Thomas Nelson - The Power of Your Story Conversation Guide

2012 by Ben Arment

All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any meanselectronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, scanning, or otherexcept for brief quotations in critical reviews or articles, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

Published in Nashville, Tennessee, by Thomas Nelson. Thomas Nelson is a registered trademark of Thomas Nelson, Inc.

Published in association with Yates & Yates, www.yates2.com.

Thomas Nelson, Inc., titles may be purchased in bulk for educational, business, fund-raising, or sales promotional use. For information, please e-mail SpecialMarkets@ThomasNelson.com.

Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from The Voice translation. 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

ISBN: 978-1-4016-7725-1

Printed in the United States of America

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CONTENTS

THE POWER OF YOUR STORY
CONVERSATION GUIDE

Welcome to The Power of Your Story Conversation Guide. This study is designed to explore the Christian life through the lens of story. Each of the seven sessions is oriented around a classic element in screenwriting. If you enjoy watching movies, youll love considering your own life through the same storytelling principles. By engaging the biblical narrative, joining the conversations on DVD, and interacting with your study group, you will discover how your story, the biblical story, and Gods story all come together in one beautiful masterpiece.

The Power of Your Story experience includes small group discussion. A small group is an excellent place to process the content of the video, ask questions, and learn from others as you listen to what God is doing in their lives. If you are new to small groups, they can be deeply rewarding times of connection and friendship. However, they can also become a disaster if youre not careful. By keeping a few ground rules in mind, you can make your group experience a fruitful one for everyone involved.

First, work to make the group a safe place. This means being honest about what youre thinking and feeling, as well as listening carefully to everyone else. Second, resist the temptation to fix peoples problems. Finally, commit to keep everything your group shares confidential. This will foster a rewarding sense of community and give Gods Spirit a powerful forum in which to heal, challenge, and transform your lives.

The Power of Your Story experience has the potential to change your life if you let it. Be honest about where youre struggling and resist the temptation to shut down if the content hits too close to home. Examining your life is not an invitation to feel shame, but to open your heart so Gods love can flood in. Jesus wants to fill us with his love, and if we seek him with our whole hearts, this is exactly what he will do.

During each session, you will watch a video where Ben Arment, Ginny Owens, Leonard Sweet, Chris Seay, and Pete Wilson have a conversation related to the highlighted storytelling element. This will be followed by a time of small group discussion. There are plenty of questions for you to use during this time, but you dont have to go through all of them. Your group leader will focus on the ones that are right for you.

Also, your group will be invited to attempt an Experiments in Story every week. These are practical exercises meant to personalize and expand the principles you take away from the video. As you reflect on these lessons, youll be challenged to grow in the practice of your faith. Keep a dedicated notebook or journal with you so you can jot down your thoughts as you attempt each experiment. Starting in , there will be time before the DVD to report about the previous weeks experiment. This will be a great time to listen to each other and learn from your experiences. Dont worry if you forgot to do the experiment or are just joining the study. Hearing what others have learned is nourishment enough.

Lastly, each session includes daily Bible readings and reflection questions called Exploring the Story Further. These are opportunities for you to explore the themes from the session by engaging the Bible. Do as many or as few as you like. They are tools to help you, nothing more and nothing less.

Be blessed as you begin your journey through The Power of YourStory and know that no matter where you have been or what you have done, God can write your story into a great story.

SESSION

BACKSTORY

In every great story, there is a moment when we learn the main characters past and understand how it motivates him or her. This revelation is called the backstory. A backstory is often disclosed through action in the plot, and its purpose is to deepen the story at hand. As we discover a characters history, all the bits and pieces of the story we have already seen come into sharper focus and take on new significance. By understanding the past, we can better see the present and the future.

Everyone has a backstory. Our families of origin, past experiences, and successes and failures all dramatically affect the way we see the world. They color the way we feel about ourselves and even influence the way we see God. This makes it complicated when our backstories are filled with pain.

God wants to bring new life out of every place of pain in our lives, but we have to work with him in that process. This work can begin when we take a fearless look at our own backstories. We must acknowledge the things we have done and that we have left undone. Then we must face the pain and regrets we carry and consider whether we are willing to trade them for the good God has for us. Are you willing to trust God with your backstory this week?

1 Samuel 16:113 details the time when Samuel anointed David as the new king of Israel. Samuel was Gods prophet and therefore had the authority to carry out this anointing on behalf of Yahweh. Read the passage out loud and invite the group to consider the following questions:

1. As a group, summarize the story in your own words.

2. Is there anything in the text to indicate that David was an unexpected choice for the new king?

3. Are there any details of the story that seem curious to you and make you wonder if there is a backstory to them?

Now read 1 Samuel 8:121 out loud as a group. Discuss the following:

1. Why did the leaders of Israel want a king?

2. Was that a good or bad thing in Gods eyes? What did God say the king would do?

3. Reread the 1 Samuel 16 story. What nuances are revealed now that you know some of the backstory?

Watch Session #1: Backstory. When the DVD ends, give members of the group a moment to reflect and jot down one or two things that they learned, disagreed with, or found surprising.

First Impressions

Before everyone shares in the large group, turn to one or two people next to you and finish this sentence, After watching the video about Backstory one question I have is...

Community Reflections

1. Go around the group and have everyone share their name and one story (from any mediumnovel, TV, film, stage play, etc.) that they love to hear over and over.

2. As a group, summarize the videos concept of backstory in your own words.

3. How can your backstory be a blessing? How can it be a curse? What do you think makes that difference?