The fact that the Bible goes from Adam to Zion makes using the ABC\u2019s an effective and easy way to share the \u201cstory\u201d of the Bible with English speakers. We will be using the word story today because it is part of an important and effective method of teaching used around the globe since the beginning of time \u2013 story telling!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Although story telling works most effectively in an oral culture, who doesn\u2019t love a good story? When you hear a good story, who doesn\u2019t want to hear it over and over? And, when it\u2019s a really, really good story, who doesn\u2019t want to make it their own and share it over and over?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Bible is a really, really good story. People who share it\u2019s story outside of American often share it just that way \u2013 as a story meant to be retold. The concept is not new. Jesus was the best story teller of all time, and we are still repeating His stories today. Today though, the concept is called Bible Storying, and it is a commonly used method of sharing the Gospel as it always has been. Just Google Bible storying, and see for yourself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In Bible storying, the Bible stories are often arranged by topic into sets that are easy to learn and retell. For example, I read an International Mission Board article \u2013 https:\/\/www.imb.org\/2020\/06\/30\/trauma-healing-ministry-uses-storytelling-in-uganda\/<\/a> \u2013 last Wednesday about New Hope, a set of Bible stories told in places like refugee camps where \u201ceach story addresses someone from the Bible who faced trauma and talks about how God interacted with them through that tragedy.\u201d Students learn a new story each week that addresses what has recently happened in their lives then pass the story along.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Another method is Chronological Bible Storying where the stories are told in chronological order rather than by topic. Nevertheless, the purpose of both methods is to share the Truth of the Bible with someone who will in turn share it with another who will share it with another and on and on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Bible storying sets exist in many different languages, and Bible storying is used most often in oral cultures. Nevertheless, we have already established, everyone likes a good story and many people will share a really, really good story with someone else.<\/p>\n\n\n\n That\u2019s where the ABC\u2019s come in. Most native English speakers know the ABC\u2019s. And, other than 1, 2, 3, what better method to show chronology in the English language than the ABC\u2019s?<\/p>\n\n\n\n