Articles

The Parables were one of Jesus’ principal teaching and preaching tools.
But, 2000 years later, they are dying.

Why?
Because fewer people are going to church.
And fewer people are reading the Bible.
So, an increasing number of folk are not hearing the Parables Jesus told.
When stories are not heard, they’re not retold.

And when stories are not heard and not retold, they die.

Think about it.
For centuries the Parables were regarded as the greatest stories ever told.
But, if we’re honest, many people nowadays would give that accolade to Star Wars, Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, Indiana Jones, the Hunger Games. 
Stories that have a moral underpinning.
But not a spiritual one.
Not a heavenly one.

So how can we help keep these stories Jesus told 2000 years ago alive today?
Here are 3 suggestions.

Or, as Eddie Cochrane once sang: ‘Three Steps to Heaven’.

Step 1: Study the original Parable, as Jesus told it.

Most Christians will be familiar with the Parables.
Maybe too familiar.

Many of us have known them for most of our lives.
So, the inclination may be to believe we know all they have to tell us.

Wrong!
As Hebrews 4:12 reminds us: ‘The word of God is alive and active.’
The Parables are constantly shape-shifting: bringing fresh perspectives to our changing circumstances. 

We need to keep going back to them and interrogating them anew.
If we do, we shall find them speaking to us here and now.

They will also bring fresh perspectives on the world around us.
We may well find a particular Parable speaking to one or more of our friends and family; or our neighbours; or our work colleagues.

And those fresh perspectives will be Kingdom perspectives!

Step 2: Imagine how Jesus might tell these Parables to us, today.

Jesus told his Parables in 1st century Palestine so he used imagery and storylines that made sense to the ancient, agricultural society and culture he was speaking into.
They featured kings and servants, wineskins and vineyard workers, shepherds and their sheep, fig trees and goats, tax collectors and Samaritans.

If he were telling these stories to us, here and now, surely he’d use different imagery.
Storylines that would resonate with our 21st century, ultra-diverse society and culture.
Maybe he’d tell stories involving builders and electricians, entrepreneurs and investors, lawyers and newspaper editors, Ferraris and Fords, sailboats and motorboats, a ski-trip and a theme park.

The underlying messaging wouldn’t change, but the storyline would.

The Hershey Bar first appeared in 1900. The recipe formula for the bar itself has remained largely unchanged.
But the packaging it is wrapped in has undergone many changes.
The aim being to keep the product contemporary and relevant.

In the two volumes of ‘Jesus Unbranded’ Ivan Filby and I have ‘repackaged’ all 39 of the Parables. 
We’ve respected and protected the ‘product’: the message Jesus sought to convey.
But we’ve updated the ‘packaging’, the storylines.
To keep the Parables contemporary and relevant.

For instance, the Good Samaritan becomes the ‘Caring Russian Ultra’; the Lost Sheep becomes the ‘Missing Pupil’; and the Rich Fool becomes the ‘Selfish Lawyer’.

The books are written and designed to be easy to read; and they use striking images to give the stories a realistic 21st century setting.
They also contain all the Parables as Jesus originally told them.
Our hope is that these books will encourage people to look at the Parables afresh. 

Maybe even inspire them to create their own storylines!

Step 3: Share the Parables with your social network.

This is the big challenge.
Jesus told his stories to be shared and re-told.
And it’s down to us to do that!

You could start by mentioning ‘Jesus Unbranded’ to your pastor and suggesting they do a sermon series based on it. 
Maybe that could then lead to a small group study course.
To make that easier a ‘church kit’ is available that includes copies of the books, along with a 6-part sermon series and two 6-part small group study courses.
That would ensure the Parables are kept alive within the Church.
But what about outside it?

Well, you may have been praying for various family and friends to come to Christ. Gifting them a copy of ‘Jesus Unbranded’ is an excellent way of taking Jesus to them! 
That’s what Ivan and I had in mind.

Your wider social network will likely contain a few ‘faith fence-sitters’. A copy of ‘Jesus Unbranded’ may be just the thing to get them off that fence.
That’s also what we had in mind. 

‘Let’s Keep the Stories Alive’

Footnote
Neither Ivan nor I will make any money from sales of ‘Jesus Unbranded’. We have written it to build the Kingdom, not boost our bank accounts. Both of us have committed to donate any monies that may come our way to Christian charities that seek to engage people with Jesus.

The publisher, Invite Ministries, is a not-for-profit organisation, with all excess revenues being ploughed back into their Mission of resourcing Christians and churches to share Jesus.

The upshot of which is that the authors, publishers, and purchaser/gifters of the books will all be participating in the greater mission of ‘Kingdom-building!’

Learn more about Jesus Unbranded here. Volumes 1 and 2 are available for purchase individually or as a bundle.