Using the story of Jacob and Laban as an example, Havilah demonstrates how engage people with Biblical stories—ultimately leading to personal transformation.
She emphasized four key points that are important when using a story for preaching, Bible study, or discussion groups:
- Let the story speak for itself. Allow the story to make its own point. There is no need to break it up into sections or points.
- Build a bridge to the world of the story. Help listeners understand the original context and culture.
- Bridge the story to the listener’s world. Make meaningful connections to the audience’s own experiences and challenges.
- Place the story within the Bible’s metanarrative and show how it fits into the overarching narrative of God’s redemptive plan.
Havilah’s approach reminds us that the power of biblical storytelling lies not in dissecting the text, but in inviting people to encounter God through the story as a whole.
Dr. Havilah Dharamraj, an alumnus of SAIACS (MA, Christian Studies), is Head of the Department of Biblical Studies. She previously served as Head of the Department of Old Testament (2008-20), and then as Academic Dean (2012-20). Two of her research interests are Intertextuality and Comparative Literature, which several of her students have used with skill in their MTh and PhD dissertations. Her interest in Biblical narrative has led her to invest in narrative preaching and storytelling workshops, both undertaken with the intent to re-introduce into Christian ministry the Indian cultural heritage of stories as a didactic oral medium.
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