Biblical Storying – An Easy Way To Utilize The Bible As Your Small Group Curriculum + FREE Curriculum Download

Bible Study Curriculum is simply a tool in the hands of a disciple maker. No curriculum itself is going to make disciples. There is a Discipling Method, however, that makes an excellent curriculum. It is something we have used off and on quite successfully at Real Life Ministries, both in our Church’s Small Groups and in our International Mission Trainings. It is a method called Biblical Storying.

Biblical Storying simply means orally telling the stories of the Bible based on chronological order, themes, needs of the audience, and so on. Telling a story is not the same as reading it. And storytelling was something Jesus implemented often in his time here on earth, both with his disciples and as he was teaching the crowds.

Jesus and the Early Church’s Example:

Take a look at what Jesus said in Matthew 13:34

He told them still another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into about sixty pounds of flour until it worked all through the dough.” Jesus spoke all these things to the crowd in parables; he did not say anything to them without using a parable.

Which of the following statements do you think could be reasons Jesus told stories as he made disciples?

• Because most of the people of His day were illiterate
• So that those He was teaching would understand and remember
• To keep those who refused to believe from understanding
• Because He was transforming their worldview
• Because God wired us to like stories
• Because He was mostly talking to children

You should have chosen all but the last statement. Nearly all of Jesus’ era were illiterate, so He needed to use oral teaching methods. Though our culture is certainly much more literate than the New Testament world, many people today do not prefer to learn by reading. According to the late Avery Willis, who co-authored our book Real Life Discipleship, almost 60 percent of adults never read another book after they leave high school.

Bible Storying also has benefits for those who are highly educated. Stories convey a message in a way that everyone can remember, and stories can make the point.

We see the world through the stories of our lives and the lives of others. The best way to transform one’s worldview is by renewing the mind through the stories found in God’s Word. (see Romans 12:2) Over time, stories can eat away at false belief and validate the truth.

I do not mean to imply that you shouldn’t teach directly from Scripture. Peter, Paul, and other writers of the New Testament quoted and used the Old Testament to teach God’s truth. I am saying that storying God’s word can be an effective tool in the discipleship process and it covers most of the truth in a natural way.

 

We see the world through the stories of our lives and the lives of others. The best way to transform one’s worldview is by renewing the mind through the stories found in God’s Word. #discipleship Share on X

 

The Method Of Biblical Storying

When using the method Biblical Storying, you begin by telling the Bible Story from memory, not reading it verbatim. This will help people become more engaged with the story. Before you begin, ask the group to be listening for anything that may stand out to them. Don’t have them follow along in their Bibles, as that will tend to make it more clinical and detached for this purpose.

When you are done telling it, go around the room and have the group rebuild it. Ask them what happened first to get started, then go through the group having everyone add details till you get to the end. This isn’t the time for the group to share their own commentary or opinion about the story, as that will come later.

After you are done rebuilding the story, have the group pull out their Bibles and read the scriptures aloud. After this is done, the group leader will begin to ask questions.

Here are some typical questions to get the discussion going:

• What did we learn about God from this story?
• What did we learn about Man from this story?
• How would you use this story to disciple someone?
• How do you apply this story in your own life?
• What is God asking you to do? 

Three Ways Biblical Storying Is Effective:

• It Works!

Time after time in our home church here at Real Life Ministries we have heard from leaders and individuals who have seen the engagement level go up and the impact go deep when using storying in their Small Groups. It draws people in and gets them involved as they go over the different things they see in the story. It also makes it easier for people to recognize and identify the Godly principles in the text. We have seen more transformation in people’s lives because of storying than any other curriculum we have used. And even though it is not our sole Small Group curriculum, it is something we return to and use often.

• It Makes It Easy To Apply Truth To Real Life

Making direct life application is easier when you are emotionally invested in the story and the people. Sometimes seeing an example of what someone else does or goes through allows the Spirit to reveal some truth about our own lives. Think about the time God used Nathan to tell a story to King David, and reveal to him his sin. (2 Samuel 12:7)

• It Encourages Dialogue

In the natural dialogue that follows the story, the group members feel like valuable contributors to the discussion as they mention things they heard in the story. The intentional leader has a chance to listen to the group to determine what stage they are at in their spiritual growth.

(You can find out more about the Stages Of Spiritual Growth HERE)

• More People Have A Chance To Get Involved And Connected

People quickly see that you don’t have to be an expert to tell a story. Anyone, regardless of their age, education level or spiritual maturity, can share a Bible story and ask follow up questions about it. Watching and engaging in this process will give your people a great tool to use when discipling others. And make the ones who are ready feel better prepared to lead a group themselves.

Additionally, the discussions that occur as you debrief and discuss God’s words can go surprisingly deep as the Holy Spirit does His work. Because of this, deeper relationships and bonds are formed within the group. These bonds are the relational ropes that keep people connected to their group and the church when struggles come up in their lives.

If you would like to learn more about Small Groups, click the link below to order the book The Real Life Discipleship Training Manual by Jim Putman, Bill Kraus, Brandon Guindon and Avery Willis.

Real Life Discipleship Training Manual 

If you would like to learn more about Biblical Storying, click the link below for the book Truth That Sticks by Avery Willis.

https://www.amazon.com/Truth-That-Sticks-Communicate-LifeChange/dp/161521531X

You may also be interested in the following articles:

How To Facilitate A Discussion That Transforms Your Small Group On Three Levels

What Is The Difference Between A Small Group And A Bible Study? And Why Does It Matter?

 

34 Week Biblical Storying Guide Bookmark – Free Download!

 

Real Life Ministries – Following Jesus Together Bookmarks

 

Also Available – FREE Curriculum Download!

You can now download the entire 34 week curriculum of Following Jesus Together!

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http://bit.ly/FollowJesusLM