The Power of Story

April 1, 2007 | Filed Under networks, scripture, theology |

story.jpgAn interesting thing happened last week with the direction of the group discussion in both of the network gatherings. While the ”plan” was to discuss the first few chapters of “The Forgotten Ways” by Alan Hirsch, in both cases the group couldn’t get past the first sentence of chapter one.  Actually it was the first half of the first sentence were Hirsch writes, “In true biblical fashion, a reliable understanding of the nature of things comes out of a narrative - a story invovling God’s dealings with human beings.”

Hirsch’s purpose in this statement I believe was to introduce his story of moving a faith community to become more participatory and missional. However, in our network gatherings we all began to discuss the importance and power of story. In the first two hours we struggled with why the church typically fails to recognize the power of story - telling our personal faith story, telling the stories of others, “preaching” the story in a coporate service setting, but most of all reading and understanding the story of God as the story of God.

What are your thoughts on the power of story? Why don’t we “tap into” story in the church? Why don’t we more often recognize the Word as the story of God? And what is lost in the reading and interpreting of Scripture when we do not recognize the story?

Eugene Peterson in “Christ Play in Ten Thousands Places” writes, “The moment we formulate our doctrines, draw up our moral codes, and throw ourselves into a life of discipleship and ministry apart from a continuous re-immersion in the story itself, we walk right out of the concrete and local presence and activity of God and set up own shop.”

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