The Bible, first placed in printed form some five hundred years ago, paved the way for bringing the Word of God directly to every individual who has acquired the ability to read and has Scripture available in their language. Yet, millions in the world remain illiterate. The same is true as we work with children who can’t yet read. We must communicate the Word of God to them verbally. It must be shared in a format where everyone can understand and be drawn to God.
The Words of God truly are the essence of all of life! What God has spoken directly to man, what God has inspired His servants to record, what God has told man to tell others, is what God wants man to know and understand.
Electronic media will never completely fill this need. But we can recapture some of the processes of visual, auditory, and interactive experiences where God’s Story can be effectively told and shared.
Be a storyteller and tell The Story!
Ideas for Presenting God’s Story
• Story “Freeze” Frames: Select players from the audience in advance. Develop the story into sections and develop a scene for each section. Pre-train the players how to pose for each scene. If possible, have a curtain on a pole that is raised from the floor between each “freeze” scene. Have two people raise the curtain between scenes as players freeze their pose for each scene. If a curtain is not possible, have the audience close their eyes between scenes as players reset themselves. The narrator tells the story, and at each scene, pauses and says, “Let’s see what this scene looks like.”
The Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37)
Scene 1: Freeze frame – One player Traveler on road
Scene 2: Freeze frame – Four players Traveler and three robbers
Scene 3: Freeze frame – One player Traveler lying along road side
Scene 4: Freeze frame – 2 players Traveler asks Priest for help
Scene 5: Freeze frame – 2 players Traveler asks Levite for help
Scene 6: Freeze frame – 2 players Traveler gets help from Samaritan
Scene 7: Freeze frame – 3 players Samaritan with traveler at inn
Scene 8: Freeze Frame – 3 players Priest, Levite, Samaritan
Sower and Seeds (Mark 4:3-9)
Scene 1: Sower went out to sow seeds 1 Player - sower tossing seeds
Scene 2: Some seeds fell on the path and birds ate it up 3 players - birds eating the seed
Scene 3: Some fell on rocky soil, grew quickly, but shallow roots and sun dried them up 4 players - sun / 3 withered seeds
Scene 4: Some seeds fell among thorns. Thorns choked out the seeds 4 players - 1 seed/3 choking thorns
Scene 5: Other seeds fell on good soil and some produced 30, 60, some even 100 times 3 Players 30/60/100
Narrator explains
Path: As soon as they hear about God, Satan comes and snatches away the word that was sown in them.
Rocky soil: They hear the Word of God and receive it with joy, but do not grow. When troubles comes they fall away.
Thorns: They hear the Word of God, but worries of life and the pursuit of wealth choke out God’s Word
Good soil: They hear God’s Word, they believe, obey and produce for God’s Kingdom—30, 60 or 100 times what was sown.
• Shadow Story: Back-light the players with a white cloth in front of them as they act out the story.
• Hats or parts of clothing: Use different styles of hats or simple clothing items. Put on a different costume item for each character as you tell the story.
• Storytelling line: In this presentation style the story is written out in script form. All the characters in the story stand in a line with their backs to the audience. They turn and face the audience only while speaking their story parts, and when finished they turn back around. If two characters are talking to each other, those two turn and face the audience for their parts but then “exit” the stage by turning back around.
• Creation story line: In the story of creation you have six characters and a narrator. The narrator begins telling the story of creation. Each person, in turn, turns around to the audience and tells about their assigned day of creation. But at the end of each day of creation have all the characters turn and face the audience and say together, “And God saw all that He had made that day and it was good. And the evening and morning were the ____ day.” Then they all turn back around.
• Parachute storytelling: A colorful play parachute can be effective for telling stories. For any Bible story, you can mark a circle on the ground a little larger than the open parachute. On one spot along that circle, draw a square about 24” square. Have the story participants hold the parachute edges and walk in a circle and sing. On cue, they stop and the person on or closest to the square tells the next segment of the story.
Disciples in the Storm (Mark 4:35-41)
For this parachute story, also add a few tennis balls. Have the students hold the parachute in a circle and after you begin the story you will place the tennis balls in the center. As you tell the story use the following actions, reminding them not to let the tennis balls fall or fly out of the parachute. An option is to have the participants walk slowly in a circle as you talk.
Story section 1: One day Jesus tells His disciples to get into the boat to cross to the other side of the lake. (Put the tennis balls in the center.)
Story section 2: As they were rowing, the seas were calm and it was a beautiful day. Jesus fell sleep on a pillow. (Tell the players to gently let the parachute go up and down only a few inches.)
Story section 3: Soon the winds began to blow and the waves began to get rough. (Tell the players to move the parachute up and down more strongly being careful not to let the tennis balls pop out.)
Story section 4: The storm got even worse and the waves crashed over the boat and the winds blew stronger and the boat began to break apart. Jesus slept right on through the storm. (Tell the players to have the parachute go up and down even more again being careful the tennis balls do not pop out.)
Story section 5: The disciples thought they were all going to drown and they all cried out to Jesus, “Jesus, wake up and save us, we are all going to die!” (Tell the players to keep the parachute going up and down.)
Story section 6: Jesus woke up, stood up, and said to the storm, “Peace.” And immediately the storm stopped. (Tell the players to hold the parachute tight so that all movement stops.) Jesus said to the disciples, “Why do you have such little faith?” The disciples said to one another, “He really is the Son of God! Even the winds and waves obey Him!”
Jesus said to the disciples, “Why do you have such little faith?”
The disciples said to one another, “He really is the Son of God! Even the winds and waves obey Him!”
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