Finding the Story
Hard Texts, Homiletical Narratives, and Hearing God's Voice
James Ayers

In Finding the Story, James Ayers examines the art of narrative preaching and shows how storytelling can help people in the pews hear God speaking to their hearts through scripture. Ayers analyzes ways to illuminate texts that are difficult to preach, and provides a wealth of creative approaches for making them accessible -- such as looking at Psalm 137 through the eyes of a slave who watched his child dashed against the rocks, or seeing Matthew and Luke's Christmas narratives through the eyes of a bitter man whose only son was killed in Vietnam. Finding the Story offers a dynamic avenue into some of the very thorniest texts and topics of the Bible -- enabling readers to find and share unique opportunities for encounters with God!

Finding the Story is a must-have tool for all ministers who:

• long to connect with their congregations on a deeper level;
• struggle with how to preach doctrinally heavy passages without putting listeners to sleep;
• wonder how to relate the imprecatory psalms to modern-day situations; and
• want their people to hear the voice of the Holy Spirit rather than the droning of a shepherd who feels the same things they feel, but sometimes finds it difficult to share those feelings

James Ayers has been a Presbyterian pastor, teacher, and writer for nearly 25 years. Currently the teaching pastor at Grace Presbyterian Church in Wichita, Kansas, Ayers has been a columnist for the past ten years for Presbyterians Today. He is a graduate of the University at Albany (B.A.), Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary (M.Div.), and Boston College (Ph.D.).