Once Upon a Time: Parables of Jesus, Stories That Changed the World

Book excerpt: Storytelling has been around since the beginning of time. Can you just picture Adam and Eve sitting around and telling God about their day and the adventures they had in the Garden of Eden? It is how we connect the past to the present, keeping the details of history alive into the future. Word pictures, intricately woven with descriptive words and phrases bring to life the events of the past, the details of a missed occasion or an object lesson to teach a child. "Storytelling is the most powerful way to put ideas into the world today." Robert McAfee Brown "Storytelling reveals meaning without committing the error of defining it." Hannah Arendt Jesus is a great example of a masterful storyteller. Although all his stories were not based on an actual event, they were not fiction. There was nothing but truth in them. What skill! You now have the opportunity to become a great storyteller. Here are some tips to help you make the most of each parable and each class.