Title: Creative ways to tell a Bible story
Author: Martyn Payne
Published by: BRF
Price: RRP £9.99
Good for: Anyone wanting creative ideas to share bible stories, particularly with children
Best bit: LOADS of ideas, but also really helpful advice on how to do it well from Martyn, who’s a master story teller
Worst bit: I’d’ve loved each idea to have it’s own page to make it easier to find, and, of course, as a visual learner, I’d’ve loved pictures!
More:
This small book packs a punch way above its weight. It is a collection of story-telling wisdom from an seasoned story-teller, packaged in a way which means we can dip in and get something for whatever situation we might need to share a bible story.
The introduction might be a bit usually missed out, but you’d be missing out on some of the best advice for story telling I’ve seen. Martyn knows his stuff, and his introduction makes uses the ideas twice as powerful as they might otherwise be, looking as it does, at the power of stories told in a good way.
“Stories can inspired us to seek after God, to learn from others’ recorded experiences of God, to try to step out of our own cultural and historical limitations and enter more fully into the mystery that is God, and to become all thaat we are created to e, renewed and restored by the love of God to us in Jesus.”
Just wow.
The ideas in the book are organised into three sections:
1 Way in – introducing the story – this is often overlooked, but of course, setting the scene is crucial for drawing listeners in
2 Way through – telling the story – so many great ideas in here!
3 Way out – exploring and reflecting on the story – all fab suggestions which don’t slip into ‘don’t fight with your siblings and go tidy your bedroom’ type moralistic conclusions.
There’s also two suggested ways to stories you could tell, one focusing on themes, the other giving a year’s curriculum or syllabus using the activities in the book.
This book will be much appreciated by children and families workers as well as anyone leading services with a children present. There is so much in here, you’ll be reaching for it every week.
If you’re a parent wanting to be inspired with some fun ways to do bible stuff at home, some of the activities won’t work unless you have a large family as they need a group. That said, many of them will, and you only need a few to get you inspired!