The World’s Greatest Storyteller

This post was the winning post in our Blog-Excellence writing contest. Congratulations Malcolm!


As writers, we study our favorite authors, and meditate upon why we find their stories so pleasing. We try to replicate their methods in the hope we might one day reach the same standard and, if we’re honest, the same fan base. Yet, each person’s list of favorite authors is undoubtedly different from anyone else’s.

However, one storyteller stands head and shoulders above all others. His work should be the standard we should all seek to emulate, especially as Christian writers. Who is this amazing author? It’s Jesus. Jesus? Really? We usually think of Him as Savior, Lord, teacher, preacher, healer, and God, but not primarily as a storyteller. Yet, He told stories like nobody before Him. And what stories they are. Stories so powerful, everyone knows them; stories so profound, they have changed the world.

So, what can we learn from how Jesus told a story?

His Theme

Jesus talked about nothing else other than the kingdom of God. It takes a disciplined approach to stick to a theme. But, in the bigger scheme of things, there cannot be a more crucial subject than explaining what God’s kingdom is like, and how a person enters it. It would be wonderful if we, like Paul, resolved to know (or write) nothing except Christ and Him crucified.

His Relevance

Jesus told stories about subjects everyone could relate to. There is an art to being relevant. We are often advised to make our message as universal as possible, to reach the felt need of the largest number of our readers. Did anyone ever listen to Jesus and conclude His message did not apply to them? It’s hard to disregard a story when its fundamental design is to engage with the deepest spiritual and eternal needs of all people.

His Simplicity

Everybody understood Jesus whenever He spoke. The meanings may have been hidden from some, but He spoke with words familiar to all, and used terminology appropriate to His hearers’ comprehension. When Martin Luther preached, it is said he had little concern for the doctors or lawyers who were listening to him. Instead, he preached as to be understood by the milkmaids. We sometimes regard simplicity as a negative, yet it gains access to a vast audience.

His Brevity

Jesus wasted no words. He could tell a story in one paragraph that remained with His hearers for the rest of their lives. In Matthew’s gospel, eighteen of Jesus’ parables are recorded. When these are written down together, the entire word count is less than 3,000 words. Most of our prefaces are longer than that! Eight of the parables have less than one hundred words, and four of them have less than fifty. A story doesn’t have to be long to be effective.

His Bravery

Jesus spoke to people who may not have enjoyed hearing what He had to say, yet He said it anyway. He spoke as one who knew what His audience needed, not necessarily what they wanted. Again, it takes a strong will to write what needs to be written, rather than pander to our readers’ demands. Paul urged Timothy to continue to preach boldly, even if his words caused offense. He reminded him of the power of truthful words within an environment where people just wanted to receive what their ears itched to hear. If Christ had no fear about setting forth God’s truth despite the backlash, shouldn’t we who are filled with that same Spirit do likewise?

His Plot Twists

I’m pretty sure nobody ever listened to Jesus finish a story and then declared, “I knew He was going to say that.” What makes any story compelling is when we don’t see the ending coming. A good author leads us along a path, makes us fascinated by how it will all end, and then satisfies us with a conclusion that not only makes perfect sense, but which entirely takes us by surprise. Imagine the immediate responses to Jesus’ stories:

“What, the father took the son back?”

“Hang on, the tax collector gets justified?”

“So, the people who just worked one hour got the same as those who worked all day?”

“Wait a minute, the Samaritan helped him?”

“You want us to take the lowest seat?”

“Whoa, the guy couldn’t even cancel a tiny debt?”

Surprise is what we remember. It’s not the ordinary that sticks in our mind, it’s the unexpected.

His Authority

Here, finally, was a teacher who knew what He was talking about, unlike the teachers around Him. Who could speak with more authority about the kingdom of God than the one who had just come from the kingdom of God? I’m convinced God not only calls us to write, but to write with the authority that comes from knowing Him, knowing our calling, and knowing the Word of God. I love that the first six letters of ‘authority’ spell the word ‘author.’

Jesus may have never written in the particular genre we have chosen. However, His communication strategies resonate with every major piece of writing advice I’ve received: “Know your theme; be a mouthpiece for God; be relevant; use understandable language; edit constantly; write bravely; keep your readers fascinated; and write with accurate authority.”

We love Jesus as the author and perfecter of our faith. Let us also see Him as the inspiration and model for how we write.

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About Malcolm Mackinnon 1 Article
Malcolm, originally from England, has been a resident of the Bay Area since 2011. Married to Donna with two beautiful adopted children, he’s a children's pastor, having previously worked as a portrait artist, painter, proofreader, pastor... in fact, anything that starts with 'P.' He’s looking forward to being a pirate!

17 Comments

  1. This is excellent and full of truth for writers. Congratulations,Malcom, you deserved to win! I will print this out, keep it in my writing space as a daily reminder, and share it with my fellow writers. Thank you very much for your insight and words of wisdom.

  2. Great advice for writing! And I didn’t see the answer to the question, Who is this amazing author, coming: Jesus!
    Thanks for this new perspective on the Savior, the Author of my life!

  3. This article gave me the chills! Absolutely perfect for Christian writers. I remember reading the Gospels for 3 years, when I was a new believer, because of the power of Jesus’ words and stories. Like Patti said above, I will also share, print, and keep this for encouragement. Thank you!

  4. Malcolm, your words should be in the heart and minds of every Christian writer. I love the stories in the Bible where nothing is impossible and no sin is unforgivable. What keeps me reading God’s Word is knowing that although I sin, once I repent, Jesus always has something unexpectedly great waiting for me.

  5. Wow! What a powerful piece. It clarified and illustrated how we too, with the help of God, can improve our writing through the use of inspirational stories. Thank you.

  6. Malcolm is such a clear, concise, creative and bold writer. I love how he tells the truth with no apologies in an easy to understand way! Fantastic piece of writing about Jesus and makes so much sense!

  7. Great job Malcolm!
    Saw link to this article on FB. When in California, Malcolm introduced me to tea done right! Also, thought of another P in your array… tennis Player 🙂
    Cheers,
    Joey O.

  8. Dear Malcolm, As usual, you speak clearly, simply and effectively. We praise Him for how He has given you life and depth with the gift of truth presented simply and clearly. I also love that you enjoy cycling ;^D
    Jim Thayer

  9. Dear Malcolm, we who are part of Trintiy Church in SV, CA, are always blessed with your storytelling for both children and adults – simply breaking down the important things into bite-sized pieces for our hearts & lives. (And done Amazingly with an easel & your Changeable pictures!) Always pointing to Jesus’ meaning. Like this article. Thank You!

  10. Wow! Beautifully expressed and inspiring article that confirms in every way why we write and who we write for!

  11. Thank you for this flowing piece of work. It planted points I hope to grow into.
    God bless you immensely.

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