As a youth leader, are you ever scrambling for a natural way to introduce students to Jesus? How can we present Jesus to kids as the winsome, relatable Lord that he is?
Leaders who understand the power of storytelling see transformation in the lives around them. By the end of this story series, I hope you’ll be able to practically use 3 specific kinds of storytelling in your ministry and witness their transformative power. To get there, we’ll unpack these 3 questions:
- Why youth leaders should tell stories
- Which stories to tell
- How to tell them
Let’s dive in! Why should youth leaders tell stories?
JESUS TOLD STORIES
Jesus told stories called “parables” to help his followers understand salvation. These stories were short, memorable, and adaptable to the different levels of comprehension in the larger crowds and smaller circles of disciples. In Matthew 13 alone, Jesus used eight short stories to explain his kingdom (Parable of the sower, the weeds, the mustard seed, the leaven, the hidden treasure, the pearl of great value, the net, and the new and old treasures).
“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.” – Matthew 13:44
Jesus knew that many of his listeners wouldn’t understand the stories—their ears were closed to the truth. But for those who did get them, even the tiniest bit, their understanding would increase abundantly (Matthew 13:12). As Jesus’ listeners thought about each of his simple stories, they could grasp the deeper meanings.
“All these things Jesus said to the crowds in parables; indeed, he said nothing to them without a parable.” – Matthew 13:34
PEOPLE REMEMBER STORIES
People remember stories more than anything else. Think about your favorite movie or book. It takes me all of five seconds to recount the storyline of Princess Bride. How about the stats I learned in my college economics class? Couldn’t remember if I tried. Why do stories stick?
- They’re predictable.
Stories have a beginning, middle, and end. As complex as one might get, every good story offers the predictability of heroes and enemies, conflicts, and resolution. Predictability comforts listeners—we’re drawn to order, not chaos.
- They’re approachable.
Good stories are approachable, but they always hide deeper meaning beneath the surface. The parable of the prodigal son is simple, but the more we think about it, the deeper its theme becomes. An abstract theme like forgiveness is much more approachable told as a story than it would be as a heady sermon.
- They’re emotional.
A great story guides readers through crescendos of emotion, ultimately giving them the kind of resolution that brings a sigh of relief, sorrow, or gladness. As emotional beings, we want healthy experiences of emotion. Stories offer exactly that.
Simply put, people remember stories because the human brain is hardwired for predictability, approachability, and emotional connection.
CREATION IS A STORY
Jesus told stories because they were memorable and adaptable. But why should we tell them? The mysterious power of storytelling is not isolated to gospel accounts of Jesus. In fact, stories can be found in every other part of creation.
“The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.” – Psalm 19:1
If Jesus, the first storyteller, spoke the universe into being, every created thing is part of his storyline. The story of Christ (creator, redeemer, and coming conqueror) is part of us and part of the natural world. This is why many great leaders use object lessons from nature when they tell stories.
As youth leaders, we can expand our impact in the lives of young people if we simply leverage these truths: Jesus told stories; people remember stories, and creation is a story.
“Stories are 22 times more memorable than facts alone.” -Jerome Bruner
So far, we’ve addressed the why behind telling stories. In the next post, we’ll take a look at which specific types of stories youth leaders should tell. Stay tuned!