Bring it Back!
Is there something you wish you could bring back from past? Everybody has something they miss. Whether you find yourself reminiscing of dear people from days gone by or treasured memories when your children were small like family vacations, ball games, and Christmas morning. Or what about stuff they just don’t make anymore? I miss what I remember being some great snacks from my childhood! Does anyone else miss or even remember Gelooze!1 If you’ve never heard of it, Gelooze was a bizarre “beverage” of sorts in a plastic bottle similar to a Squeezit, but it was more gel than liquid. Let me tell you, it was wonderful! I would guess that most of us could think of some food we miss seeing in our lunchboxes or refrigerators that you just can’t find anymore.
Speaking of things we need to bring back, there’s something else you might miss. Does anyone else miss the excitement of learning those Old Testament stories? For years now, some of the greatest stories ever recorded have captivated Christian children across the world. Historical tales of adventure, sacrifice, intrigue, and even romance! Part of what made these stories so engaging was how your sweet old Sunday school teacher taught them. She taught them as stories!
Just think about it: our Bible contains real-life stories that truly happened about fascinating stuff! We’re talking about stories of sword fights, giants, miracles, divine blessing, and destruction. Stories about historical people who lived and breathed with bad breath, nose hair, and dirt under their fingernails no doubt! The Bible is full of stories worth telling, stories worth reading and applying to the Christian life. Unfortunately, many pastors ignore this material and focus almost all their attention on the New Testament. On the other hand, they might preach a story from the Old Testament no differently than they might preach on a text from say Romans or 1 Thessalonians and subsequently obliterate all the good things that make the story a story. What right does a preacher have to demote the Old Testament to a box of illustrations for their sermons from the New Testament? What right does a teacher have to take such an exciting record and dull it down so you could cut the tension with a ladle?
What can we do? Treat the stories God gave us as stories. We don’t ignore the teaching, but neither do we ignore the plot, scenes, characters, and dialogue. Here are three simple suggestions to motivate the preacher to mine the rich resource of Scripture, which is promised to be “profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness” (2 Tim 3:16).
- First, communicate the plot of your narrative. Divide your story into its natural scenes and allow the natural tension to build and eventually resolve as your message progresses. You don’t have to read your entire text at the start of your sermon. Move through the story, stage by stage. Identify the problem and allow your listeners to participate in the discovery of its solution.
- Second, introduce your listeners to the characters. This means you have to make their acquaintance first. Determine the part each character has to play in the story. How does the narrator portray them? What dialogue do they have to communicate? Remember, your characters are examples to learn from as we study.
- Third, don’t overlook the main character in every Bible story. God is the main character. Even when the text does not mention Him explicitly (e.g., the entire book of Esther), the text still has something to teach us about our God.
We can’t bring back everything we miss. I’m still holding out for Gelooze, but we certainly can bring back some of the excitement and interested that stirs the hearts and minds of our listeners by faithfully teaching God’s stories as stories. Start with these three simple suggestions. For those interested in learning more about preaching Old Testament narrative, an excellent and accessible resource is Proclaiming God’s Stories: How to Preach Old Testament Historical Narrative by Joe Linares.
Brent Niedergall is youth pastor at Catawba Springs Christian Church in Apex, North Carolina. He holds an MDiv from Shepherds Theological Seminary and is pursuing a DMin from Maranatha Baptist Seminary.
- If anyone from Betty Crocker is reading this, could you please bring back Gelooze? And maybe Fruit String Thing while you’re at it? [— according to the linked article, most people don’t share Brent’s fondness for Gelooze. Ed.] [↩]