Story Telling in the 21st Century

Today's Lenten reading is on Luke 15, the story of the Prodigal Son. This is one of the classic parables of Jesus. Jesus, a mastor communicator, weaved stories into his teaching. The art of telling stories still is important in communicating truth today. In some preliterate cultures, the oral communication of stories is the only way that their history is guarded.

Last night our whole family went to an evening of story telling at our son's school. We all had the option of selecting 2 of 8 different readings by parents of different children's stories. Then everyone gathered in big room to hear a story told (not read) by a professional story teller. She had props, including a small ladder she sat on, several musical instruments, and cloth material in the background. It was amazing to watch 100+ children and parents listening to her.

It was also a fun social event for everyone. I'm so pleased with our son's social development, which has especially improved during the last 3 weeks. He seems more at peace with himself, as well as with others. A friend named Chris prays everyday for favor with God and with man so as to be able to effective ministry. This prayer resonates with me.

The longest I've ever lived in one place was 1968-1979 in a suburb of Detroit. I lived there from the middle of 1st grade until just completing high school.

This past Monday I was sitting on a bench overlooking the pool where my son was taking a swim lesson. In the pool with him were a bunch of his friends whom we've gotten to know in the last couple of years at the pool. Next to me were these children's parents or grandparents, whom we've also gotten to know at the pool. We parents/grandparents were rooting, not just for our own kids, but also for the friends of our kids as well.

It struck me that this season in Paris (2000-2009) was the first time that I've really felt connected with the community around me, as I did with that community outside of Detroit. My neighborhood in Paris feels like home, just like that particular suburb of Detroit. I and my family are known there as "normal folk" who were or are parts of these communities. It takes time to build these links.

Sharing stories is part of feeling like part of a community. It should be normal for everyone, from babies to seniors to tell their stories and listen to others stories. That in itself can be a social event worth gathering around.

A church should be a place where people can share stories, as well as gather around THE STORY, the Bible. The stories in the Scriptures should be part of our individual stories. In a local church, hearing and understanding each others stories is part of feeling linked in. It often makes us more patient with others when we understand their stories and where they are on in their faith journey. A healthy church probably needs a combination of understanding and sharing about THE STORY and each other's stories. A healthy church will also hear the stories of others outside their particular community and get a broader vision for what God is doing in the world.

In some churches, there is a tendency to prioritize the epistles of Paul over the rest. Perhaps this is because they are written in a more "logical" style, at least for those educated in Western-style schools. Certainly these epistles are important. However, the other types of literature in Scripture should not be neglected or seen as less important. For many Christians, as well as those not claiming to be, the more narrative sections, like the Gospels, are what connects and guides by example of what to do (or not to do). There are benefits for following God's ways and consequences for not following it.

Since last Friday, I have continued to reflect on the importance of film as a tool for story telling and communicating truth. We need to sharpen our skills for analyzing film, including the discernment of the worldview and agenda behind a film. We need to teach our children and grandchildren how to do this as well. We also need to encourage those with a call to involvement in the production of films.