Learning the sacred stories of Scripture by heart and sharing them with others is both an ancient-future art and a powerful spiritual practice. This course’s methods, developed by the Network of Biblical Storytellers International (NBSI), are for everyone who wishes to learn, to tell and to connect with God and other people through the ancient-future art and spiritual discipline of telling the sacred stories of Scripture – yes, you can do it too!
By the end of the two-week course you will be able to share at least one text with others by heart (not “memory”), and you will understand how this completely non-technological art fits into a digital communications world. Whether you work with children in Sunday School or dream of bringing Scripture to life in worship or elsewhere, your ministry and your spirit will be enriched by this art.
There is a daily assignment, usually involving a short document to read, work on your story, and online sharing. If you are able to post a video online, that is welcome but it is not required. There will be two optional live meeting sessions (1 p.m. and 6 p.m. Wednesday of Week 2, with other times for live coaching on request), to allow you to practice telling your story and receive coaching in a group.
The course has been approved by Discipleship Ministries as an advanced course in Lay Servant Ministries, but it’s designed for everyone!
This course has been approved by Discipleship Ministries (formerly the General Board of Discipleship) as an advanced course with 10 contact hours in Lay Servant Ministries, and 1.0 CEUs are available.
This course is eligible for 1.0 CEU.
Quick Info:
Number of weeks: 2
Price: $65
CEUs: 1.0
Required books?: No
Live video session?: Yes, optional
Part of a certification or series of courses?: Yes (Lay Servant Ministries)
About the Instructor
Rev. Beth Galbreath is a United Methodist deacon whose specialty is “digital culture ministry.” Part of her ministry is over a decade of teaching online at BeADisciple. She loves to bring a multimedia, multi-intelligence approach to all her courses.
Beth serves on the pastoral leadership team of Compassion UMC in Brookfield, IL, a new church plant. Her ministry includes consulting, teaching, and small group leadership; she’s passionate about worship, spirituality and deeper connections with God through the sacraments, Baptism and Holy Communion. She is also an activist for solar energy, interfaith understanding, and eco-sustainability. She shares her passion for all these topics through her classes at BeADisciple.
Digital culture ministry is also about ancient-future worship arts and education styles, especially an emphasis on story; she is an ambassador of the Network of Biblical Storytellers International and coordinates the NBSI-related Chicago-area biblical storytelling guild. She’s taught biblical storytelling in Cameroon, Bolivia, Haiti, the Philippines, and India as well as across the United States.
Past Students Said…
“I loved this course, I feel so much more comfortable with reading scripture in the storytelling style. I can’t wait to share it in my children’s sermon ministry. Beth as usual provided a wonderful course and covered every area possible to give us all the tools we needed to be successful.”
“The consistent focus on one piece of scripture was fascinating. Beth brings so much to the table and inspires me to go further. I was not sure what to expect but even if I never used storytelling, I myself have a whole new understanding of The Bible. I wish more people were aware of this art.”
“We’ve all been on a journey of ‘no return’. Never again will we read a scripture like we did in the past … ho-hum … boring. We now know how to bring the Word to life by using all the tools given to us for this adventure.” – Pearl Borum
“Needless to say, I had a blast! This is an excellent course for the Lay Speakers as well as clergy to hone speaking skills both for scripture as well as sermons.”
“I looked forward each day to the next set of instruction….I would love to see where the scripture is never “read” again, but always “told!” … I found as I studied for my Sunday School lesson to teach this week that I was telling the scriptures in my mind and heart. I think that will go with me as long as breath is in my body.”
“OH MY GOSH!!! … Today was the first time I REALLY put my story together. It was SO POWERFUL, HORRIBLE, WONDERFUL, EXHAUSTING, ENLIGHTENING, AWESOME!! I haven’t been through anything like it. It is only 7 verses! I can’t even imagine how anyone would do a Passion series! By the end I was crying like a baby and exhausted.… I thank God that he has brought this medium to me and I thank all of my classmates for everything they added to this class.”
“Great class. Congregations have already noticed the difference in how I read the sermon text.”
“I especially enjoyed Pastor Beth’s wit, guidance and personal attention to all of us taking the course. She is a powerful and gifted woman. I am deeply grateful for her guidance and attention to detail.”
