20 Ways to Tell One Story

I can pinpoint the beginning of my fascination with multimedia. I was sitting in class, a junior in college, when my professor unleashed the most eye-opening, brain shattering information my poor brain had ever absorbed: The word “media” is plural. I was no longer allowed to, according to my professor, call myself a “media communications” major. It was made clear, than anyone who put an “s” on the end of “media communication” was an English major’s nightmare.

First of all, “communication” represents a single idea–the process of delivering a message. “Media” refers to the innumerable ways how.

The singular form of media, “medium” defines the package in which the message is delivered.

When telling stories, it’s important to choose the best medium for the message. Or, as Marshal McLuhan warns, your medium risks becoming the message itself. The church, for centuries, has chosen strategic media to communicate the message of the gospel. Stories have been passed down to us through stone tablets, stained glass and the printing press. Never before has the church had a medium more flexible than the internet. Blogs, websites, social media and video are all accessible packages for compelling stories. Often, the line between “traditional” and “contemporary” worship are simple tweaks in media: hymn vs. screen, organ vs. guitar, pew vs. chair, stained glass vs. video. How your audience perceives your message has much to do with how your message is delivered.

Suggested Tweet: "Choose the best medium for the message or risk the medium becoming the message itself. @Danniobracken"

Here is a list of 20 medium options for storytelling, each of which could help your audience receive the story’s message in a unique way:

1. Blog

2. Facebook Post

3. E-Mail Newsletter Article

4. Poster

5. Bulletin Page

6. Photograph

7. Brochure

8. Sermon

9. Postcard Mailer

10. Live Interview

11. Video Short Story

12. Song

13. Painting

14. Poetry

15. Website

16. Slide Presentation

17. Hand Written Letter

18, Sketch/Illustration

19. Audio Drama

20. Interactive Display

If we took the time to carefully choose the best medium for the message, worship around the country would begin to take different form. Does anybody else feel restricted these days? Our pictures of worship all look the same–music, lights, video, sermon. Creativity will flow out of courageously telling stories in the best ways possible.