A Novel Approach

The Significance of Story in Interpreting and Communicating Reality

True reality exists, despite every culture distorting it. All people arrive at some biased view of reality via the story in which and by which they live. Unfortunately the ultimate story of reality as revealed in the Bible is too often presented before the would-be evangelist is adequately aware of the hearer’s story. Such an approach is naïve at best and often leads to one of mission’s more persistent blights – syncretism. Discover how to transcend these all-to-often drive-by evangelistic efforts and Band-Aid versions of telling the Bible story. Take a Novel Approach. Become aware of the hearers’ interpretation of reality that supplies their core assumptions about all of life. In his well-researched and purely authentic discussion Michael Matthews respectfully integrates reality, hermeneutics, story, and missions into a compelling and practical story-based methodology to guide cross-cultural workers through the maze of discovering the particular story and its implications of a host community. The fundamental goal, however, is not simply discovery but ultimately clear communication of the timeless and true Biblical Story within the perceived reality of any community or culture.