The Power of Stories
Have you heard a good story lately?
Psychologists theorize that people in ancient civilizations learned about dangers and benefits through personal exposure and through the stories of trusted others. From this tradition, our minds instinctively grasp onto stories and testimonials at a deeper level than statistics and advertising slogans. In one test, researchers discovered that when a subject is even reading a story, our brains function as if the story becomes a memory or an event in which we are actively participants. This is why I can hear statistics about the staggering needs in many third world countries without batting an eye, but if I hear a missionary or someone from that region tell me about their daily struggle for water or education, it resonates with me deeply.
Recently, West Ridge began a series called One Story, to capture some of the life-change that has been happening in our church. Ultimately, all these stories are episodes in one big story — Christ redeeming his people. It seems to me, that if our brains are hard-wired to powerfully experience and remember stories, they are one of the best tools we have in order to share Christ with others and encourage believers. Stories will be remembered longer than census data, great theology and the three points in last Sunday’s message. However, stories also reconnect listeners with data, theology and last Sunday.
After all, some of Jesus’ most important teachings about the Kingdom of Heaven were in the form of stories, or as we call them, parables. I’m guessing you might remember the story of the persistent widow and the judge or the good Samaritan, or even the one about the shepherd who leaves 99 sheep to find the one he’s missing.
Maybe it’s time to begin using stories more strategically. What stories do you have about God’s work in your church? How have you used the power of stories in the past? When can you use a personal story to illustrate a larger point that you are making? How can you share these stories with your church family?
In the mean time, check out this article regarding the power of stories.
People relate to experiences, no one can argue with an experience. Jesus never shared stats or figures, he told truth wrapped in parables, short little stories. We were made to connect with each other, I believe that to be a God thing, when we hear stories we search for the pure, genuine experience that we all long to share together, as one people under God.
M_
Great post! I think stories have so much intrinsic value for the reasons you’ve already outlined, yet today in a world where everything needs to be measured and boiled down to comparable units, the value is often lost.
One reason I value stories is because of the connection; the relationship between the story, the teller and the audience. It’s a personal experience that is designed to enable one person to identify with another person or situation. You’re right, that personal relationship is what Jesus was all about – and that’s why stories work so well for creating a connection in church. But it doesn’t have to stop there. If stories are to be used strategically, like you say, why not extend the use into other contexts? Why not extend the great One Story to use at work, public events and other places where we hope to have an impact on an audience, or a group of people who might not normally have contact with the church?
Dan Pink writes about stories being a great strategy for business, with managers investing loads of money on the art of story-telling for their staff. He outlines the use of ‘the heroes story’ very well. What better opportunity for the greatest ‘hero story’ to be spread, and for the church to meet the unchurched?
I’m passionate about using this strategically. Like I said, great post.