Tell Me a Story

Renowned theologian Eugene Peterson once wrote that, ‘Story enlists our imagination to grasp more than our immediate feelings and surroundings — other lives, other circumstances, other possibilities.’ (The Word made Flesh: The Language of Jesus in his Stories and Prayers, pg. 116)

For the last twenty years, Reverend John R Green of Forfar Community Church has been leading Christian themed assemblies in primary schools. Originally he began this work in Church of England schools in the North London area, and speaking clearly about the Bible was relatively straightforward in this context.

After moving up to rural Angus in the east of Scotland, John began to meet with more challenges when he attempted to reach out to local schools. Head Teachers were more reluctant to allow guests in, and much stricter with what he was permitted to talk about. But he was still determined to work out a way to form connections with schools and teach more children about the Bible.

Every year, he emailed all fifty-one primary schools in Angus, offering to come in and making sure to be as accommodating as possible, explaining that he would tailor his assembly themes to their specific context and then reference a Bible verse or principle briefly before telling them a Bible story.

However, as John visited a few reluctant schools, he started to see that many of these Bible stories needed much more than twenty minutes to be explained properly to children. Many had more questions than he could answer in the brief time he was there, leaving teachers with lots of confused kids afterwards.

So, John decided to try a different approach – reading stories that he wrote himself for his young daughters back when they were in primary school. These stories are based around a Biblical principle or verse – such as being brave, helping others and looking after each other – while also being easy for kids to follow. John starts his sessions with his Bible in his hand, sharing a paraphrased version of the verse he’s basing the story around, before putting his Bible down and settling in to tell them his tale. He’s found that even the teachers and teaching assistants love to listen in as well.

For the older kids who think that storytime is a bit beneath them, John loves to explain to them that he’s written the story himself, and that they too can write and explore their creativity with drawing, playing instruments, and crafting. This goes down especially well with teachers who want to encourage exercising talents. At this point, as the atmosphere is relaxed and fun, John can explain a bit more about himself, and that he is the Pastor of Forfar Community Church.

After four years, he now visits thirteen schools and has amassed a huge amount of stories that he reads between them all – meaning he has to make sure to keep track! In one school, he gives three assemblies in one day, speaking to around three hundred children overall.

It’s incredibly encouraging to hear about the power that stories have had in these Angus schools as John continually reaches out to his local community with compassion and perseverance. He is reachable through Forfar Community Church and is keen to give any advice to anyone curious about his experience.

After all, Jesus himself taught mainly with parables: small stories, with familiar setting and characters taken right out of first-century Israel, illustrating the majesty of the kingdom of heaven in a context that his listeners could understand, reaching them where they were. Therein lies the inherent gentleness and compassion of a storyteller.

Rev. John R Green is the pastor at Forfar Community Church.