Story

Have you noticed that in sermons, on the radio, especially among Christians now, the word "story" is everywhere?  I think it is the new buzz word.

A few weeks ago I heard a sermon and I think the pastor said that word 30 times. I lost count.  He was sharing his missions trip.

After the sermon a friend with me said, "That is really up your alley, Lisa.  You like to tell stories."  I was a little taken aback at first but then after I thought about it, I was good with what she said!

I remember one of my relatives telling me that my paternal grandfather who died when I was 7 was a great storyteller. He told the stories in Italian, Sicilian dialect at that. I wish I could remember the stories. This makes me a tad sad as I told stories to my children and now to my grandchildren.  The grands always say, "Another one, Gigi."  The funny thing is that when I am telling the story, I really don't know what I am going to say until I say it. Not only that, some of the stories are pretty good.  Alas, I cannot remember one detail.  Someone recently told me I need to use a voice recorder as I tell stories or even work on messages.

What does this have to do with extroversion?  One of the things I read about in my research is that extroverts don't know what they are thinking until they actually SAY it.  I know, this seems alien to some of you reading this but this is how it is for me.

What does this have to do with spiritual formation?  Pastors, bloggers, NPR, Ted.talks, lots of people are saying that we need to tell our story, listen to stories of others, ask people to tell their story, story, story, story!  We are told that people remember stories more than 5 point messages.  I think this is true.  The Bible is full of stories.  Jesus told stories.  He was the best communicator.

Part of how we are formed spiritually is through listening to or reading about other people's lives in their stories. This could be why I LOVE reading memoirs as well as biographies and history books.  I recently listened to the stories of two men that lived a very long time ago and another book about 7 men that lived recently.

The first was George MacDonald His life and works: a short biography by Roland Hein.  MacDonald, a prolific writer, lived one hundred years ago. Most of his books are not easy to read because of the English he used.  His fiction and theological works were packed with profound thoughts.  One theme was that he believed suffering is an absolutely necessary part of our spiritual growth and formation.

The second book was John Newton's autobiography first published in 1764, Out of the Depths.  How could a book written that long ago really speak to me?  I tell you, his story impacted me greatly. Many of his words had such a contemporary ring. He was a wild man, if I can say that. He lived a as he refers to it, a debase and immoral life. Even after coming to faith in Christ, he continued in his profession of slave trader and had a few moral setbacks. Yet he wrote all those hymns (Amazing Grace being one) and was minister for the last part of his life.  I have in my reading queue Eric Metaxas' biography of Newton, From Disgrace to Amazing Grace.

The third book, Seven Men and the Secret of their Greatness by Eric Metaxas (I love his work; he wrote Bonhoffer: Pastor, Martyr,Prophet Spy-number one best book I read last year).  Metaxas is a master storyteller.  I won't tell you the seven men, all relatively contemporary, so that you will check that book out for yourself.

God uses stories in my life. Although, I admit I was a little irritated with the excessive use of the word story in that sermon, I still remember the stories he told that Sunday and I appreciated his point.