.... each of us are a part of the living story. The bible tells us that in the beginning was the word, the word was with God and the word was God. The WORD implies story and intrigue and God is our narrator. I don't think the use of story is an important tool in preaching... i think it's the only tool. People relate to stories because something of a story will connect with their own. The question was - what if someone doesnt relate to a story, what does that do to the meaning of the sermon? It's a two part question... the first being....what if someone doesnt relate to the story.... i don't believe this exists. If a story is told about a person who overame their alcahol addiction... well then i don't relate with that topic. BUT I do relate with the championing of the human spirit... the overcoming of something big..... so when i hear a story like that... i think... what does God want me to overcome? There's also a sense of unity about story - even if you don't relate with the topic. Eric Liddell was big on mission and dreamed of going to China... but, as recorded in the movie 'Chariots of Fire', he said to his sister... God also made me fast... and he ran and won at the olympics. Now.... none of that applies to me. I do not have a dream to go to China (sorry China) and i can absalutely telll you without a doubt... i am not fast! So what do i get from this story, a story that was reccently recounted in a sermon at my church? It made me think about what God has graced me to do.
This brings me to the next part.... should a preacher change the story or define the meaning of a story so that he / she can get the point of the sermon across. I don't think so. I think how people receive the story, whether it is or isnt exactly what the preacher wanted to get across, God knows what everyone needs to hear. God works it out. I once went along and watched TD Jakes preach and i saw so many people impacted by his message. He used stories and illustrated so well and the topic was amazing... yet, what i got from it was..... it's poissible to deliver a sermon message in this creative way... and look at how impacting it is. Because that's my passion... to commuicate creatively. The message was great... but the real message for me - was in the delivery of the sermon. That's what I needed to see and hear. The story did not need changing because others needed to hear and see it in their way... that's why I think God is so amazing - all things knit together
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