For our spiritual well-being, after Jesus, Bible stories are what we need most in life.
Sharing Bible stories is called “storying” or “storying Scripture.” Storying is a recently coined phrase to describe the process of carefully crafting stories from Scripture so that they stay true to the original text but are told verbally, naturally and appealingly to engage the listener.
Storying Scripture can be done in two ways: Word-for-word from the text or not word-for-word.
The word-for-word method
- Someone memorizes a story from the Bible
- The story is recited to a group of listeners
- The listeners tell the story back to the person who recited it
- The person who recited the story recites it again
- Everyone discusses the meaning and application of the story
The not word-for-word method
- Someone tells a story from the Bible in their own words
- The listeners read the story using their Bibles
- The listeners see if the teller missed anything in the text
- One of the listeners tells the story in their own words
- Everyone discusses the meaning and application of the story
Key questions
In both methods, once the story is told, retold, and rebuilt, questions become the basis for the ensuing discussion. There are five key questions:
- What did you notice?
- What did you learn about God?
- What did you learn about people/yourself?
- How are you going to apply this story this week?
- Who could you tell this story to?
Benefits to storying Scripture
There are many benefits to storying Scripture:
- It’s ideal for oral-preference learners
- It’s highly relational
- God’s Word is central
- It builds intimacy with the story
- It communicates from heart to heart
- It involves everyone
- Both tellers and listeners get to “own” the story
- The threefold repetition of the story provides 3 different ways to “hear” it
- The use of body language and voice create an atmosphere
- It resonates across cultural or ethnic divides
- It sounds more “alive”
- It engages sanctified imagination
- It’s an entry point for the truth to be seeded in hearts
- It’s reproducible
- All ages can do it (Mary Margaret tells the story of Jonah)
There’s great power in telling stories. Since the dawn of creation, people have used stories to share their history, communicate ideas, establish values, shape behaviour, advance a cause, strengthen community, and form a worldview. So here’s to storying Scripture – to doing it well – to sharing the Story in ways that transform our understanding of the world and our view of God.
You can learn more about storying Scripture by reading the recommended resources.
Recommended Resources
Related Articles
Jesus at the Center: Understanding God’s Story
Summary
Bible stories are essential for our spiritual well-being, and sharing them through “storying” Scripture is a powerful way to engage others with God’s Word. You can story Scripture word-for-word or summarize the story in your own words. Both methods rely on retelling and discussion to deepen understanding. Storying is especially beneficial for oral-preference learners, as it fosters relational connections, enhances comprehension, and makes Scripture more accessible across cultures.
© Scripture Union Canada
