Why Is Everyone Talking About Storytelling Right Now?

We are drawn to story because we are drawn to God and He is the God of story.

Storytelling has become very popular recently. Everywhere you look, companies and influencers are embracing storytelling to sell products and move people to accomplish goals. I recently saw that each US Men’s World Cup Soccer Team member got a story “special” on their YouTube channel. Much of this attention to storytelling is hype and will eventually die down. Still, it doesn’t take away the fact that there is real power in story and storytelling.

We Are Hard-Wired For Story

As humans, we view our lives through storytelling. We narrate the ups and downs of our lives through stories. We explain the otherwise random experiences of our lives through the lens of a big, overarching story. We also use stories to classify the types of people we meet along the way. Are they one of the good guys or bad guys? Some would say we cannot escape the influence of storytelling in our lives.

Science Can’t Explain Story

For generations, the scientific community has been trying to explain the purpose of storytelling in the human species. However, there seems to be no biological or evolutionary reason we have such a strong pull toward it. There are many theories about how storytelling is essential to mankind’s survival, but none are very convincing. Story to the human is like music. No one is sure why it’s baked into us, but there’s no denying it’s reality.

The Christian, however, has insight into their bend toward storytelling.

I believe our unconscious attraction to story is evidence that we were created in the image of God. A God who dreams, imagines, believes, and creates. A God who designed everything from nothing and has an epic plan of how it will all end.

I think it’s cool to see secular culture get excited about ideas rooted in spiritual things. I see this happening with the rise of popularity around storytelling. God has been in the storytelling business since the beginning of time. In fact, 2000 years ago, the world’s most important storyteller left us with living truths that are still alive in the earth today.

Jesus Of Nazareth Was The Most Prolific Storyteller The World Has Ever Known.

There has never been a more important man with a more important message. Jesus came to this earth fully aware of what He was called to do: To die a sinner’s death so people could be purchased to God. But, He also came to reveal the true nature of God and His Kingdom.

Jesus explained His Father’s kingdom through stories that children could understand.

Jesus also challenged the religious status quo of His day alongside the ungodly power structures that existed through storytelling. He also flipped tables and cracked whips. Out of all the ways God could have revealed Himself to the world, He decided to use storytelling.

As a kid, I remember being told that Jesus used parables because his disciples were so dumb for real. I was taught that his audience was fishermen and farmers who couldn’t handle direct teaching. I don’t believe this anymore. Instead, I am convinced that Jesus used storytelling to communicate the gospel because there is no better way to do it.

Over the next couple of weeks, I will publish some articles about why Jesus used storytelling as His primary teaching method. I believe The Church could be full of the greatest storytellers in our culture, and I want to dive deep into the WHY and the HOW behind storytelling.

Please let me know if you would like to receive these articles via email, and I’ll add you to a digital newsletter. Send me a message here.

If you are a church leader, communicator, believer, or really anyone who wants to grow in storytelling, I believe this series will be a blessing to you.