Telling God's Story: Narrative Preaching for Christian Formation

by John W. Wright

Here is Biblical narrative preaching that transforms. John W. Wright presents a new model of preaching that aims to connect the biblical text with a congregation so that they are formed into a true Christian community. Such formation calls for interpretative engagement with both the biblical narrative and the cultural narrative that shapes our society. Wright critically surveys current theories of preaching and the variety of hermeneutical practices, providing clear guidance and practical direction for faithful preaching.

Genres: Theology, Nonfiction, History

166 pages, Paperback

First published April 16, 2007

About the author

John Wright (PhD, University of Notre Dame) is professor of theology and Christian Scriptures at Point Loma Nazarene University in San Diego, California. He is also senior pastor of The Church of the Nazarene in San Diego and author of Telling God’s Story: Narrative Preaching for Christian Formation.

Reviews

[Hannah Jones-Nelson]

I decided to read this book before learning about the author and his awful choices. Continued to read because I wanted to see if he said anything decent/new (ehh), if I could find any references from his work (not really), and also if I could find anything I disagreed with to potentially use (plenty). If you are looking for a book on preaching, find any other book to read because there are plenty that say similar ideas in better ways.

I don’t think he proved why we should agree with his main idea of tragic vs comedy, and the whole argument was based on this foundation. You can’t just suggest an idea of preaching types and then not flesh them out well.

Also referenced marital issues and affairs as things the church can help couples reveal and move past, which is just incredibly ironic given what came out later about his own personal life.

Finally, really tried to lean into the differences between church community and individualism, which is important, but just didn’t offer a great way forward through preaching.

[M.G. Bianco · Rating 4 out of 5]

I feel like this was a book right up my alley. As soon as I heard about it, I ordered it and began reading it. I even set aside the four other books I was reading in order to focus on this one alone. Ultimately, it did not disappoint.

John W. Wright wants to move preachers from expositional preaching to narrative preaching. He's basically arguing that expositional preaching teaches us to assent to certain truths, truth claims, or even claims on behavior. Whereas narrative preaching is calling us into the story, the Biblical story, in a way that will form us to live, breathe, act, love, and think as a peculiar people living in a hostile world.

In the first two sections of the book, Wright explains how the divide between hermeneutics (interpretation) and homiletics (preaching) has created a disconnect for preachers. He goes on to show how throughout American history, American preachers have created a narrative, competing with the Biblical narrative, according to which we now view the world. The style of preaching they were committed to and we know preach and hear only affirms that competing narrative, the American narrative. These sections of the book are really, really good. His look at Puritan preaching in American history is really incredible.

In the next two sections of the book, Wright presents a form and examples of what sermons can look like as narrative preaching. He explains how pastors can expose the frailty (and unbiblical nature) of the American narrative, then move toward replacing it with the Biblical narrative. I like these sections except for his explanation of the actual move into the Biblical narrative, what he called "Moving into God's Story." It felt a little flat there and I'm not sure it was clear exactly how to do that for preachers. I really wish, at this point, that he would have brought in the quadriga or some more information on typological preaching. He hinted at the necessity of typology earlier, but didn't really go into how to use it here. I think that would have really sealed the deal for his argument.

In the final section, his conclusion, he gives a brief description of Augustine's understanding of the use of rhetoric. Rhetoric is a good thing, and pastors need to be willing to take the time to study it. In all, I think Wright's book is a needed corrective, and I'm glad I've read it as it got me thinking more about the nature of preaching and stories.

[Dennis Maione · Rating 5 out of 5]

So, here is the problem with rating and reviewing books: it is difficult (naw, impossible) to separate the objective from the subjective. There are lots of things in this book that I can say objectively got on my nerves, that being the first three chapters. There is lots of stuff that is either irrelevant or I knew already or is simply stuff I already knew. That puts me in a place of giving the book 3 of 5. But, the last two chapters and the conclusion were brilliant, both from an objective as well as subjective lens.

So, I leave you with this: if you want to understand the task of preaching and of that task within the church then this book 5/5.

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

The state of the American pulpit is in crisis. Furthermore, the foundational narrative of the American church, in which the pulpit arises out of, is also in crisis. As in the words of John Wright, the Biblical narrative of the church has been ���Eclipsed��� by an Americanized Christian narrative.

Wright discusses the eclipse of the Biblical narrative by taking the reader all the way back to the Puritan pulpit where the message of salvation, that once was framed within the context of creation, shifted to the framework of the individual. This seismic shift resulted in God shifting from the central actor in the Biblical narrative to the individual becoming the story���s central actor. God become a supporting actor for our individualized narrative of salvation. According to Wright, ���Instead of God���s story of the redemption of all creation, the Bible was narrowed to the story of personal salvation.��� Thus the cult of individualism arose in the Christian narrative of the church.

Furthermore, Wright discusses the eclipse of the Biblical narrative in the advent of a Federal Covenant narrative where Christianity was democratized. This eclipse also narrowed the Biblical story by making the United States God���s elect nation. The Biblical narrative was then used to motivate the nation morally and materially. This connection of Christianity with patriotism ended up displacing and emptying the church from its place in the Biblical narrative as the elect people of God. Wright rightly summarizes this by saying that it was and is a de-ecclesializing of the church.

Obviously, Wright���s argument and persuasive plea is for the pastor, pulpit and church to return to a Biblical narrative. Unfortunately many pastors are entrenched in comedic preaching rather than preaching that is characterized by tragedy. The down fall of comedic preaching is that it will never confront or challenge the eclipsed and misguided narrative of the American Church. Wright states that Comedic Preaching, ���Never challenges the deepest convictions, the most profound narratives, of the hearer. Comedic preaching never confronts the possibility of a different narrative������ Essentially comedic preaching allows the Biblical text to be transformed, not the hearer. Before a pastor can confront the eclipsed narrative in the church the pastor needs to shift to tragedy preaching. Keep in mind though��� as pastors engage the church with tragedy preaching, this methodology of preaching does not come without cost. An uprooting of an ingrained individualistic and democratized narrative in the church will definitely result in what Wright calls an, ���Epsitemological Crisis.���

Epistemology is simply the study of what we know and how we know it. A church that has been deriving and basing its beliefs from a worldly narrative (i.e. worldly epistemology), such as the Individualistic and Federal Covenant narrative, will experience a belief (i.e. epistemology) crisis as Biblical tragedy preaching confronts and exposes ill-informed and false presuppositions. This epistemology crisis is painful and occurs when a person in the pew recognizes that their narrative account is no longer adequate to process the Biblical narrative that describing the way things are. Wright states, ���The pain of an epistemological crisis, while ultimately helpful, initially sends shock waves through individuals and congregations. Will the congregation wait it out, making it through destruction of their horizon to see anew another day? Or will they receive the biblical text as a violation of their horizon, seal themselves off, never to return to the sanctuary again?���

In summary, Wright concludes the book with several suggestions and examples of how the pulpit, as the central instrument of formation for the church, can gently bring about a shift back to a Biblical narrative. Wright���s book is of the utmost importance in our time as many pastors and churches attempt to bring back a needed shift in the pulpit and life of the church.

[Matthew Richard · Rating 4 out of 5]

The state of the American pulpit is in crisis. Furthermore, the foundational narrative of the American church, in which the pulpit arises out of, is also in crisis. As in the words of John Wright, the Biblical narrative of the church has been “Eclipsed” by an Americanized Christian narrative.

Wright discusses the eclipse of the Biblical narrative by taking the reader all the way back to the Puritan pulpit where the message of salvation, that once was framed within the context of creation, shifted to the framework of the individual. This seismic shift resulted in God shifting from the central actor in the Biblical narrative to the individual becoming the story’s central actor. God become a supporting actor for our individualized narrative of salvation. According to Wright, “Instead of God’s story of the redemption of all creation, the Bible was narrowed to the story of personal salvation.” Thus the cult of individualism arose in the Christian narrative of the church.

Furthermore, Wright discusses the eclipse of the Biblical narrative in the advent of a Federal Covenant narrative where Christianity was democratized. This eclipse also narrowed the Biblical story by making the United States God’s elect nation. The Biblical narrative was then used to motivate the nation morally and materially. This connection of Christianity with patriotism ended up displacing and emptying the church from its place in the Biblical narrative as the elect people of God. Wright rightly summarizes this by saying that it was and is a de-ecclesializing of the church.

Obviously, Wright’s argument and persuasive plea is for the pastor, pulpit and church to return to a Biblical narrative. Unfortunately many pastors are entrenched in comedic preaching rather than preaching that is characterized by tragedy. The down fall of comedic preaching is that it will never confront or challenge the eclipsed and misguided narrative of the American Church. Wright states that Comedic Preaching, “Never challenges the deepest convictions, the most profound narratives, of the hearer. Comedic preaching never confronts the possibility of a different narrative…” Essentially comedic preaching allows the Biblical text to be transformed, not the hearer. Before a pastor can confront the eclipsed narrative in the church the pastor needs to shift to tragedy preaching. Keep in mind though… as pastors engage the church with tragedy preaching, this methodology of preaching does not come without cost. An uprooting of an ingrained individualistic and democratized narrative in the church will definitely result in what Wright calls an, “Epsitemological Crisis.”

Epistemology is simply the study of what we know and how we know it. A church that has been deriving and basing its beliefs from a worldly narrative (i.e. worldly epistemology), such as the Individualistic and Federal Covenant narrative, will experience a belief (i.e. epistemology) crisis as Biblical tragedy preaching confronts and exposes ill-informed and false presuppositions. This epistemology crisis is painful and occurs when a person in the pew recognizes that their narrative account is no longer adequate to process the Biblical narrative that describing the way things are. Wright states, “The pain of an epistemological crisis, while ultimately helpful, initially sends shock waves through individuals and congregations. Will the congregation wait it out, making it through destruction of their horizon to see anew another day? Or will they receive the biblical text as a violation of their horizon, seal themselves off, never to return to the sanctuary again?”

In summary, Wright concludes the book with several suggestions and examples of how the pulpit, as the central instrument of formation for the church, can gently bring about a shift back to a Biblical narrative. Wright’s book is of the utmost importance in our time as many pastors and churches attempt to bring back a needed shift in the pulpit and life of the church.

[David Stutzman]

JR Rozko says:

Preaching has largely ceased to incorporate individuals into the concerns created by the Christian Scriptures. Instead, preaching has become the application of individualistic, theraputic biblical language to contemporary concerns of disembodied calls to social justice. The church in North America has become adept at translating the Scriptures into the narratives that already shape the lives of believers and non-believers alike, By providing a private, theraputic, individualistic biblical discourse, such preaching maintains the presence of the church as a voluntary grouping of individuals living in a society that looks to the church for personal fulfillment rather than public guidance… The question is not, How can we make the Scriptures relevant to individuals in need of therapy? but, How do we translate human lives into the biblical narrative to live as a part of the body of Christ in the world? (19)

And a quote from Hauerwas…

The enemy, who is often enough ourselves, does not like to be reminded that the narratives that constitute our lives are false. Moreover, you had better be ready for a fierce encounter-offensive as well as be prepared to take some casualties. God has not promised us safety, but rather participation in an adventure called the Kingdom (44, from “No Enemy, No Christianity: Preaching Between ‘Worlds’).

This shift from trying to get individuals to incorporate Scripture into their lives to trying to cultivate community seeking to live out a biblical reality is not an easy one. The implications are vast and deep. Wright’s book is helpful for beginning to understand how the practice of preaching can be transformed so that people and communities are able to have their lives re-narrated by Scripture.

[Michael Harshman · Rating 4 out of 5]

contemporary books that are written to a slightly lower reading level. However, at times, in some portions of the book, I had to slow down due to really wanting to contemplate what the author was conveying. I mean that in a good way - I was challenged to really evaluate how we view scripture from our North American culture and its ingrained individualism that really is contrary to Scripture. I have seen a few other comments about this book and how it could have been written in simpler terms, and they are probably correct. But then again, this is more of a seminary or academic level book. It seems that one of the major points that the author is trying to convey is how we need to pull away from the cultural norm where narrative preaching has to end up in that "happy ending" position, but rather immerse us into the narrative within the Bible so we can be transformed. If you are looking for a book on narrative preaching, this would be a good read for you. I received a copy of this book in exchange for this review from IVP and all opinions are my own.

[Timothy Stidham · Rating 4 out of 5]

An important book on preaching the gospel to North Americans. Also an important book for comprehensive ministry practices that will form Christians communally in faith.
The sermons are excellent examples of the model presented (oddly rare for preaching books)
Many foundational/philosophy of ministry metaphors are presented, which provide the backdrop for the preaching model. The discussion of the uniquely American unintentional "eclipse of the biblical narrative" by Puritan doctrine is alone worth the cost of the book.
The author is a Nazarene pastor turned teacher. If you are familiar with Dr. Stephen Green you will find echoes of his preaching in these pages. This is perhaps the book he should have written.
Highly recommended for anyone who longs to preach the full missional gospel in twenty-first century North America and beyond.

[Bob Wolniak · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author argues for a "homiletic of turning" in which we give up on our addiction to happy ending preaching and instead work harder to help congregants enter the worldview of the biblical Story. This demands a rejection of our cultural biases (including often our church's consumerist, therapeutic, individualistic bent). The author is sensitive to mention how the church needs to function in order to support that homiletic, embracing the Lord's Supper, forgiveness, care for the poor, etc., in order to move it away from self-oriented focus. Wright is especially insightful in pointing out the flaws of the calloused church and its way of warping hermenuetics and homiletics in this direction. One chapter provides 4 sermon examples. The first chapter challenges what is typically taught in preparing a sermon and exegesis done in preparation.

[Benjamin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fantastic read on how preaching can nurture a new kind of people. Preaching most of us are used to these days, in the American context, is a pacifying, status-quo-keeping experience — something that affirms things just as they are. However, if we’re to nurture people into the Way of Jesus, we’re going to have to invite them into a new world order, a new way of seeing life, a way that’s different than what we grew up with culturally.

This book provides a good amount of encouragement for that task.

[Milton Louie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Planning to preach? A book that gives you a view of what you purposes should be for congregational growth and health. Also he tells how to craft a sermon that would allow the Holy Spirit to "turn" the people in the direction God intended. B

[Sean · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book helpful points to the Big Christian story underpinning Small Christian story we preach every week. It focuses both on the individuals need and a vision for then kind of people we are looking to become.

[Brandon · Rating 4 out of 5]

this was a very formative book for me as far as preaching goes. Loved the discussion on the art of turning.

[Chris Schutte · Rating 4 out of 5]

Helpful book for preachers seeking to invite listeners into the biblical story