John Walsh - The Art of Storytelling: Easy Steps to Presenting an Unforgettable Story

Copyright 2003, 2014 by
JOHN WALSH

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any manner without written permission from the publisher, except where noted on handouts and in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

Editorial services provided by Julie-Allyson Ieron for Joy Media.
Editor of 2014 edition: Pam Pugh
Interior design: Design Corps
Cover design: Studio Gearbox
Cover images: CSA Images

For more information about BibleTelling, go to www.BibleTelling.org.

For a BibleTelling resource you can link to your website, go to www.BTstories.com.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Walsh, John (John, D.)
The art of storytelling : easy steps to presenting an unforgettable story / John Walsh.
p. cm.
ISBN: 978-0-8024-1133-4
1. Public Speaking. 2. Storytelling. 3. Anecdotes. I. Title
PN4193.I5 W35 2003
808.543dc21

2002151128

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Section One:
STEPS TO CRAFTING A CAPTIVATING STORY

Section Two:
TOOLS FOR PRESENTING A CAPTIVATING STORY

Bonus Section:
BIBLETELLING

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We need to learn how to tell stories, but we should also know why we tell them. Is it possible to tell a good story with our lives? Why do we tell stories at all? The following is an excerpt of Scott McClellans Tell Me a Story to answer some of those questions.

H ow are you, John? It was a simple question, and most people would answer it without a second thought. For me, it was torture.

I had just accepted a ride from one of my teachers. As I was getting into the backseat, his wife turned, smiled, and asked the question. Obviously she had not been warned. There was a quick exchange of looks in the front seat, but it was too late. The question had been asked, and it would have been rude to retract it.

If I had known this question awaited me, I may not have accepted the ride. But there it was, and I was obligated to respond. So I started giving my three-word answer.

For the next few minutes, a series of odd noises flowed out of my mouth. My face became contorted, while I slowly moved my head back and forth. The woman in the front seat just looked at me. She was no longer smiling.

I finally ended the agony by saying, Fine, thank you. The folks in the front seat then settled back and started visiting pleasantly with each other. I was left alone with my embarrassment.

I have stuttered all my life. My family has watched me struggle to get one word out of my mouth. They tried everything to encourage me, but slowly I retreated into my own shell.

To make things worse, as a school-age child I had serious learning problems. My teachers gave up hope for me academically. These disabilities made me an easy source of amusement for classmates.

At the same time, my fathers job required him to be away from home for long periods of time. Not only was I missing my dad, my parents were slowly moving toward a divorce. My mother watched helplessly as I struggled with all of these difficulties. She feared I would stop speaking altogether.

My life changed when I was sixteen. God stepped into this ruined life and worked a miracle of grace. I had been raised in a Bible-believing church, but somehow I had missed establishing a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. One Saturday afternoon, I bowed my head and yielded my life to His control. God brought light and hope into my dark place.

I enjoyed the Lords life-changing presence for two years. Then Gods Spirit impressed upon me that I was being called into a ministry that required talking. At first, I didnt take this serious because the idea didnt make sense. I couldnt believe this call to public speaking was coming from God.

In time I came to realize God was truly calling me to speak in front of people. This confused me because there were two obstacles. First, I was educationally challenged. Both teachers and fellow students knew I was the class dummy. God surely would not want to put someone like me on a speakers platform. What could I say that anyone would want to hear?

The second obstacle was my inability to talk. I distinctly remember praying, God, havent You been listening? I cant talk. Speaking had been next to impossible, and it had exposed me to heartless ridicule. I had learned to avoid this type of mockery at any cost. Standing up and talking in front of people was an invitation for humiliation.

There was a spiritual motivation as well. I thought I was defending the reputation of Christ. I was sure that making a fool of myself would not promote the cause of the gospel.

To protect myself, I had to turn down Gods proposition. It was then I found out that God was not making a suggestion or giving me a proposal. It was a command! He wasnt giving me other options. There was no plan B. I was totally confused because nothing in my experiences matched up with what God was asking me to do.

I spent months trying to reason with God about His calling for my life. I bargained, offered compromises, and even threatened. God was patient. All He wanted me to do was yield. In time, I realized the options were simple. I could be in Gods will or out of Gods will. Once I realized there was no third option, I finally yielded.

It occurred to me that God often tested people to prove their faith. He had no intention of allowing Abraham to sacrifice his son; He simply wanted a willing heart. I was confident this must be what God was doing in my life. Surely He would never actually want someone who stuttered to become a public speaker.

I came up with a plan. I was in college and attended a church about an hours drive from campus. I decided to ask the pastor if I could speak in a church service. I was confident he would say, John, you know you cant talk. You must learn to accept the limitations God has given you. I am not going to give my pulpit to someone who stutters. You stay in the music department and leave the preaching to me.