Skill III. How to Frame Your Questions
The major goals and fruit of telling Bible stories, and then discussing them afterwards, are these:
Learning the character of God and What He wants for and from mankind,
and then
Seeing and admitting the truth about ourselves.
In general, to find treasures, go through the story and take some time to look at what is said about each individual or group in the story. God will be working with everyone in the group/congregation to teach them something.
Ask yourself:
What does each one in the story do and say? Then ask.
What does this show me about that person?
Can I know from the story if the person a believer, a seeker, a doubter or a rejecter?
Is faith or doubt being shown?
How does God use circumstances to warn, teach or encourage?
Today, how might we need to learn these same lessons?
Although you have questions prepared to lead listeners to treasures you have found, you must have in mind to respond to the questions, observations and answers of your listeners. Ask your questions, but allow the Holy Spirit freedom to move as He will through the listeners.
Sample Story to Try
Luke 10:38?42 Title of Story_______________________________
Luke 10:38-42 ”Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house. (39) And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word. (40) But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me. (41) And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: (42) But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.”
Here are some detailed questions to help you explore this story to discover Spiritual Insights. These are listed here as suggestions of what to look for in this one story. In principle they can help you explore other stories. Practical Applications are often based on the Spiritual Insights found in a story. To discover your Applications, go through each Insight you have found and ask yourself on each one; in what ways do we have similar (feelings, experiences, etc.)? Now, note how the situations were handled and what we can learn by what God or the people did. Then, through questions, lead people to discover what you have just found.
Ask yourself these questions...
1. Is there anything in the story that surprised me, actions of God, or people or results of people’s behavior? As I carefully “listen” to the story the way God presents it to us in the Bible, I want to see if I can discover the reason for the surprising part.
2. Do I see any of the characteristics of God demonstrated such as patience, longsuffering, justice, kindness, grace, mercy, concern for the weak, equal respect for all people or love?
3. To whom did God show those characteristics and does that teach us anything?
4. Can I know from the story if the individuals in it are believers or unbelievers?
5. Are the people in the story sincere seekers, skeptics or hardened rejecters of God.
6. Does anyone in the story have a problem? If so, how big is the problem?
7. How do the people with a problem try to handle the difficulty?
8. If the person with the problem goes to God for help, how does that person ask for the help?
9. Does the person approach God with respect or arrogance?
10. How does God respond to this approach and what might that show us?
11. Does the person with the problem go to another person for help?
12. How is help asked for in this situation?
13. Does the person with a problem show respect for leaders?
14. Is there a leader in the story who follows God, and if so what are the results of the obedience?
15. Is there a leader in the story who does not follow God and if so what are the results of the disobedience?
16. Does anyone in the story change beliefs or attitudes? Do people change when they have a similar experience?
17. Are characters in the story showing or telling what they think and feel? Do you or does anyone you know show some of these same thoughts and feelings?
18. Do any of the characters show evidence of faith, love, mercy, anger, fear, hope, prejudice, doubt, greed, confusion, prejudice, ignorance, wisdom, respect, disrespect, superstition or other attitudes?
19. How does God respond to those people’s beliefs, feelings, words or actions and what does this show us?
20. Do some characters in the story change their behavior?
21. What exactly causes them to change?
22. What happens when they do change and what might that teach us?
23. Are there any miracles or supernatural events in the story and if so how did they affect the people in story?
When you first read through a story, it sometimes can be confusing when you try to figure out why God responds the way He does to a person in the story. Also, at times when you read a story you may think this to yourself. This is nice story, but I do not see any spiritual insights in it.
See if you can discover what the following two Scriptures tell us about the usefulness of all of the information God put in the Bible. These insights will encourage you to try to find out why God acts as He does in a story and to know that there are spiritual insights in every Bible story.
2 Timothy 3:16-17 ”All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: (17) That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.”
1 Corinthians 10:11-13 ”Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come. (12) Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall. (13) There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.”
These verses say that all of the words in the Bible, including the words in the stories, are written to us, and for us. Since we know God does not just put words in a story to make the pages come out even, then we need to begin to carefully look at Bible stories to find out what all of the information in a story should mean to us.
As the storyteller and the designer of questions, there are steps you will take to help your listeners discover those truths for themselves. But, you will not be able to lead listeners to the treasures in the story until you first discover them for yourself! If, while preparing a story, you as a storyteller are not impacted spiritually by the story, it is a good time to go back and seek God for the truths of the story. If you have followed all of the guidelines for finding treasures, and you have not yet found any spiritual truths in that story, you are not yet equipped to tell it to others.
After you do discover the many lessons (treasures) inside your story, you are now ready to design questions that can gently lead listeners to discover those treasures for themselves.
The Importance of Asking Questions
If you were out walking and discovered a treasure, you would be thrilled! If you took that treasure back and shared it with your friends, they would be very happy to receive it. But their happiness upon receiving it would not be as great as yours when you discovered it. Discovery is a thrill in itself.
Now that you have learned your Bible story and have found the treasures it contains, you are ready for the next phase of preparation. It is time to prepare questions that gently lead your listeners to discover the spiritual truths and the applications that you have just found.
Beyond the questions you prepare ahead of time, as the discussion moves forward, let God use your past experiences and Bible knowledge to form added questions as you facilitate. The Holy Spirit knows what issues need to be discussed and will lead you as you facilitate the group.
To remember the questions you have formed, mentally go through the story. Let its contents remind you of your prepared questions.
Now it is Time to Actually Tell Your Story to Real People!
As you use this discussion style teaching, use the one vital key to success, as seen in 1Corinthians 13:1-we must show love. “Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.”
Know this. Most people are frightened when they have to stand in front of a group and speak, so you must be very encouraging in your treatment to them. At times you may be teaching leaders or pastors. Although they are no doubt comfortable in front of people, most of them have not been “corrected” publicly (at least not for a long long time!)
As you teach through discussion, you need to be sensitive to both of these kinds of people. As listeners retell the story, or respond to questions or even offer their own observations, remember this. No matter how well or poorly people may respond, it is essential that the storyteller/teacher be very gentle and affirming in the way corrections are made. Again, as you work hard to remember your story and ask your questions, think of the people you are leading. Respond to them and keep uppermost in your mind that it is not your skill that matters most, it is the love shown to the people as you use your skills!
You will present the story three times. (Letting the listeners hear the story three times helps them know the story well enough to respond accurately to the questions.)
1. You tell the story,
2. You ask the story to be retold and
3. You step through the story (which is actually you retelling the story but asking class member to fill in the blank parts that you do not tell).
Phase One – You Tell the Story.
Tell the story as accurately and as interestingly as you can. Use lots of body motions and gestures to illustrate the story as you speak. It helps if you can practice the story ahead of time with some helpers.
Sometimes as you tell the story, your helpers can silently act out the parts of the characters in the story. Always keep speaking the words as they act it out. Because the listeners have heard just one storyteller present the whole story, they will be able to repeat the story back to you. Listeners often will go home and tell the story to their family or to others who did not hear you tell it.
Note this: If you have the different helpers speak the lines, it becomes a drama. Although the spoken drama style of presenting a story is entertaining and can enlighten those in attendance, the story loses its ability to be retold.
Phase Two - Ask the story to be retold. (If you have time limitations, you may have to skip this step and go to Phase 3 - Step Through the Story.)
If the listeners are shy and do not respond quickly to your request, say, "Just tell as much as you remember and then others will help fill in what is missing." Encourage the person to just start telling the story and tell them, "If you get stuck or forget some of the story, the other listeners will try to help you." Clap or otherwise visibly celebrate when a volunteer offers to try. Ask others to listen carefully and afterwards they can add in anything that might have been left out.
Occasionally a re-teller will not remember much of the story or tell it wrong. If that happens, don’t ask the other listeners to make corrections. To many corrections done in front of others could embarrass the volunteer. As well, a story told poorly is too hard to put back together.
However, no matter how well or poorly the re-teller does, find something to compliment. You can say such things as, “I appreciate your bravery,” “That was a wonderful job,” “The part you remembered was well told,” I loved the way you dramatized the quotes,” or other encouraging remark.
If the re-teller added information, that needs to be mentioned as well, but even that can be said in a kind way, such as “You are so eager. You even shared extra information with us that I think might not be in the story.” Always remember that gentle corrections said with a smile can more easily be received.
If a story is long, another way get a volunteer to come forward is to ask, “Can one of you come up and just to start the story and then we will ask others to continue telling it?” After that you will keep having others come forward and continue telling the story as a group until it is completed.
Phase Three - Step through the story.
This will be your third “telling” of the story. You have told the story, a volunteer has retold the story and now you ask everyone to step through the story with you.
This is a style of telling the story using frequent hesitations. It is done as if the you the storyteller needs help to remember the story’s contents rather than it being a test of the listener’s memory of the story. The storyteller looks at the listeners asking them to say the next few words or sentences. Sometimes the storyteller will stop in the story and ask the listeners to tell the next part of the story by saying something such as, What was the healed leper told to do? Remember, this is just one more retelling of the story.
So you start the story as if you are telling it, except that at every phrase or sentence, (or maybe new thought), you start it, then hesitate and invite the listeners to fill in the rest of the information.
For instance. You could say, Jesus and His disciples went to a certain city and met there a lady named um… Then you hesitate and gesture and look expectantly, waiting for the people to fill in the blank. After they say “Martha,” you respond Right or Good and continue.
Ask, So who did Martha invite to do what? After they say “Martha invited Jesus to come to her home,” you say “Good,” then go on to the next step through fill-in-the-gap lead-in. Now Martha had a relative mentioned in the story. Who is it and what are we told about her? When they answer, “Mary is Martha’s sister and Mary sits at Jesus’ feet and listens to Him teach,” say, You are correct.
Then say, So Martha has a problem, or something she feels is a problem. What is it?
If here, (or any other place), the listeners do not respond after you hesitate for them to fill in the rest of the story, start slowly speaking the answer and give the people every opportunity to remember the story and fill in the rest of the sentence or thought.
By providing key questions, you can remind people of the next part of the story. It is vital that your statement contains key words, since those words act as clues that will prompt the listeners to offer an answer from the correct part of the story.
Without Key Words.
For example, as you review the story, if you say, and Martha said what?, a listener might correctly respond, “Martha said, ‘Go tell Mary to come help me.’”
Now it is true that Martha did say. “Go tell Mary to come help me,” so the listener did give a correct answer.
BUT BEFORE she said, “Go tell Mary to come help me,” Martha had said, “Lord, Don’t you care that Mary has left me alone to do all of the serving?”
As you see, by being too general in your review question, you allowed the listener to jump too far ahead in the story.
With Key Words.
To help listeners give the answer you wanted, you could have said, So what did Martha call Jesus; what title did she use?
They will say “Master” or maybe “Lord.” If they answer “Lord,” you say, That is correct.
If they say “Master,” you can say, Right, Martha called Jesus Lord.
Even though the listener’s answer of, “Master,” was not exactly correct, the person had the right idea. So, you encourage the person, but at the same time gently give the right answer to keep the story accurate.
Ask questions that remind listeners of the content of the story. An example would be: Martha asked Jesus what? By using the word “ask” in your question, you have kindly moved them to recall what Martha asked Jesus.
As you step through the story asking such things as, Who invited Jesus into the home? What is Mary doing in the story? What is Martha doing? Then a problem develops. What is the problem? When Martha speaks to Jesus, what does she call him? How does Martha want to solve the problem? What does Jesus tell her?
During this third telling, the story is being locked into the listener’s minds. Additionally, the very easy questions, which are just a review of the story’s contents, encourage listeners to answer the storyteller’s questions out loud. When people answer these easy review of the story questions and are affirmed, they gain confidence. This confidence is needed for the next two phases of STS which through discussion require the listeners to look for treasures in the story and report their findings out loud.
Phase Four - Spiritual Insights in the Story (If a story is long, say more than 10 verses, it may be wise to combine the next two phases. Select just the first section of the story and give questions about what happened to the people to lead listeners to the spiritual insights. Then for that same section, do phase five the application phase.)
During the time spent learning the story, you may have discovered these spiritual treasures in the Martha/Mary story.
1. Do not choose to take on so much work that you lose the vital time you need to learn from God's Word.
2. How sad it is when there is a problem in our life to say to God, “Don’t you care? To ask for help is good, but to accuse God of not caring must break His heart.
3. Even worse when we make choices to take on more than we can accomplish, how foolish it is to blame God for not caring about our load!
4. Should we be TELLING “God” how to solve our problems?
5. After we take on more work than we can accomplish, or work for God that He has not asked us to do, is it right to take others away from spending time learning from God’s Word to help us?
6. Even though Martha is actually criticizing Jesus and then demanding that Jesus do as she tells Him, Jesus speaks kindly to her. Jesus is longsuffering and patient as He explains her errors to her.
7. Jesus does not respond angrily to Martha’s disrespect. His genuine concern for Martha is shown even in the fact that He knows her and calls her twice by her name.
8. It is not that spending time in the kitchen or serving or doing any other ministry work is wrong, but if our work takes us away from learning God’s Word, we have not chosen the good thing.
9. It is not always where our body is located that marks us as a Martha or a Mary. We may be working physically, but be worshipping and communicating with God as we work. On the other hand, we might be located in a Bible study or church or even reading the Bible, but our minds are wandering as we think about the work we need to be doing!
10. In Jesus’ final statement about Martha’s behavior, He says that Mary chose the best thing that cannot be taken away. This statement indicates that what Martha is doing can be taken away. In the final judgment, as God looks what we have done in our life, it may be that some of what we decided that we would do for God was not the good choice. Jesus tells us in this story that learning from Him is the good choice.
11. When Martha realized that she had a problem, she could have gone to Jesus and ask for help. Instead she tries to solve the problem herself.
Asking Questions that Lead to Spiritual Insights
Experience has shown using discussion style teaching, that there can be a valuable reason to use leading questions at the start of a teaching.
Most believers are not accustomed to carefully looking at the words and meanings in a Bible story. Those with advanced Bible school or seminary education may have learned how to dissect or analyze the story, but the STS method is different. STS keeps the Bible story together and it is listened to and heard as a whole story.
Many people do not know that they are capable of finding spiritual truths in the Bible. Others know spiritual treasures are in Bible stories, but they do not realize that they can find those treasures.
Often people come to the study thinking that they pretty much know all there is to know! Purposeful questions (even if they are yes/no questions) are used to prepare people to start discovering insights for themselves. The attendees who "think" they already know all there is to be known in a story are shocked to find they missed something, which humbles them a bit. This prompts them to start paying more attention to the story. Some discover that what they had heard before about the story (and had just assumed was accurate) is not that accurate and that they had missed a lot about the story. These people too recognize that they must "listen" to story to see what is truly there.
Still others just had no idea that the path of a story held treasures that they could find. In STS as we begin working with a new class or learners, we often lead them right up to a treasure and almost hand it to them. The skilled teacher can imperceptibly lead responders, so they are the ones who think that they did most of the discovering! When class members are able to do even the last small part of finding an insight, it encourages them to start looking for more treasures for themselves.
We know that the Bible says that the Holy Spirit will guide believers into all truth. But sadly, too many believers do not even KNOW that there are treasures in the story, nor how to find them, so the Holy Spirit waits to teach, standing in front of an empty classroom.
Storytellers teaching in this discussion style can learn to be sensitive on which questions to use. They learn that as the class members begin to find their own treasures, the storyteller can back off from giving obvious clues and slowly allow the responders do more and more of the discovering.
In this sample Martha/Mary story, many of its spiritual treasures and applications are written out. As the teacher moves through this story, some of these very insights and applications will be discovered and offered by the class members even before they are taught. This is wonderful as it shows that the people are experiencing discovery. Use only enough of the leading questions as are needed to help those class members to discovery.
Sometimes this questioning technique includes allowing people to voluntarily fall into a ‘hole’ first. As a result they become personally more interested in truly listening and learning. A “hole” is a question that is asked in such a way to get the listeners to volunteer misconceptions or false assumptions that they hold. This subtle trap helps self-satisfied attendees admit that they need to learn something more. A perfect example of this is #1 below. Most miss the more subtle parts of this story, and these purposeful questions help people to seriously look again more closely at the story.
Now is the time that you go back to the beginning of the story and ask questions that will lead the listeners to discover the different spiritual truths contained in the story. You could ask these questions.
1. In this story, Jesus seems to be complimenting Mary’s behavior, but criticizing Martha’s. Am I right? [wait for answer.] Now I am confused! Is hospitality a good thing? [wait for answer.] Is preparing a meal for guest a nice thing to do? [wait for answer.] If we decide that this story shows us that it is better to be doing Bible study than to cook a meal, when there is a dinner served when church is over,who will be cooking your meals gentleman? [wait for answer.] Also, is it right gentlemen to tell your wives to go into the kitchen to prepare meals for guests when it causes them to miss Biblical study, and then you tell them that this story teaches that they are doing the less valuable thing? [wait for answer.] So then why is Jesus happy with Mary and not with Martha? We know that Jesus always speaks truth, but what exactly is that truth that He is speaking? Maybe we should look again at this story?
2. Who did we say invited Jesus to her home? [wait for answer.] Is there anything in the story that would show us if Martha knew that Jesus was someone very special? [wait for answer.] Listeners may mention that Martha did invite Jesus to her home, or that Martha called Jesus “Lord.” Both answers are good.
3. We do see in the story that Martha’s sister Mary sat at Jesus feet and listened to Him teach. What does the description of “sitting at his feet mean to you? [wait for answer.] Sitting at someone’s feet is a way of describing a student teacher relationship.
4. What was it that Martha called Jesus? [wait for answer.] What does Lord mean? [wait for answer.] What does that again show us that Martha knew us about Jesus? [wait for answer.] So she knows Jesus is special, someone she should look up to as superior. She says, “He is Lord,” but stays in the kitchen working and does not listen to Him? What do you think of Martha’s behavior? [wait for answer.]
5. The story says Martha was overburdened with work and is serving alone. Can we tell from the story if Martha is she preparing simple food, like offering her guests fruit or tea and cookies, or did SHE decide to prepare a more elaborate meal? [wait for answer.] I have a question? If she thought Jesus had something valuable to teach, isn’t it surprising that SHE made the choice to make such a fine but time-consuming meal? What do you think of her decision? [wait for answer.] We see Martha complain to Jesus that SHE has too much work to do, but she is the one who chose to use all of her time to cook! Is she thinking reasonably? [wait for answer.]
6. Here is another question. What EXACTLY does she ask Jesus? [wait for answer.] She says what to who? What do her words show us about her trust in Jesus? (“Don’t you care?”) [wait for answer.]
7. Then she even goes further in revealing her lack of spiritual wisdom by the next thing she says to Jesus. (“Jesus you tell Mary to help me!”) How is Martha now treating Jesus? Like Lord or like what? [wait for answer.] You are right. She is acting as the boss of Jesus and He is her servant!
8. As we listen to the words Martha speaks, and then notice what Jesus says back to her, we begin to see why Jesus was scolding Martha and complimenting Mary. Jesus says only one thing is what? [wait for answer.] Yes He says, “Only one thing is vital and Mary has chosen that which is good.” By those very words of Jesus, we see that Martha also had a choice to make and she had CHOSEN to be busy in the kitchen.
9. So, what two individuals does Martha blame for her having too much work? [wait for answer.] Yes. Mary and Jesus! How does she blame them? [wait for answer.] Martha had asked, “Jesus, don’t you care that my sister has left me with all of the work? Fix my problem.” Also, Martha says Mary left her with all of the work.
10. Notice that not only has Martha made decisions that draw her away from learning from Jesus, her solution to the problem “she created” would have caused someone else to leave Jesus’ presence. Explain why her solution was not wise. [wait for answer.]
11. The way Martha talks to Jesus shows disrespect. She first accuses Jesus of not caring about her problem and then she speaks to Him like He is her servant! In response does Jesus speak harshly or kindly to her? [wait for answer.]. He kindly explains to Martha that Mary’s choice is the better one.
12. Jesus was a respected teacher. Notice that Martha was not only was criticizing Jesus, she criticized Jesus when His followers were present! By doing that, Martha again showed no respect at all to Jesus! What kind of attitude did Jesus demonstrate in the way that He responded to her? [wait for answer] People will discuss humility.
13. By what Jesus calls Martha, can we tell whether or not He knew her? [wait for answer.] Yes. Jesus shows genuine interest in Martha by using her name when He spoke to her. Jesus uses her name, twice!
14. Do we have any information in the story that shows us whether the way Martha was worrying was something new for her or a habit she had? [wait for answer.] Jesus mentioned to her that she worried about so many things and was concerned like it was her habit.
15. Is there anything in the story that would show whether on not Martha had a choice to stay in the kitchen and prepare a meal or to sit at Jesus’ feet and be taught? [wait for answer.] Yes. You are right. Jesus shows us Martha had a choice when He used the word “chosen.”
16. Jesus said, “Martha Martha. You worry about so many things and you are so concerned. Mary has chosen the one thing that is necessary?” What is Jesus saying here about Martha’s choice to make this big meal as compared to Mary's choice? We hope the listeners will see that as Mary chose, so Martha made her choice, but Martha could have made a better choice.
Phase Five - Spiritual Applications Now let us ask ourselves why God gave us this story in the Bible. What does God want us to learn?
By using more questions, you can now lead listeners to the Spiritual Truths and Practical Applications that you found when you originally studied the story. Resist the temptation to just tell them the treasures. Design questions to help listeners to discover for themselves the treasures in this story.
Questions That Lead To Practical Applications
1. Mary loved to sit at Jesus’ feet and learn. In the story Mary leaves the kitchen and chooses to spend her time learning from Jesus. What does that mean to us today? Can we sit at Jesus’ feet and learn? [wait for answer.] We hope that listeners come to the following application…Today, studying God’s Word or worship God or learning from pastors and teachers is like listening to Jesus. Today to us the idea of sitting at Jesus’ feet shows a sincere interest in what is being taught.
2. We saw that Martha took on so much work that she was overburdened. Can we today have that problem? Can we say “yes” to too many responsibilities even in Christian work? What do you think? [wait for answer.]
3. Do we have choices in life? [wait for answer.] Can we make choices that look good because they are choices to do Christian work, but really we are choosing to do something for God when it is nothing He really is asking us to do or nothing He needs. Then our choice to do something for God ends up leading us away from spending time learning from our Savior? What do you think? [wait for answer.] Have you experienced this or seen it happen? Tell us about it.
4. Martha blames Mary for not staying to help prepare food. If we do find that we have taken on too much work, have we taken responsibility or have we ever blamed other people for the overload? [wait for answer.] What should we do when we realize that we find that the ministry work we have decided to do is crowding out the time we need to be spending learning from God? [wait for answer.]
5. We saw that Martha foolishly accused Jesus of not caring about her problem. Have we ever gone so far as to blame God for decisions we have made and then suggesting that God doesn’t care about us? [wait for answer.] How must God feel when we take on more than we can handle, and then we accuse Him for not caring that people aren’t helping us? [wait for answer.]
6. Martha calls Jesus “Lord,” a term meaning that she looks to Him as her leader, her superior. Then she told Jesus what to do to solve her problem. Have we ever created a problem and then prayed to God telling Him how to solve it? [wait for answer.] Does this make sense to call God our “Lord,” and then tell Him how to solve the problems that we ourselves have caused? What do you think? [wait for answer.]
7. Do you think it is possible to be doing physical work, like Martha, and at the same time be learning from God and worshiping? Try to describe what this would be like? [wait for answer.]
8. On the other hand, do you think a person could be in a location where the person looks like a Mary, learning and studying the Bible, and yet that person’s thoughts are about working? [wait for answer.] Is that something that you have ever found yourself doing? [wait for answer.] Have you ever been reading your Bible and your mind starts wandering, thinking about other things, to other work you need to do? [wait for answer.] So is this being a Martha or a Mary? [wait for answer.]
9. Jesus told Martha that what Mary chose could not be taken away. What is Jesus saying about what He would or would not do as far as interfering with the choices we make? [wait for answer.]
10. Compare Martha’s choice to Mary’s choice. Which lady is giving to Jesus and which one is receiving from Jesus? [wait for answer.] Which act does Jesus value? [wait for answer.] Martha is doing something for Jesus while Mary is receiving from him. Jesus says the work Martha is doing is not necessary.
11. How do we react when some of the ministry work we decide to do, begins to overburden us and takes us away from our time of learning from the Lord? [wait for answer.]
12. As we saw, when Martha realized that she had more work to handle that she could do, she blamed Mary and Jesus but not herself. When she realized her inability to complete the task she thought she needed to do, what resource did she overlook? I mean who was there that she could have gone to for help? [wait for answer.] Yes, Jesus. Are we faced with over commitment sometime? How do we handle it? What does this story teach us about wise choices? [wait for answer.]
General Tips for Leading Discussions
As the discussion moves forward, God can use your past experiences and Bible knowledge to design questions as you teach. The Holy Spirit knows what needs to be discussed and will lead you as you teach.
Remember Don't Write. It is best not to write the questions that you want to ask about the story. To remember your questions, mentally go through the story, letting its contents remind you of your prepared questions.
Listen to the Responses of the Listeners to the Story. The answers people give will help you to sense their needs and their personal questions. Those insights will help you form original questions as you continue. This is called, “teaching off the moment.”
Most Questions Should Be About What People Did or What God Did. These questions will move listeners toward discovering spiritual truths. Just review the actions and the words characters spoke. Be careful about asking “why” questions as they may invite speculation and guesses that cannot be backed up by Scripture. Using questions that ask “what,” are usually the best.
Ask Observation Questions. Maybe say, “What in the story shows us about the beliefs of (select characters in the story)?” “What showed us what (the character) valued?” - “How did the character show us what that person valued?”
Say, “What shows us something about the character of God?” or “What in the story showed faithfulness?" "Tell what part of the story demonstrated disrespect (or fear, or confusion, or greediness, or kindness or bravery or trust, or wisdom?)". Make sure that the questions you ask can be answered from the information contained inside the story that you just told.
Gradually Help Listeners Make Applications of the Truths in the Story. As you move through your discussion time, you may find openings to ask if we sometimes have the same feelings and reactions as we saw in the people in the story. (Doubt, fear, faith, hope, confusion etc.)
Share Personal Applications. If you are led by God to do so, you may share how the story impacted you or ask how it impacted them.
Helpful Hints on Choice of Questions. Answers to storyteller’s questions must be contained in and provable by the story.
Information Outside the Story. IF a very important insight or application in the story requires an outside verse to show that truth, that Scripture can be used in the introduction to the story or even better after all applications provable from within the story are presented. Do this only on rare occasions as use of Scripture outside the story makes the listener dependant on storyteller’s research, instead of just listening to the story. Storytellers can ask questions built on Bible information that they know listeners have gained while they were present in current training times.
Sometimes You Can Ask Questions Such as, “What was there in this story that spoke to you?” or “What new thing might you have learned from our discussion about this story?”
Good Answers. When people offer acceptable answers, encourage them. Say such thing as, “Good answer,” “I have never thought of that,” or “That makes sense”
Not So Good Answers. If answers given by listeners are incorrect information, you might say, “Let’s go back and see if that matches the story.” If the conclusions they reached are wrong, you might want to take the blame and say, “I did not make that part clear” or “Maybe my question was not worded well.” If an answer or a question from a listener is totally off of the subject, you can say, “That would be a topic we could discuss another time,” or “Maybe in the next story we will find the answer.” Some questions are trails that lead to nowhere and the whole group will go off of the main path if you take time to answer them.
Good Questions from Listeners. Sometimes questions will come from your listeners that must be answered from other stories and information in the Bible. If you know the answer and can give a Biblical source, you need to seek God for wisdom on whether to give a complete answer then or to give a short overview answer. You may even suggest that another time you will be telling a Bible story that clearly answers the question. You might just be led to not give any answer and suggest that later when the time is right you will tell a story that covers that whole question well. Some questions are wonderful opportunities, prompted by the Holy Spirit or a person’s hunger, for truth to be discovered. Don’t miss those chances to respond.
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