Story Learning Strategies

7 Steps – Learning the Story

1. Choose the story. It is important to choose the right story that fits into the proper stage of the circular process of Making Disciples and fits the listeners’ overall understanding of the Bible.

2. Learn the structure of the story. Divide the story into easy-to-memorize parts. Most stories have a beginning, a middle and an end. Memorize each event of the story. For example, the story of Zac­chaeus can be divided into six parts.

3. Imagine the setting of the story. Imagine the setting of the story in your mind. What did it look like in that place? In this way, you may identify with the story, experience the story, and make it your own.

4. Imagine the action taking place. For example: Imagine the excitement and the pushing and shoving of the crowds! Imagine little Zacchaeus climbing the tree. Imagine Zacchaeus taking out his money and the amazement of the disciples.

5. Use your voice to project the images you’ve imagined. Project your voice appropriately to the mood of the story. Pay close attention to the volume of your voice, from a whisper between the disciples to the angry shouts of John the Baptist.

6. Learn the story by memory. Do not change the story! Accuracy is very important because oral people will retell the story exactly as you have told it. Do not add details that are not in the Bible.

7. Practice telling the story until it comes naturally. Rehearse the story while you are alone, with­out interruption. Practice telling the story within the cultural context and style of the people you are ministering to. Present a storytelling style in harmony with the group. Practice telling the story out loud, paying close attention to volume, tempo, and pauses.

Quick Method to Learn the Story by Memory

1. Read out loud or listen to story, following the storyline with your imagination and body movement.  

2. Close Bible and in your own words tell everything that you remember from the story in order and out loud two times from start to finish, imagining the story taking place (do not look in Bible if you forget something). 

   • Don't get hung up on word for word text accuracy as that will greatly hinder your ability to learn the story deeply or quickly and in a way that you can express naturally. 

   • If you want to learn a story with word for word accuracy, first learn it well in your own words, then go back through the story and work though it with the goal of using the same words as the Bible text uses.  But use a Bible translation that uses natural language and words.  

3. Again, read out loud or listen to story, following the storyline with your imagination and body movement.

4. Close Bible and tell everything you remember in order and out loud two times from start to finish.  

5. Repeat until the story comes naturally and is alive to you.