Storytelling Training for the Lord’s Redeemed

Biblical Foundation for Ministry Storytelling (Psalm 107)

Ministry storytelling training begins with Scripture. Psalm 107:2 commands, “Let the redeemed of the Lord say so” (Psalm 107:2, ESV). Churches and Christian nonprofits are called not only to do the work of ministry, but to faithfully tell the stories of God’s redemption.

We cherish the idea that the Bible is God’s love letter to us, but how often do we write back?

Psalm 107 is just one of the many Scriptures that command us to show love and appreciation to God by telling our stories of His love poured out on us.

Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,
for his steadfast love endures forever!
Let the redeemed of the Lord say so,
whom he has redeemed from trouble

Psalm 107:1-2 ESV

Has the Lord redeemed you from trouble? Do you know or have you witnessed His redemption in your ministry? Has observing His redemption of another helped draw you a little closer to Christ?

If I look at your website, will I find any of the Lord’s redeemed saying so?

This article is a Bible-based ministry storytelling training to help you share stories of the Lord’s redeemed. Storytelling is powerful and it’s the tool we’ve got to figure out how to use if we want to be relevant in this new digital world. We’ll begin by revealing four sinners’ personas, according to Jesus. Then we’ll study Psalm 107 to get to know each sinner’s story a little better.

After we have our biblical foundation, we’ll get into the storytelling training. At the end, you will have an outline and a visual so you can help the Lord’s redeemed say so with efficiency, impact, and regularity.

Let’s get started by joining Jesus as He begins His ministry.

Four Spiritual Struggles Jesus Came to Heal (Luke 4)

In Luke 4, Jesus began His ministry in His hometown synagogue, where he made an announcement that almost got Him killed. In verses 18-19, Jesus read the scroll from the Book of Isaiah and announced that He was the Lord’s anointed.

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives
and recovering of sight to the blind,
to set at liberty those who are oppressed,
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.

Luke 4:18-19 ESV

While Jesus performed both spiritual and physical miracles during His ministry on earth, His primary concern is our spiritual state. He came to proclaim good news to the spiritually poor, including types of sinners we’ll call sinners’ personas.

• To heal those who are brokenhearted by their sin.
• To proclaim liberty to those who are captives of their sin.
• To give sight to the blind who are lost because of their sin.
• To set at liberty those who are oppressed by our sinful world.

Do you know people who are brokenhearted, captive, lost, and oppressed by sin? They are all around us. You’ve bumped into them at the doctor’s office and grocery store. They join you for dinner every night. Maybe you’ve recognized them in the mirror. We’ll learn more about them as we study Psalm 107 in the next section.

Why Ministries Must Tell Redemption Stories Consistently

Psalm 107 begins with a command to share God’s stories of redemption in our lives. Typical our loving God, He not only tells us what to do, He also shows us how. The psalm tells the stories of each of the four sinners personas Jesus came to save, the brokenhearted, the captive, the lost, and the oppressed. As you learn a little more about their stories, I encourage you to remember when you’ve met them in your own life.

The Wandering and Spiritually Lost

First, we meet the Blind Wanderers. They couldn’t see where they were going, so they chased after false promises of satisfaction and purpose, only to wind up spiritually depleted and blind. When they cried out to Jesus, He showed them the way to their true home. They didn’t need to wander through the desert anymore, and as a result, the longing of their soul was satisfied. The Lord redeemed the Wanderers, who were blinded by false promises, and now they say so by sharing their thanksgiving for His steadfast love.

Some wandered in desert wastes,
finding no way to a city to dwell in;
hungry and thirsty,
their soul fainted within them.
Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,
and he delivered them from their distress.
he led them by a straight way
till they reached a city to dwell in.
Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love,
for his wondrous works to the children of man!
For he satisfies the longing soul,
and the hungry soul he fills with good things.

Psalm 107:4-9

The Spiritually Captive and Bound by Sin

The second sinner’s persona in Psalm 107 is the captive. The captives rebelled against God. They turned up their noses at Him, stuck in their own pride and arrogance. One sin at a time, they built their own prison. They lived the natural, lonely consequences of their pride. Because of their sin, they had to work hard to survive. And just like a prisoner on the chain gang, they eventually reached the end of themselves and cried out for help.

Even though they turned from God, He didn’t give up on them. Similar to the Wanderers who were in darkness, God showed the captives they belong with Him, and they were designed to live their best life alongside Him. Then He took another step. They weren’t just lost; they were captives, so Jesus set them free, just like He promised. As a result, the freed captives thank the Lord for His steadfast love toward the children of man.

Some sat in darkness and in the shadow of death,
prisoners in affliction and in irons,
for they had rebelled against the words of God,
and spurned the counsel of the Most High.
So he bowed their hearts down with hard labor;
they fell down, with none to help.
Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,
and he delivered them from their distress.
He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death,
and burst their bonds apart.
Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love,
for his wondrous works to the children of man!
For he shatters the doors of bronze
and cuts in two the bars of iron.

Psalm 107:10-16

The Brokenhearted and Wounded

In the fourth stanza of Psalm 107, we meet those whose foolish behavior led to spiritual or physical illness. Their foolish sin left them so broken in their affliction they couldn’t take in any nourishment at all. When they were nearly dead, they cried out to Jesus. He healed the ailments of the brokenhearted and saved them from the natural consequences of their sin. As a result, they too must thank the Lord for redeeming them of their own foolishness. What’s more, these people are specifically called to tell of God’s deeds loudly and joyfully.

Some were fools through their sinful ways,
and because of their iniquities suffered affliction;
they loathed any kind of food,
and they drew near to the gates of death.
Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,
and he delivered them from their distress.
He sent out his word and healed them,
and delivered them from their destruction.
Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love,
for his wondrous works to the children of man!
And let them offer sacrifices of thanksgiving,
and tell of his deeds in songs of joy!

Psalm 107:17-22

The Oppressed and Overwhelmed

Last, we meet the oppressed. The oppressed lived in the crossfire of a world run by the Prince of Darkness. They saw such terrifying things they thought they were going to die. Jesus came to give liberty to the oppressed, so when they cried out, He gave peace to the fearful. As a result, they must praise Him, and tell the elders in the assembly and the people of the congregation about what Jesus has done.

Some went down to the sea in ships,
doing business on the great waters;
they saw the deeds of the Lord,
his wondrous works in the deep.
For he commanded and raised the stormy wind,
which lifted up the waves of the sea.
They mounted up to heaven; they went down to the depths;
their courage melted away in their evil plight;
they reeled and staggered like drunken men
and were at their wits’ end.
Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,
and he delivered them from their distress.
He made the storm be still,
and the waves of the sea were hushed.
Then they were glad that the waters were quiet,
and he brought them to their desired haven.
Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love,
for his wondrous works to the children of man!
Let them extol him in the congregation of the people,
and praise him in the assembly of the elders.

Psalm 107:23-32

Now that you have met the main characters in the stories of the Lord’s redeemed, let’s move on to the storytelling training. We’ll talk about the elements that make up a story that will inspire your partners and participants to join you. Then we’ll give you a storytelling outline to help you share stories of God’s redemption through the work of your ministry.

Why Data Alone Doesn’t Inspire Generosity

When Reliant Creative searched for churches and ministries sharing stories of God’s redemption, we found that less than ten percent were doing so with any consistency. It’s an incredible missed opportunity for the Church. Too many times we operate our ministries solely on data, instead of impact. Telling our donors about how many people we served is not the same thing as telling them the story of an impacted life, and it could be that this retelling of impactful stories (not the data) is one of the best things we can do for our ministry, our donors, and those we serve.

Even ministries who thought they were telling testimonies of God’s love were, in fact, giving a narrative of chronological events. But a news report is not a story

Legendary storyteller Robert McKee defines a story in three words: 

“Conflict changes life.”

The conflict changes life definition aligns with the foundational three-step screenwriting script, problem, solution, result. Additionally, both definitions align perfectly with the Hero’s Journey story structure we teach ministries to implement to tell the world of all that Jesus is doing.

The Hero’s Journey story structure says that a character with a problem (the conflict) meets a guide who gives them a plan (change/solution) that he accepts, so he goes into battle. The fight results in either success or defeat (new life).

These definitions and storytelling structures show that to tell stories of how God is working in our ministries, to give voice to let the redeemed of the Lord say so, we need to share all three pieces: the problem, the solution and the result. We need to show the problem the person is dealing with, take them through the journey toward a solution of how the Lord redeemed them, and show the resulting new life they have in Christ.

A Practical Story Framework for Ministry Leaders: Hero’s Journey for Ministries

Now, we’ll expand on the problem-solution-result story outline to build out the story. The Hero’s Journey story structure is the most timeless, powerful, and well-known method for telling a story. Stories that follow the Hero’s Journey structure begin with a character who has a problem. The character meets a guide who gives them a plan. The character accepts the plan and implements the solution, which results in either success or defeat.

Reliant is a creative agency for ministries, so we re-defined history’s most successful story structure to adapt to the nuances of ministry life. Using our story structure, you’ll be able to write stories of redemption that include your ministry participants, programs, and partners, all while focusing on Jesus.

The Reliant Creative Partner and Participant Journey goes like this:

Your potential partners and participants struggle with the issues of living in a sinful, fallen world. Your ministry is there to guide them. Through your messaging, outreach, and marketing efforts, you invite your partners and participants into a journey through the wilderness. In accepting the call, you all follow God’s plan for your lives. Together, you put on the full armor of God to fight the good fight, where the war has already been won. As a result, everyone experiences varying measures of freedom by living in obedience to God and His Word. And the story continues on repeat as Christ continues to sanctify us throughout our life.

The visual representation of the Partner and Participant Journey is given below. The script is a circular crown of thorns as a reminder that every story is a testament to Jesus’s redemptive work on the cross, our continued sanctification in and through Him, and our longing for His coming Kingdom. The cross in the middle is a reminder that Jesus is inherent and at the center of everything.

Download this image at https://reliantcreative.org/downloadable-resources/

We introduced you to the four sinners’ personas and how each sinner’s story told in Psalm 107 aligns with one reason Jesus came to earth.

You learned the most basic outline for telling a story is problem, solution, result, also described by legendary storyteller Robert McKee as “Conflict changes life.” This is the framework used by storytellers across disciplines, including film, books, and web content. If your story is missing one of these elements, it’s not a story.

Next, we’ll put it together in a storytelling outline to help build a framework for your writing.

Ministry Storytelling Training: A Step-by-Step Testimony Outline for Churches and Nonprofits

The full outline includes problem, solution, and result as the headers with the elements of the Partner and Participant Journey as the details. As we go through, we’ll show you how to complete an outline to guide your stories.

1. Problem:
   1. The participant:
   2. Has a problem:
2. Solution:
   1. Meet a guide:
   2. Who calls them to action:
   3. Gives them a plan:
   4. That they accept:
3. Result:
   1. Freedom:
   2. Sanctification:

The following questions are examples to build your story. Write your answers, but don’t worry about making it pretty. Just get your thoughts out. You will fix it later.

Problem:
Which sinner’s persona does this person fit? What was their struggle?

Solution:
How did the participant and ministry partners obey God’s Word to overcome the struggle?

Result:
What is the participant’s new life like? How did they find freedom in Jesus and His Word through your ministry?

Next, we’ll build out your story using the Partner and Participant Journey. Consider the following questions to spotlight how the participant overcame their struggle as they grew closer to Jesus through your ministry, and what Jesus means to them now.

1. Problem: Which sinner’s persona does this person fit? What was their struggle?
   1. The participant: Who did the Lord redeem?
   2. Has a problem: What was their problem?
2. Solution: How did the participant and ministry partners obey God’s Word to overcome the struggle?
   1. Meet a guide: Who or what delivered the solution?
   2. Who calls them to action: How did they connect with your ministry?
   3. Gives them a plan: What program or strategy was available to help them?
   4. That they accept: What actions did the participant take? What challenges did they overcome to build a better life with Jesus?
3. Result: What is the participant’s new life like? How did they find freedom in Jesus and His Word through your ministry?
   1. Freedom: How is their life better now? How does Jesus help them through each day?
   2. Sanctification: What does their faith mean to them now? What are their hopes for the future? What would they say to someone struggling the way they did before meeting Jesus through your ministry?

I’d like to provide a few storytelling content tips unique to the ministry space before we wrap up. First, always make sure you have the participant’s permission to share their story. If security is a concern, see How to Share a Testimony and Maintain Client Privacy for tips. Always present your participant with respect and dignity, even at the most vulnerable parts of their story. Finally, resist the temptation to present your ministry as the hero. Instead, shine on the resilience and strength of your participants. The people you serve every day overcome incredible obstacles, so write them as the hero in your story.

Frequently Asked Questions

Let the Redeemed of the Lord Say So

Psalm 107:2 gives a clear command: “Let the redeemed of the Lord say so” (Psalm 107:2, ESV).

If your ministry is seeing God at work, those stories deserve clarity and care. Not hype. Not manipulation. Just faithful testimony.

If you want help building a story-driven communication strategy rooted in dignity and biblical conviction, explore our Content Writing & Story Development Services.

Or download our free Ministry Storytelling eBook to begin building your framework today.

To learn more, download our free Storytelling eBook, take a free storytelling course, or read our News & Insights. If you’d like help to testify to all that Jesus is doing through your ministry, our content writing team is here for you.