The Power of Story in Youth Ministry (2 of 5)

Great stories are like great meals…all the ingredients come together to make for a fantastic experience that you can’t stop telling all your friends about. And like any chef, we want to cook up some great stories…stories that captivate, motivate, and transform lives.

So as we step up to the preparation counter, I want to help you grab the necessary ingredients in order to create and deliver a great story.

Let’s get cooking! …OK, i’ll stop the cheesy (pun intended) metaphor. 🙂

Ingredient #1 – Point of View

The perspective of the narrator (not the author) determines the point of view. It can either be in the first-person, second-person, or third-person. An effective use of point of view can be in telling a familiar story from an unfamiliar perspective. For example, how many times have you communicated the parable of the prodigal son (Luke 15:11-32) from the father’s perspective? a hired servant’s perspective? the foreign landowner’s perspective?

Experiment with reading and communicating stories from Scripture from an uncommon point of view.

Ingredient #2 – Setting

This is the backdrop for the story – time, location, circumstances. The setting sheds much light on the story. By understanding the setting we can better understand why characters act a certain way and say certain things. Setting is crucial. A story without it’s setting is like a Mona Lisa without it’s canvas – it just doesn’t make sense. As you read Scripture and understand the stories in it, do your homework and research what the setting is. By understanding the historical, political, religious, and cultural backdrop of 1st century Jerusalem we will gain greater meaning to Jesus’ life and ministry, Paul’s missionary journey’s and letters, and so on. Many bad sermons are preached because we have not understood the backdrop and setting in which the stories in Scripture take place.

The key in storytelling is linking the setting of a particular story in Scripture to the current setting of our lives.

 Ingredient #3 – Characters

Every story needs characters…characters that often stand as mirrors that reflect back to us truths about our lives, our insecurities, our fears, our hopes, and our dreams and everything in between. In preparing to communicate a story from Scripture, ask yourself questions about the character: what emotions are they feeling? what has happened to them leading up to this? why do they say what they do? what is their motivation for their actions?

By stepping into a character’s shoes, we can help students step into God’s story more effectively.

Ingredient #4 – Protagonists

Also known as the main character or hero, the protagonist  is essentially the “good guy.” These are the characters that you cheer for! Traditionally, the protagonist is the character that undergoes a dramatic change throughout the course of the story. Think Indiana Jones, Luke Skywalker, Ruth, King David, Esther, Jesus…just hearing those names incites memories of heroic tales.

Look for the protagonists in the story and see how they are changed throughout the course of the story.

Ingredient #5 – Antagonists

Every story has a antagonist. These are the “bad guys” that we come to hate. Antagonists can be sinister villains, oppressive governments, machines, even ourselves…really anything that opposes the protagonist. We see them at the movies in Darth Vader, Agent Smith (from the Matrix), Jaws and we see them in Scripture in Pharoah, King Herod, and ultimately Satan.

Try looking for antagonists that have turned into protagonists as a result of God’s grace…think the murderous Saul becoming the apostle Paul.

Ingredient #6 – Conflict

Conflict is a state of discord that is caused by the opposition of real or perceived needs, values, or interests. Conflict can be either internal or external and, traditionally, is between the protagonist and the antagonist. In other words there is a whole lotta conflict between Daniel LaRusso and the Cobra Kai in the 1984 masterpiece. The key here is that through conflict the characters are changed…some for the better some for worse. In our American culture, we often avoid conflict and think that a healthy spiritual life is one that is void of conflict. However, if you look throughout Scripture, conflict abounds and is even promised to those who choose to follow Christ. By understanding and embracing the reality of conflict in our lives and in Scripture, we can better communicate the power of God who steps outside the comforts of heaven and into the messy conflicts in our lives – and changes us for the better if we allow Him.

Ingredient #7 – Climax (Turning Point)

This is the point in the story when the highest amount of conflict tension is reached. Everything hangs in the balance…what will happen when Luke Skywalker turns off the navigation computer and simply relies on the force just moments before attempting to blow up the Death Star?  What will happen to Maximus in his epic fight with Commodus in the Gladiator? These are the moments that everything builds too…the defining moment of the story. This is not the resolution, it is the moment before the resolution.

If we understand Scripture as the unfolding narrative of God’s Story, then what is the climax? Is it creation, the birth of Jesus, Jesus’ resurrection, Jesus’ return? If we look at God’s Story from a narrative perspective, it’s actually none of these.

In fact, the climax in God’s Story is His death on the cross. The God who is the creator and initiator and the main character throughout the entire Story dies. The hero has been crucified and left for dead. Everything hangs in the balance…Jesus, who is fully God and fully human, might be a complete liar because of his death. There would be no kingdom come…no peace on earth…no abundant life.

Though Jesus has been resurrected from the dead, we haven’t reached the resolution of God’s Story (which we’ll talk about next). In fact, as my friend Darrell Walters who is on staff with Mosaic, Pasadena so insightfully said:

We live our entire lives within the tension of the climax of God’s Story. We often incorrectly read Scripture and think that everything has already happened, the story has already been finished, and we just look back and reflect on it. Rather, the resolution will come when Jesus returns and establishes his kingdom here on earth. We play a critical role in God’s Story as he invites us into it. He wants us to be either hot or cold…we’re either in or we are out…there is a sense of urgency in our decision to join Him or not.

This has HUGE implications as we understand God’s Story and our role in it. Narrative preaching should not only draw people into God’s Story that is continually unfolding but also acknowledge that we are living in the a crucial point in the story and we have a significant role to play.

Ingredient #8 – Denoument (Resolution)

These are the series of events that follow the climax that also serve as the resolution or conclusion of the story. The princess is rescued and marries her prince, the unlikely hero overcomes his internal fears, and they all live “happily ever after.”

The great news is that we have been given a glimpse of the denoument of God’s Story. It’s a conclusion that will last for eternity…God will establish his kingdom, Jesus Christ will sit on the throne, we will all live in peace and as John gives us a glimpse in the Book of Revelation:

And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God hiself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, there will be no mourning nor crying nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new!”

Become familiar with the denoument of God’s Story. Because we have a sneak peak, we can offer hope to those who are in the midst of crisis, turmoil, and guilt.

Again, great stories are like great meals…let’s keep spurring each other on and serve food that will nourish and transform lives for Christ.

Next post will be: The need to understand and be able to communicate your own story