A friend of mine named Joe Johnson is excellent in the area of creativity. So basically everything you read is stuff I heard from him. Here’s some tips on making modern day stories.
Those who are comedy buffs know that this is one of the greatest comedies ever. Eddie Murphy plays so parts and this is joint is so well written. But how could we use this to explain the Gospel? For those who haven’t seen the movie (what planet you from??) Eddie Murphy is a Prince in a land called Zamoonda (sp?) He has everything he wants. But it is the custom of his country for the parents to pick the mate of the prince. Someone who comes from high status. So his parents picked out a woman. (The darked skinned lady from “Oh Drama”.) But he didn’t want her. He wanted a bride to love him for who he was. So he goes to Queens, New York. He doesn’t go their as a Prince but decides to live as the common folk. And he gets treated like the common folk. He goes through a whole lot of drama but eventually finds his bride.
Now you can use the same concept with the Gospel. Not the exact story. But you can say that Jesus was a Prince. He wanted a bride (us) to love Him. Not because they were forced. But because they choose to. (I know this goes against Calvinism). So he puts down all his kingly garments and rights. Or as the scriptures says “He who rich became poor”. He took human form and was like one us. He wanted this bride so much that he was willing to die so he could live with her forever (us, the bride of Chirst).
See what I mean. Just like Jesus did with the parables, we gotta use creativity in bringing the good news.
Here’s another story Joe told. He had everybody close their eyes. And I actually memorized this story because I used my imagination. This is another key in making parables. We have to make an impression that sticks with them. I’m not a good story teller. But I actually told this to somebody and they got it. And remember I’m a horrible story teller. So this works!!! Here’s the story from memory.
There were two homeless men. It was a real cold outside and a blizzard was on it’s way. So they decided to go to a shelter for the night but all of them was full. So one said to the other “We gotta do something. We’ll freeze to death!!” The blizzard started to get worse and worse. They knew if they stay outside that they would freeze to death. It got so bad outside that they could hardly see. One of the homeless men had a idea. “Let’s go to this house with that porch light on. Maybe that person will let us in.” The other homeless man said “Please, nobody is gonna let us in their house for free. Wait a minute. You see that shovel over there?? Maybe if we shovel his snow, he’ll let us in.” So the homeless man grabbed the shovel and begin to do his driveway. The other homeless mab went up to the house to talk to the owner. When the owner answered the door he explained to him the situation. The owner responded “Sure, you can stay in my house. I was homeless once in the same situation.” While the two were talking, the blizzard became worse and worse. The more snow the homeless man shoveled, the worse it got. He didn’t make any progress.
The homeless man ran from the porch to tell his friend the good news. “Listen, the owner said we can stay in his house for free!!! You can stop shoveling. Let’s go. He got some hot coco for us to drink.” “What?? Said the other homeless man. “Nobody is going to let you in their house for free. I gonna keep shoveling until I get this work done.” “But you’ll freeze to death man. He said we can stay their for free. Come on, let go.” “No, I gonna finish shoveling.” So the other homeless man pleaded with the owner to tell him to come in. “Sir,” said the owner. “You don’t have to shovel my snow. Just come in my house and get out of that cold.” The homeless man responed “I know that’s you trying to disguise your voice. I told you before, I going to finish shoveling his driveway.” And the more he shoveled, the worse it got. The homeless man stayed outside so long that he died. The point of the story??
For by grace are ye saved
through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God; Not of works, lest any man
should boast. Ephesians 2:8, 9
If you still don’t get it write me.