Preachers as Storytellers: Who Doesn't Like a Good Story?

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There is no substitute for Spirit-filled and anointed preaching and teaching. However, even the best teacher, Jesus, was a crafty and captivating storyteller. We need to look no further than His parables in the Gospels.

Interpreter C.H. Dodd, in his 1935 classic Parables of the Kingdom, defined a parable as "a metaphor or simile drawn from nature or common life, arresting the hearer by its vividness or strangeness, and leaving the mind in sufficient doubt about its precise application to tease it into active thought" (page 16). The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia states that parables are "almost always formulated to reveal and illustrate the kingdom of God" (vol. 3, page 656).

Today, in Christianity, Max Lucado is arguably the best modern-day preacher storyteller. There are many others...

Pentecost has, and has birthed, some of the best, also.

In reading Tommy Tenney's recent book, The Ultimate Comeback, I've come to appreciate his insightful and skillful ability to use personification and other creative figurative devices to tell a good story while still relating biblical truths.

In the book, he tells a heart-wrenching, yet fascinating, tale of the almond tree whose hopes and dreams of ever being fruitful were dashed when it was uprooted, stripped, made bare, and dried so it could be fashioned into a rod for his Master. The rod is later taken from his new comfort zone, his master's hand, and placed in a dark room.

The rod was Aaron's rod. The same rod that bore his name and joined the other 11 rods laid up in the tabernacle before the Ark of the Covenant, as described in Numbers 17.

This hopeless dry rod never imagined that in the presence of the Almighty he still could bud, blossom and yield almonds.

So Moses spoke to the Israelites, and their princes gave him staffs, twelve in all, one from each tribal prince; and Aaron's staff was with them. 22 Then Moses laid the staffs down before the LORD in the tent of the commandments. 23 The next day, when Moses entered the tent, Aaron's staff, representing the house of Levi, had sprouted and put forth not only shoots, but blossoms as well, and even bore ripe almonds!

Having heard his dad, TF Tenney, speak twice in person, I know Tommy's gift of storytelling was passed onto him.

Yet there is a delicate balance, in my opinion, with preachers who engage in storytelling. I know of one who is probably the worst ever!!! He has mistaken telling anecdotes for the Word of God. Some make the mistake of becoming entertainers and leave you hungry for the Bread of Life.

Although, who doesn't like a good story? ... especially if it leads you to the Way, the Truth and the Life - Jesus Christ .... the greatest story ever told.

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Who are your favorite preacher storytellers?

What are your opinions and thoughts about storytelling when preaching and teaching the Word of God?