Preaching and Chronological Bible Storying

1. Preaching and Chronological Bible Storying Literate Preachers Confront Orality

2. Pastor, they’ve found the black box from Sunday’s sermon!

3. Classic Baptist Preaching “A speaker must always subordinate narration to the object of his discourse, the conviction or persuasion which he wishes to effect. He must not elaborate or enlarge upon some narrative merely because it is in itself interesting, or follow the story step by step according to its own laws.” --John A. Broadus, On the Preparation and Delivery of Sermons (1870)

4. Implications of Broadus’ View

5. Implications of Broadus’ View • Narration is somehow detrimental to efforts to persuade.

6. Implications of Broadus’ View • Narration is somehow detrimental to efforts to persuade. • Narratives are inherently interesting.

7. Implications of Broadus’ View • Narration is somehow detrimental to efforts to persuade. • Narratives are inherently interesting. • Narratives have their own “laws,” or methods of communicating a message.

8. Understanding “Exposition”

9. Understanding “Exposition” Root meaning: “to put on display” or “to set forth”

10. Connotations Added to “Exposition” by Homiletics

11. Connotations Added to “Exposition” • Sermons must have an outline.

12. Connotations Added to “Exposition” • Sermons must have an outline • Sermons must have points and sub-points derived from the biblical passage

13. Connotations Added to “Exposition” • Sermons must have an outline • Sermons must have points and sub-points derived from the biblical passage • Sermons must cover the passage in detail.

14. “Exposition” in Education Exposition is a mode of thought, a method of learning, and a means of expression. Almost all the characteristics we associate with mature discourse were amplified by typography, which has the strongest possible bias toward exposition . . .” --Neil Postman, Amusing Ourselves to Death

15. Marks of the “Expository” Mind It demonstrates a “. . . sophisticated ability to think conceptually, deductively, and sequentially; a high valuation of reason and order; an abhorrence of contradiction; a large capacity for detachment and objectivity; and a tolerance for delayed response.” --Neil Postman, Amusing Ourselves to Death

16. Literacy Affects Thinking • “Without writing, the literate mind would not and could not think as it does, not only when engaged in writing but normally even when it is composing its thoughts in oral form.” --Walter Ong

17. Oral versus Print Learners

18. Learn best through stories Oral versus Print Learners

19. Learn best through stories Like lists (of points, principles, steps) Oral versus Print Learners

20. Learn best through stories Like to keep things intact (wholistic) Like lists (of points, principles, steps) Oral versus Print Learners

21. Learn best through stories Like to keep things intact (wholistic) Like lists (of points, principles, steps) Like to break things apart (analytical) Oral versus Print Learners

22. Learn best through stories Like to keep things intact (wholistic) Use intuitive reasoning Like lists (of points, principles, steps) Like to break things apart (analytical) Oral versus Print Learners

23. Learn best through stories Like to keep things intact (wholistic) Use intuitive reasoning Like lists (of points, principles, steps) Like to break things apart (analytical) Use formally logical reasoning Oral versus Print Learners

24. Learn best through stories Like to keep things intact (wholistic) Use intuitive reasoning Store truth in remembered stories and proverbs Use lists (of points, principles, steps) Like to break things apart (analytical) Use formally logical reasoning Oral versus Print Learners

25. Learn best through stories Like to keep things intact (wholistic) Use intuitive reasoning Store truth in remembered stories and proverbs Use lists (of points, principles, steps) Like to break things apart (analytical) Use formally logical reasoning Store truth in written, abstract principles Oral versus Print Learners

26. Changes in Homiletics

27. Changes in Homiletics • “Preaching and Story” was the theme of the 1979 Academy of Homiletics meeting

28. Changes in Homiletics • “Preaching and Story” was the theme of the 1979 Academy of Homiletics meeting • A steady stream of books on narrative preaching (3 in 1980 alone)

29. Changes in Homiletics • “Preaching and Story” was the theme of the 1979 Academy of Homiletics meeting • A steady stream of books on narrative preaching (3 in 1980 alone) • Narrative preaching accepted among even conservative evangelical seminaries

30. Development of Chronological Bible Communication

31. Development of Chronological Bible Communication • Hans Rudi Weber, The Communication of the Gospel to Illiterates (Indonesia)

32. Development of Chronological Bible Communication • Hans Rudi Weber, The Communication of the Gospel to Illiterates (Indonesia) • Trevor McIlwain, Firm Foundations (Philippines)

33. Development of Chronological Bible Communication • Hans Rudi Weber, The Communication of the Gospel to Illiterates (Indonesia) • Trevor McIlwain, Firm Foundations (Philippines) • Bryan and Diane Thomas, 54 Bible Stories (Philippines)

34. Development of Chronological Bible Communication • Hans Rudi Weber, The Communication of the Gospel to Illiterates (Indonesia) • Trevor McIlwain, Firm Foundations (Philippines) • Bryan and Diane Thomas, 54 Bible Stories (Philippines) • Slack and Terry, Chronological Bible Storying (Philippines and beyond)

35. Chronological Bible Storying Chronological Bible Storying (CBS) is a method of oral presentation that tells selected biblical stories in chronological order in the power of the Holy Spirit so as to bring people to genuine faith in Christ, mature discipleship, and fruitful Christian service. Ordinarily CBS includes a time of dialog after the story. In the dialog the storyteller uses questions to guide listeners to discover the meaning and significance of the biblical story.

36. Preaching for Oral Learners • Preach from biblical stories frequently • Keep the narrative quality of the passage intact in the sermon

37. Preaching for Oral Learners • Preach from biblical stories frequently • Keep the narrative quality of the passage intact in the sermon • Sprinkle the sermon with proverbial sayings

38. Preparing Narrative Messages

39. Preparing Narrative Sermons • Respect the power of the biblical story

40. Preparing Narrative Sermons • Respect the power of the biblical story • Retain the suspense and drama of the biblical story.

41. Preparing Narrative Sermons • Respect the power of the biblical story • Retain the suspense and drama of the biblical story. • Help listeners relive the story.

42. Preparing Narrative Sermons • Respect the power of the biblical story. • Retain the suspense and drama of the biblical story. • Help listeners relive the story. • Resist the temptation to over-explain.

43. Shaping Narrative Sermons The Pure Narrative Sermon S T 0 R Y

44. Shaping Narrative Sermons The Framed Narrative Sermon [ . . S T 0 R Y . . ]

45. Shaping Narrative Sermons The Delayed Narrative Sermon . . . . . . . S T 0 R Y

46. Shaping Narrative Sermons The Suspended Narrative Sermon S T 0 R (Y) . . . . . . . (Y)

47. Shaping Narrative Sermons The Alternating Narrative Sermon S . T . 0 . . R . Y

48. Shaping Narrative Sermons The Alternating Narrative Sermon S . . . . T . . . .0 . . . R . . . . Y

49. Shaping Narrative Sermons The Multiple-Story Narrative Sermon STORY . STORY . STORY