Using Narrative Structure to Create Engaging and Vicarious Transformative Experiences

Narratives have a unique capacity to hold attention, challenge assumptions, and create transformative experiences. In this paper, I will draw upon narrative homiletics to show how educators who teach theology or scriptural texts can create learning experiences that follow narrative structure. First, I will discuss the advantages of teaching in a way that mimics story structure. These benefits include increasing learner engagement and inviting transformative experiences. Second, I will offer a narrative teaching model that instructors can use when planning lessons. This model contains five basic elements: conflict, complication, clue, climax, and implications. Finally, I will briefly illustrate this model and provide practical suggestions for creating instruction that uses narrative structure.