📜 [EN] Brief summary of Lecture 10

Five-Step Oral Storying: Wise Counselor Questions and Real-World Application

This session clarifies the full five-step oral Bible storying process, shows where the Wise Counselor Questions fit, and demonstrates how to move from discovery to concrete application for both believers and unbelievers. Use these notes to guide small groups, evangelistic conversations, and discipleship settings.

The Five Steps at a Glance

1. Tell the story. Give a clear, energetic telling with actions, facial expression, and voice. Keep an open Bible visible; glance at it only if you get stuck.
2. Invite a volunteer retell. Ask someone to retell immediately “as best they remember.” If no one volunteers, have everyone turn to a neighbor and retell in pairs; this lowers the barrier to speaking.
3. Walk back through with simple prompts. Lead the group to reconstruct the story using short, factual questions (yes/no, true/false, fill-in-the-blank). Purpose: correct additions/omissions and secure accuracy—not interpretation.
4. Search for treasures. Now introduce the Wise Counselor Questions (below) to surface insights God has placed in the text.
5. Apply the treasures. Turn discoveries into lived responses using a simple application framework (below).

Timing note: Most people need to hear a story at least twice before discussion. If time is very short, you may skip Step 2, but do not jump from Step 1 directly to Step 4.

Step 4: The Wise Counselor Questions (for Discovery)

• What was said?
• What was done?
• What choices were made? What other choices were possible?
• What were the results? (immediate and longer-term)

Heart focus: The aim is to understand the heart of the characters. At any point ask, “From what they said/did/chose (or did not choose), what do we learn about their heart or motives?”

Example Treasure from the Storm Story (Mark 4:35–41)

• Observation (treasure): The disciples questioned whether Jesus cared. This reveals a heart posture of doubt toward Jesus in crisis.

Step 5: A Simple Application Framework

1. Does this happen today? (Start wide.)
2. What are examples? Name concrete, present-day situations.
3. What about you or someone you know? (Move gently from “out there” to “right here.”)
4. What can we learn for next time? Identify truth to practice in the next similar situation.

Illustration (from the storm treasure): Disciples today may doubt Jesus when suffering, loss, or unanswered prayer hits. Next time, practice confessing truth aloud (“Jesus, I know You care”) and choose trust instead of accusation.

Adapting for Unbelievers

When your listeners do not yet trust Jesus, adjust the treasure you surface so it connects with shared human experience.

• Alternative treasure (storm story): People on a journey encounter serious difficulties (“storms in life”).
• Apply with the same framework:
  • Does this happen today? (Yes.)
  • Examples: debt, sickness, cancer, bankruptcy, accidents, crime, death of a loved one, job loss, marriage collapse.
  • What about you/someone you know? (Invite, don’t pressure.)
  • What could we learn from this story for the next difficulty? (Open door to the One who calms storms.)

Real-Life Flexibility

• You may only get to Step 1. In pastoral or crisis moments you might simply share one well-learned story. That may be enough for the day.
• Keep stories in your “heart pocket.” The Spirit often brings a fitting story to mind. The more stories you’ve internalized, the more readily you can serve the moment.

Illustrative Cases for Story Selection

• Provision in a Muslim context: God bringing water from the rock (Exodus 17) highlighted a God who cares for thirsty people—opening interest and further conversation.
• Mary & Martha (Luke 10:38–42) and salvation: A conversation on stress and priorities became a bridge to grace: in most religions worshipers do the giving; in the gospel, God gives and the worshiper receives. Even unexpected stories can point to salvation.

Where This Method Serves Well

• Discipleship & small groups: Share a meal, tell the story, walk the five steps.
• Youth and cross-cultural evangelism: Many find direct “death/heaven” approaches offensive; asking, “May I tell you a story?” invites engagement without confrontation.
• General principle: This is one tool among many, but it engages imagination, choice, and community participation in a unique way.

Key Clarifications

• Step 3 uses only simple factual prompts. Reserve Wise Counselor Questions for Step 4.
• Repetition builds confidence. After three exposures (tell, retell, walk-through), most groups are ready to discuss.
• Culture-aware application. Move from general to personal at a pace appropriate to the person and context.

Summary

• The five steps move a group from accurate retelling to heart-level discovery and concrete obedience.
• Wise Counselor Questions (said, done, choices, alternatives, results) uncover motives and help surface “treasures.”
• Apply discoveries with four progressive questions: happens today, examples, about you/someone you know, and what to practice next time.
• Adapt the treasure for unbelievers, be flexible in crisis, and keep stories in your “heart pocket” so you can serve the moment with God’s Word.