This short story is based on a real event. But the mystery remains unanswered. Ed went to Oliver's house shortly after lunch. Both of them were dairy farmers, and Oliver asked for some help in cutting and splitting some locustwood for new posts to repair fencing in his cow pasture. They often helped each other …
Category: Parables/Allegories
Articles on the use of stories, parables, allegories, metaphors, similes (and so forth) in expressing God truth.
Willy Wonka and the Advent
Well I do love the 1971 movie, "Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory." I did enjoy the book it was based on (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory). but it has been over three decades since I read it and its sequel, so I would rather base the story on that movie not the book. The …
Christmas and “The Gift of Garigolli”
This is a follow-on of my previous post on the Golden Rule and how it is affected in cross-cultural situations. If you haven't yet, you can read the post HERE. An interesting story that points this out is "The Gift of Garigolli" by Cyril M. Kornbluth and Frederik Pohl. It can be found in an …
Growing Older— A Parable of Three Cars
My wife and I were having an a somewhat impromptu conversation with a couple of our ministry partners (they know who they are). As we talked the issue of achieving one's dreams (or failure to do so) came up, along with the issue of regret. That led me into what I hoped was a somewhat …
Story Arcs and Ministry
Nice little article in the Atlantic Magazine, "The Six Main Arcs in Storytelling, as Identified by an A.I." by Adrienne Lafrance. (Click Here). It looks at some interesting research as far as how stories flow in terms of emotional arcs. That particular research can be seen HERE. There are many ways to categorize stories, but …
Choosing our Words Carefully in Ministry
I watched a TED talk, as well as the 2016 movie "Arrival" recently. Both of them had a somewhat similar theme... that the way we think is guided strongly by the language and labels we use. TED talk, Keith Chen's "Could Your Language Affect the Way You Save Money," noted a strange correlation between health …
Theostorying as Creative Reflection
Excerpt from Chapter two of Theo-Storying: Theostorying is “the act of creative reflection on God, and our associated relationships with Him and each other, crafted artistically into the medium of the story, so as to allow the listener to join in the reflection through experiencing the story, being challenged by the story, and inspiring further …
Joshua on the Plains of Jericho
A reflective story loosely based on Joshua chapter 5. When Joshua was near Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with a drawn sword in His hand. Joshua approached Him and asked, “Are You for us or for our enemies?” “Neither,” He replied. “I have now come as commander …
Parable of the Lost Pearl (Reprise)
I would like to take the Parable of the Lost Pearl, as used by Patriarch Timothy I in 781 AD, and give it a few twists to suggest different theological views. The parable can be seen in the original form in THIS PREVIOUS POST. Consider the parable this way... "Long ago, a royal expedition returned …