There are five elements to a good story:
1. Characters
2. Setting
3. Plot
4. Conflict
5. Resolution
How does this relate to our Bible Study class?
Are we sharing our stories with one another? Too often, our sharing stops with the first three elements. For example, “My father is sick. They took him to the hospital. He is home now, but he will have an important appointment on Thursday.” Character, setting, and plot. Just the facts.
But what if we were vulnerable and shared the deeper issues of conflict? “This has made me realize how dependent I am on my father and how afraid I am of how this illness may affect him.” Or, “My father has never made a profession of faith. Please pray with me that this illness will help him reflect on his relationship with God.” Or, “Our relationship is not the greatest. Part of me wishes he would just ‘move on.’”
And, what if we shared the resolutions? Sometimes, we only share the concerns. “You all remember what I shared about my father? Well, we had an amazing conversation this week. I feel like we turned a page.”
I have related this sharing as if these are prayer concerns, but offering illustrations of conflict/resolution in answering a discussion question is very possible, too.
The point is, if we just stick with the facts of character, setting, and plot, we do not have a story. When we share the conflict and the resolution, we can have real fellowship.
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