"It was the worst thing that could happen.”
That’s how many conversations begin within pastoral offices. Something happened and now someone is trying to make sense of it. Storytelling is part of the human experience. I discovered that everyone is a gifted story teller. Some people make a career of story telling. But, when the story is intimate and includes the details of their personal journey, it becomes a significant pathway toward transformation. Learn to listen. Be present and truly listen to someone as they tell you their story. Don’t judge it. Be honorable and accept your role as an audience member not a participant in the story, a coach or a corrector. Let it be a good story. “OOOO” and “AH” when necessary. You will validate the other in a way that Jesus Christ modeled and we are to emulate.
Storytelling
Telling stories is one of the most powerful means that we have to influence, teach and inspire. What makes storytelling so effective for learning? For starters, storytelling forges connections among people and between people and ideas. Stories convey the culture, history and values that unite people. When it comes to our ethnicities, communities and families, we understand intuitively that the stories we hold in common can be the most important part of the ties that bind.
Good stories do more than create a sense of connection. They build familiarity and trust. Stories allow the listener to enter the narrative and become part of the plot where they are, making them more open to learning. Good stories can contain multiple meanings so they’re a surprisingly economical to convey complex concepts in tangible ways. Storytelling also helps with learning because stories are easy to remember. Organizational psychologist Peg Neuhauser found that learning which stems from a well-told story is remembered more accurately, and for far longer, than learning derived from facts and figures alone. Similarly, psychologist Jerome Bruner’s research suggests that facts are 20 times more likely to be remembered if they’re part of a story.
Kendall Haven, author of Story Proof and Story Smart, considers storytelling serious business. Kendall states, "Your goal in every communication is to influence your target audience. The challenge is to change their current attitudes, belief, knowledge and behavior. Information alone rarely changes any of these. Research confirms that well-designed stories are the most effective vehicle for exerting influence.”*
Stories about mistakes and what people learned from them are a great tool for learning. People identify closely with stories. Ask someone what their favorite film or novel is and you will begin a fantastic conversation of discovery. You can learn so much from what another person values by discovering their favorite story. So, imagining how they would have acted in similar circumstances, they’re able to work through situations in a way that’s risk free. The extra benefit for great communicators who are leaders: with a simple personal story they’ve conveyed underlying values, offered insight into the evolution of their own experience and knowledge and ultimately presented themselves as more approachable. Here’s the best benefit—others who are inspired will want to know more.
Storytelling in Genesis
We are introduced to effective and magnificent story telling in Genesis. Joseph’s story (Genesis 37-50) moves from the ancestral history into the new generation. God made a promise to Abram, that a new nation, (ethnicity) would be a blessing to all others. (Genesis 12:2) Genesis captivates us with how the vision unfolds. Family tensions, natural disasters and personal challenges trigger a fast-paced and triumphant story of struggle, pain and resilience. We can all identify with the story in deep and meaningful ways. All of us have been betrayed at some time and we’ve all been disappointed by family, friends or colleagues. Joseph’s story has many plot twists and turns that lead us to consider what we would do when faced with such challenges.
Connection. Engagement. Stories appeal to all sorts of learners. Consider it the most cost-effective and risk-free way to learn. Inspiring motivation transfers learning that sticks in our memory and stays with us. It’s no wonder that God embraced storytelling as His effective way for His people to lead, influence, inspire, and teach. Read Joseph’s story for yourself. Plan to discover something about yourself and allow it to be transforming to the person you are to become. What stands out to you? Which character do you identify with and why? It may be your role to become the family redeemer. After all, isn’t that what Jesus did for you? Now, maybe it is your calling to go and do likewise.
“Let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance"—Proverbs 1:5 NIV
*Harvard Business Review https://www.harvardbusiness.org/what-makes-storytelling-so-effective-for-learning/
Pastor Jen