Patti Miller
Lead Pastor
Evangel Pentecostal Church
The way that we tell stories can be compelling and create a hook for people.
- How do we take a moment and make it into a story?
- Humour etc.
- God’s word is not just a book. It is the sacred, holy living thing that is the story of God that should impact the way we live.
- Sometimes God is mentioned in big ways like when the sun stands still, or not at all.
- In Esther God isn’t mentioned but He is clearly there.
- how do we make those stories change people?
- If people cannot understand why Jeremiah wept we are not telling a compelling story.
- If people don’t know the why they won’t be impacted by the story.
- When we are enthralled by the telling of the story it doesn’t matter that we know the end of the story.
- If people are bored we are not telling the story properly.
- We watch movies and read books multiple times even though we know the ending. We are enthralled by the larger story.
- We need to jump right into the story and allow the layers of the WORD of God wash over us and allow it to change us.
- Remind the congregation about what has taken place before. Describe the situation, context and environment.
- Use great description to paint the correct picture.
- Jesus, in the book of Mark is taken “just as He was” into the boat.
- He is tired
- He falls asleep - that is okay because His job was not to work the boat.
- “and the storm comes up.” - Five words that can paint a great picture.
- The disciples become scared.
- When we are scared it can come out as anger, or it can come out as misunderstanding.
- While all this is happening Jesus is snoring.
- “Don’t you even care that we are dying!” - Peter
- Jesus wakes up and looks out and quiets the storm.
- He asks the disciples where is your faith?
- They become scared
- They cannot comprehend the power of Jesus and how He would be able to calm a storm.
- The last time someone told water what to do it was Moses, through the work of God.
- As Jewish boys the disciples would have known that water only moves when God is at work.
- They are wondering and now realizing that God is in their boat.
- Invite the people into the story and to wrestle through the questions.
- He is God and He is in control. Encourage people to pause and absorb the story into their hearts.
- Trust that people will be shaped by the living and powerful WORD of God.