key to Jesus impressive power and influence?

Jesus was a master of storytelling and dialogue who help His audiences spellbound for days at a time, and today His story continues to impact our generation.

How many times did Jesus tell people to turn in their Bibles to a certain reference and read? 

Yes, Jesus also used oral methods as he taught mostly using stories, questions, and examples. 

Do we learn from the university of Jesus, or do we eradicate Jesus from the university?

What is the literary type of most of God's Word? Yes, it is narrative, or story.  Most of God’s Word is story, and stories should be told as story.  Storytelling is an art, and the arts direct the course of history. No one has impacted the history of the world more than Jesus of Nazareth. 

Why use dialogue questions with storytelling?

Questions open up people to consider new possibilities and is intrinsically discovery oriented. Questions are basic to inductive Bible study and making the observations that move us to understand and see God's Word both anew and accurately.  

Questions require people to use their own capacities, instead of sitting passively by as the lecturer does all the work for them. When people discover something themselves, they are proud of themselves as owners of something new.  It is no longer someone else's idea, it is their very own!

Questions respect the dignity of the other person, showing them that you respect their ability to see and understand. There is probably nothing that closes people down more quickly than arrogance. The humility of the question and the questioner is the gift of becoming like a child.  This, said Jesus, is essential to entering the Kingdom of God. (Matthew 18:1-4; Luke 18:15-17; Mark 10:13-16)      

Questions place one into the powerful, creative position of curiosity and openness.  Questions open us up to receive God's Word as the implanted Seed that can then grow and bear fruit.  

Jesus asked about twice as many questions of others as they asked him questions.  

Why is listening just as or more important than asking questions?

Without listening on both sides of the conversation, there is no connection, no understanding, and no fruitful relationship. 

Listening, or hearing, is the first and great commandment, according to Jesus. "Jesus answered him, "The first of all the commandments is: ‘Hear, O Israel, the LORD our God, the LORD is one. And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment." (Mark 12:29–30) 

If you notice the Greek Bible text, actually the only strictly imperative word is "Hear."  The part "you shall love the LORD" is actually a future active indicative form, which has the idea this (loving) is what will follow.  If you go to the original Hebrew Bible from which Jesus quotes, you also see that the word "hear" again is the only direct imperative or command word. “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one! You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength." (Deuteronomy 6:4) While it is true that the whole context gives an imperative sense to the "loving," most of the time we seem to totally miss that the first and direct command in the greatest commandment in God's Word is to HEAR!

Listening is knowing is loving.  When you listen to someone, you get to know them. (We are desperate to be known, but afraid what will happen if/when this happens.) When we listen, get to know, and stay present, we love.  We love because God first loved us.