There’s nothing quite like a story well-told. A curiosity-stoking beginning, a conflicted middle, a compelling conclusion—these elements, woven together with rich characters and relatable dilemmas, go beyond delivering information to the human mind. Instead, they have the unique power to affect the heart. Whether a story is told in the pages of a book, from the mouth of a friend around a dinner table, or on stage or screen, there is something compelling about a narrative arc.
Research backs up this seemingly universal experience. Studies have found that stories are up to 22 times more memorable than facts alone. When scientists look at brain imaging studies as a person listens to a story, they find that parts of the hearer’s brain mirror the storyteller’s brain, including the high-level cognitive networks that generate meaning and comprehension. Stories don’t just affect us as individuals—they bring us together as communities, deepening social connections and enhancing our abilities to feel and demonstrate compassion for others.
In a time when 72 percent of people say that they are open spiritually, the truth-telling and community-building aspects of storytelling have become a key component of effective evangelism strategies. Dan Blythe, Global Youth Director for Alpha, recently shared on an episode of Barna Group’s Resilient Pastor Podcast that a key component of training believers to evangelize is equipping them to understand the story of what Jesus has done in their lives. This way, as opportunities for gospel conversations arise, they are prepared to tell their stories. Similarly, apologist Lisa Fields—CEO and founder of the Jude 3 Project—encourages Christian leaders to share how Jesus has helped them through pain and trauma because people are hungry for stories of healing.
For adventurer and writer Bear Grylls, the power of story has long-infused his way of connecting with others. He’s brought millions of people along on his Man vs. Wild trips through television screens, sharing the story of his life as he fights to survive everywhere from the Sahara Desert to the European Alps. Viewers have shared many an unappetizing meal with Grylls, as he has consumed everything from a yak’s eyeball to a live snake. They’ve watched him fall from a helicopter and take shelter inside a dead camel. Grylls has shared his story with viewers for nearly twenty years—and now, in his new book, Grylls is inviting everyone he can to immerse themselves in what he considers The Greatest Story Ever Told.
Published by Hodder Faith, The Greatest Story Ever Told brings evangelistic storytelling to the page. Written as a series of eyewitness accounts, the book follows the story of Jesus’ life beginning with Mary’s visit from the angel Gabriel and culminating in Jesus’ ascension into heaven after the crucifixion and resurrection. Readers walk alongside Jesus’ mother and friends, encountering their stories and Jesus’ story.
For Grylls, the hope is that The Greatest Story Ever Told will introduce many to the life-changing story of Jesus Christ.
“This book is the most important work I’ve ever done—without doubt,” said Grylls. “I’d give up every Everest summit, every Emmy, every book and TV show I have done to have written this book. It’s the proudest thing I’ve done … The real story of Christ, told as a thriller, a mission of love, a mystery hidden and revealed, a story that will never leave you.”
Rich with input from academic theologians and biblical scholars including Dr. Andrew Ollerton, The Greatest Story Ever Told combines historical accuracy with artistic license to share the unparalleled story of Jesus. Some may read it as simply a beautiful story. Others may come to the page with doubt, wondering if any truth lies in its pages. Still others may read for the encouragement they seek in the person of Christ. Whoever the reader might be, Grylls wants them to find themselves in the book.
“Whatever your faith, background, pain or skepticism, this is your story, my story, all of our lives wrapped up in one,” explained Grylls.
Grylls also hopes that The Greatest Story Ever Told will equip pastors and lay leaders with a resource that buoys their evangelistic work. Through The Big Church Read, Grylls invites individuals, small groups, and whole churches to read the book, watch the provided companion videos and respond to the discussion questions together. Churches might consider a book club or community event that invites people to dive into the story with one another. Bible study groups could offer a six-week session in which their members are encouraged to invite a friend who may not know God to read and discuss together.
For Grylls, the method of reading matters, but the mission matters so much more: sharing the story of Jesus. Pastors, he hopes, will encourage their churches to read it together. Congregants, he prays, will pick it up for themselves and invite a friend to read along. Those yet to know God, he dreams, will be intrigued by the storytelling and find themselves curious about the Galilean builder who shifted the course of history. Whether a reader engages the book on their own or with a group, as a long-time believer or someone hearing the gospel for the first time, Grylls is confident that God has a tremendous adventure in store.
How will your story intersect with The Greatest Story Ever Told? Pick up your copy and learn more here.