The Gospel According to Story

Why storytelling might be more sacred than we think.

I used to never read fiction.

In fact, before 2024, I couldn’t even remember the last fiction book I finished. Maybe The Hunger Games back in 2013? My whole career I strictly read non-fiction books. As someone who’s worked in ministry most of my adult life, I was always chasing growth, leadership, communication, theology, and church strategies. If it helped me preach better, lead staff meetings better, or survive another HR issue without losing my mind, I read it.

That worked for a while. 15 years, actually. But in 2024, I made a commitment to read fiction. And honestly? It changed my life.

I didn’t expect it to. I think there’s this weird stigma around fiction, like it’s fluff. That somehow, it’s not serious. Or it’s not spiritual. And it’s certainly not helpful if you're trying to grow as a leader or pastor. But I’ve found the opposite to be true. …