Introduction: Advancing the Missio Dei Through Narrative

Storytelling has been a fundamental part of human communication since the beginning of time. From ancient oral traditions to contemporary digital platforms, stories shape the way we understand the world, ourselves, and others. In the context of Biblical mission, storytelling becomes far more than a cultural artifact—it becomes a sacred means through which God reveals His redemptive plan. This blog explores how storytelling functions as a tool of missional communication, deeply rooted in the Missio Dei, and reflects the redemptive heartbeat of God. Drawing from the Theology of Storytelling within Missional University’s Department of Cultural & Contextual Theology, this post unpacks how narrative intersects with Biblical Theology, cultural contextualization, and individual missional living.

 

The Theology of Storytelling: God’s Narrative Thread Through Scripture

The Bible itself is a grand narrative, a divinely inspired story unfolding across history. Unlike myth or fable, the Biblical story is both historical and eschatological—anchored in real events while pointing to future restoration. The creation account, the fall, redemption through Christ, and ultimate restoration (Rev. 21-22) form the framework of the Biblical meta-narrative. Each book, genre, and figure plays a part in revealing God’s mission.

At the heart of this narrative lies the Missio Dei—God’s mission to reconcile creation to Himself. Christopher J.H. Wright aptly reminds us that “the whole Bible renders to us the story of God’s mission through God’s people in their engagement with God’s world for the sake of the whole of God’s creation” (Wright, 2006, p. 51). Storytelling is not incidental to Scripture; it is the primary mode through which God chose to reveal Himself.

In Jesus, this divine storytelling reached its apex. The incarnate Word told parables, lived out metaphorical acts, and demonstrated through narrative how the Kingdom of God was at hand. His parables were not merely moral lessons—they were missional proclamations inviting hearers into God’s redemptive movement. Jesus’ parables (e.g., the Good Samaritan, the Prodigal Son) used everyday cultural references to communicate radical, transformative truths. His storytelling always served God’s mission.

 

Missional Communication: Proclaiming the Gospel Through Narrative

The individual believer, participating in God’s mission, is likewise invited to communicate this redemptive story. Missional communication is not limited to sermons or doctrinal instruction; it is lived and spoken through the stories we share. Every follower of Christ is a bearer of testimony—a living epistle (2 Cor. 3:2-3). Telling our personal stories of redemption, healing, and transformation is a vital part of joining the Missio Dei.

In missional communication, story functions as both medium and message. It opens hearts, disarms resistance, and builds bridges. This is especially crucial in cross-cultural or post-Christian contexts, where propositional truth alone may not connect. Stories invite listeners to feel before they believe, to imagine the Kingdom before they enter it. Paul himself used storytelling—both his testimony and the grand narrative of Israel’s history—to communicate with Jewish and Gentile audiences alike (Acts 17; Acts 22).

Within Missional University’s Department of Biblical Studies, courses like Evaluating Missional Practice of the Early Church and Analysis of Pauline Theology & Missional Practice help students explore how first-century believers used narrative to extend God’s mission. Their missional ethics, shaped by stories of Jesus’ life and resurrection, became the fabric of their witness in hostile contexts. Today’s believers must rediscover storytelling as a mode of bearing witness—faithfully, creatively, and contextually.

 

Cultural Contextualization: Telling Stories That Resonate

Stories are culturally shaped and interpreted. What resonates with one community may fall flat in another. That’s why contextualization is crucial. Jesus tailored his parables to a first-century Jewish audience, speaking of sheep, vineyards, widows, and coins. Likewise, we are called to tell the redemptive story of God in ways that make sense to the cultural contexts we inhabit.

The Department of Cultural & Contextual Theology at Missional University equips students to discern cultural narratives and embed Gospel truths within them. Through courses such as Mark the Evangelist in African Memory or Evaluating Jesus & Mission in the Shadow of Empire, students learn that context is not the enemy of truth—it is the canvas on which truth is painted.

In postcolonial, pluralistic, or marginalized communities, storytelling becomes a dignifying act. It affirms that every culture has a voice in God’s story. As Lamin Sanneh (2003) emphasized, the translatability of the Gospel shows God’s intention to speak every language and honor every culture. Contextual storytelling doesn’t dilute the Gospel—it demonstrates its power to be “all things to all people” (1 Cor. 9:22).

For the individual Christian, this means being attuned to the stories around them: the fears, hopes, histories, and values of their neighbors. It means speaking the Gospel not just to people, but with them, in narrative form, through shared experience, and with cultural sensitivity.

 

Biblical Theology: Grounding Stories in God’s Redemptive Framework

While contextual sensitivity is crucial, it must be balanced with theological fidelity. Biblical storytelling is not imaginative fiction; it is grounded in truth. Therefore, our storytelling must align with the themes and trajectories of Scripture—creation, covenant, incarnation, resurrection, and new creation.

The Department of Biblical Studies plays a vital role in helping students interpret Scripture missionally. Courses such as Themes in Old Testament Theology, Biblical Theology Methods in Missional Hermeneutics, and Issues in New Testament Theology, Divine Action & the Missio Dei ensure that students can identify and communicate the overarching redemptive themes of the Bible.

Missional storytellers must learn to read the Bible not just for information, but for transformation. They must recognize that each Biblical text is part of God’s ongoing narrative. For example:

• The Exodus is not just about Israel’s liberation, but a template for God’s deliverance of all who are oppressed.
• The exile and return are not merely historical events but reflect the human condition and the hope of restoration.
• The resurrection is not just the climax of the Gospels but the dawn of a new creation for all people.

When we tell stories—whether from our lives, others’ lives, or from Scripture—we participate in the same redemptive movement God began in Eden and will complete in the New Jerusalem. These stories must echo the Biblical rhythm of fall, redemption, and hope.

 

Storytelling and the Individual: Living the Mission Through Narrative

The call to storytelling is not just for pastors, authors, or theologians—it is for every follower of Christ. Your life is a testimony, a parable, a living story that reveals the Gospel. Revelation 12:11 declares, “They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony.” Telling your story is spiritual warfare.

You do not need a platform, a pulpit, or a publishing deal. You need faith, humility, and courage to tell how Jesus changed your life. Whether over a meal, a voice note, a social media post, or a whispered prayer, your story matters in God’s mission.

Here are practical ways to integrate storytelling into your daily missional life:

• Share your testimony with friends, colleagues, or strangers—tell what Jesus has done for you.
• Listen well—hearing others’ stories with empathy opens doors for redemptive dialogue.
• Use social media wisely—post stories that glorify God, inspire hope, and reflect truth.
• Create space for stories in small groups, discipleship settings, and family life.
• Celebrate other people’s stories—especially those who feel voiceless, marginalized, or overlooked.

In a world drowning in competing narratives—consumerism, nationalism, secularism—the Christian story is a radical counter-narrative. It says, “You are not your past. You are not what you have done. You are not what the world says you are. You are loved, redeemed, and called.”

 

Digital Frontiers and the Global Storytelling Opportunity

In today’s digital age, the opportunity to tell stories globally has never been greater. Social media, blogs, video testimonies, and podcasts have become digital pulpits where the Gospel can be proclaimed narratively. The digital space is a new “Areopagus” (Acts 17:22)—a platform for cultural and theological engagement.

Missional University’s emphasis on missional formation includes equipping students with the digital skills necessary for cross-cultural storytelling. The mission field now includes TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, and audio platforms. These are not distractions—they are fields white unto harvest.

However, digital storytelling requires discernment. It must be authentic, humble, and Christ-centered. It must resist self-promotion and seek Gospel proclamation. It must invite dialogue, not just a monologue. In a fragmented world, a story can reweave the threads of connection, and Jesus is the thread that holds all things together (Col. 1:17).

 

Conclusion: Stewards of the Story

Storytelling is not an optional extra in mission—it is central. God is a storyteller. Jesus was a storyteller. And you are invited to be one too. Whether through your testimony, your art, your writing, your social media, or your daily conversations, you are a steward of the greatest story ever told: the Gospel.

The Missio Dei continues. God is still writing His redemptive story in the world, and you are part of that unfolding narrative. Tell it boldly. Tell it wisely. Tell it beautifully. And never forget that your story—rooted in His—is a powerful tool for transformation.

 

Sources:

1. Bartholomew, Craig, Goheen, Michael. The Drama of Scripture: Finding Our Place in the Biblical Story. 3rd edition. Baker Academic, 2024.
2. Vang, Preben, Carter, Terry. Telling God’s Story: The Biblical Narrative from Beginning to End. 3rd edition. B&H Academic, 2021.
3. Vanhoozer, Kevin J. Faith Speaking Understanding: Performing the Drama of Doctrine. Westminster John Knox Press, 2014.
4. Watkins, Christopher. Biblical Critical Theory: How the Bible’s Unfolding Story Makes Sense of Modern Life and Culture. Zondervan, 2022.
5. Wright, Christopher J.H. The Mission of God: Unlocking the Bible’s Grand Narrative. IVP Academic, 2006.
6. Missional University. “Department of Biblical Studies.”
7. Missional University. “Department of Cultural & Contextual Theology – Theology of Storytelling.”
8. Sanneh, Lamin. Translating the Message: The Missionary Impact on Culture. Orbis Books, 2003.
9. Tizon, Al. Whole and Reconciled: Gospel, Church, and Mission in a Fractured World. Baker Academic, 2018.
10. Goheen, Michael W. Introducing Christian Mission Today: Scripture, History and Issues. IVP Academic, 2014.
11. Bosch, David J. Transforming Mission: Paradigm Shifts in Theology of Mission. Orbis Books, 1991.
12. Missional University Course Catalogue: Biblical Studies & Missional Theology (2024-2025).