Teaching as Jesus Taught - Stories

Tips for using Stories.

• Don’t tell a story without practice.
• Do not analyze the story. Let the story speak for itself.
• Don’t make it a sermon. Stories enhance sermons; sermons do not enhance stories.
• Keep it vivid. Use words that paint mental pictures.
• Make sure it is appropriate. Age group and context are important considerations.
• Visualize the story. Rather than memorize, visualize. See the story in your mind’s eye.
• Consider student vocabulary level.
• Beware of tangents. tangents tend to confuse.
• Avoid too many details. Excessive detail also tends to confuse.
• Don’t show and tell. Use props sparingly Let your words do the communicating.
• Resist asking for feedback. Let the story simmer in your listeners’ minds.
• Do not illustrate a story. Stories within stories may work in writing but not in teaching.