Non-Fiction Books
How to Smell Like God is filled with humorous and gripping true stories to help teens discover what it really means to know God, serve Jesus, and be led by the Holy Spirit. After each story readers are challenged to apply the message to their own lives.
Whether youre new to storytelling or youve been telling stories for years, this book will help you tell Gods story more creatively and effectively than you ever imagined you could! Enjoy this library of favorite Bible stories and storytelling techniques developed by award-winning author and professional storyteller Steven James. Each book includes creative storytelling techniques especially suited to help teachers tell Gods story and involve children in the Bible story.
Steven's journal entries reveal how he evolved from a poker novice to a poker expert, and they show how you can too. Follow along as he . . . Learns from a pro Laerns to think like a pro Learns to play like a pro Learns to win! And meet colorful characters of the poker subculture.
24 Tandem Bible Hero StoryScripts for Childrens Ministry will be among the first of a collection of tandem Bible stories for childrens ministry leaders and teachers. Each story includes presentation ideas, Scripture references, and a thematic connection. Each script can also be used as a puppet script. Easy-to-use tandem Bible stories teach biblical truths in fun, lively ways. Tandem storytelling is a popular format of telling Bible stories.
Believe It! Bible Basics That Won't Break Your Brain explains biblical doctrine
This book provides quick and creative ways for teachers to have kids help retell Old Testament Bible stories. This readers' theater performance style is fun because there aren't any lines to memorize. Enjoy this library of favorite Bible stories and storytelling techniques developed by award-winning author and professional storyteller Steven James. Each book includes creative storytelling techniques especially suited to help teachers tell Gods story and involve children in the Bible story.
The psalms reveal that prayers can be brutally honest. Real. Authentic. This prayer journal devotional makes that honesty accessible to teens by giving them permission to tell God anything—to pray from the gut.
Astonishing Tales of Spiritual Truth features Jesus’ parables that are also retold for a 21st century teen audience. Questions for reflection and suggestions for sharing your thoughts with God included.
Make familiar Bible stories new again for preteens with this collection of 30 fill-in stories that will allow students to create a crazy new story with the same powerful point.\\
Teach 15 parables in a fun and fresh way to ages 3 - 12. One parable per chapter with multiple ideas such as drama, skits, and interactive activities for each age group.
Most of us live in a state of unreality, afraid to show our true self. But deep inside, like the renowned Velveteen Rabbit, we long to become real. Weary of masking true struggles, most of us long for transparency and ache for the embrace of a God who meets them amid the mess of life. Award-winning author Steven James offers an open invitation for those daring enough to venture into a new realm of vulnerability, where it is admirable to be honest about shortcomings, genuine with love, and unguarded about motives. Divided into sections on Embarking, Awakening, and Emerging, this book outlines a process that leads to a more abundant life as pretense and defensiveness are left behind.
"The empty tomb doesn't make sense without the cross, the cross doesn't make sense without the manger, and the manger doesn't make sense without the garden," says author Steven James. To understand Easter, it is necessary to experience the entire Christian story. Like people who walk in at the end of a movie and wonder what all the fuss is about, so too Christians need to know their history--from creation to the first sin, from Christ's first miracle to his death, and everything in between. Story invites readers on a dramatic journey through the greatest story ever told. Using the power of imagery to move readers back to a place where they can encounter God, Steven James makes familiar Bible narratives come alive in provocative and poetic ways. Using thirty short, image-based chapters, Story makes the gospel real for a postmodern world and allows readers to meet Christ again or for the very first time.
God knows the tastiest way to serve up truth is with a little story. He knows we learn, think, remember, and communicate through stories. And He knows telling stories is the best way to impact us for eternity. Parables, fables, myths, and fairy tales have always been the most popular and effective way to share a spiritual or moral truth with the next generation because stories connect with both the head and the heart. They fly beneath our radar and move us closer to the place where we can encounter the truth. In Gather 'Round the Dinner Fable , kid-friendly parables and fables told in a witty and heartwarming style make learning biblical truths fun and memorable for the whole family.
The foundation of Christian belief is paradox: death is the beginning of life, foolishness is the pathway to wisdom, the meek conquer the strong. Everywhere we look we see mysteries piled upon mysteries, and for all our efforts to fit God into a box that makes sense, Christianity is not founded on common sense. Author and storyteller Steven James navigates this magical journey through the "uncommon sense" of faith in Jesus. Through his captivating style and arresting stories, James helps readers become more comfortable with a faith full of truth and mystery. With breathtaking writing, he shows readers a God who is illogical, unreasonable, unrealistic, and incredibly and unmistakably true.
This book is a collection of favorite Bible stories, each written with a creative and meaningful storytelling technique especially suited to help teachers involve young children in the Bible story. Enjoy this library of favorite Bible stories and storytelling techniques developed by award-winning author and professional storyteller Steven James. Each book includes creative storytelling techniques especially suited to help teachers tell Gods story and involve children in the Bible story.
This is a collection of favorite Bible stories, each written with a creative and meaningful storytelling technique especially suited to help teachers involve young children in the Bible story. Enjoy this library of favorite Bible stories and storytelling techniques developed by award-winning author and professional storyteller Steven James. Each book includes creative storytelling techniques especially suited to help teachers tell Gods story and involve children in the Bible story.
Bible Story QuickSkits for 2 Kids is a collection of engaging skits that teach through kid-friendly stories and humor. Each story includes background information, Scripture connections, and presentation tips.
The prayers of the people in Scripture contain everything from powerful stories of deliverance and explosions of heartfelt praise to desperate cries for mercy and incisive observations about the injustices of life. In the Psalms alone we find both complaints and outbursts of amazement along with whispered pleas that throb with grief and pain. Why then do our prayers today often seem so bland in comparison? What would happen if we, too, started praying honest prayers, raw with the realities of life, tender with the realization of grace? In A Heart Exposed , Steven James presents a collection of image-rich prayers that do just that--some etched out of the granite of suffering, others polished by the beauty of praise. All reflect a heart laid bare before God and invite readers to do the same.
In our fallen world, temptation is normal. We run into it every day and we all are susceptible to falling victim to its enticements. We're tempted to cheat on our taxes, milk the clock, lust after someone other than our spouse, dishonor our parents, lie to our friends, covet our neighbor's trip to Europe. But just because we must live with temptation doesn't mean we have to let it master us. In Flirting with the Forbidden , bestselling author Steven James reminds readers that we are always just one step away from bowing to temptation, that we all share the same potential and propensity for evil. Combining powerful first-person narratives from Scripture with thought-provoking reflections on temptation, discipleship, and grace, James helps readers grow in discernment and reliance on the Holy Spirit and develop a deeper, more intimate walk with Christ.
Stories are an integral part of the human condition, the way we have passed on history and information and inspiration for millenia. Using the power of imagery and the drama of narrative, bestselling author and professional storyteller Steven James leads readers through a journey into the greatest story ever told. From creation to Christ's birth, from his first miracle to eternity and everything in between, readers will see familiar scenes from the Bible like they never have before. These stories, retold as only Steven James can, will wake readers spiritually, re-inspire their faith journey, and jolt them into action. Now repackaged, this well-received book is poised for renewed impact in the lives of believers.
In Meeting the Mystery: Seeing Jesus Through the Eyes of the People He Met , you’ll meet some of those people and their stories retold by master storyteller, Steven James. Sometimes we know their names; sometimes we don’t. Sometimes we know how their stories ended; sometimes they’ve disappeared into the sands of time. In every case, though, the stories you’re about to read are based on actual, true events. All of these storytellers met the Story himself. Much of the material is drawn directly from Scripture. Other stories are more speculative. Details and dialogue are sometimes added to make it easier to see and hear the stories unfold. But great care is taken in each story to be faithful as possible to both the spirit and intent of the biblical record. Jesus knew that the best way to teach people the truth was to wrap it up in a story. As you read these stories, you’ll discover the truth for yourself. The truth about Jesus. The truth about the Mystery. And there’s no turning back. Once you’ve been shown the truth that lies at the heart of the Mystery, once you’ve met him for yourself, you’ll never be the same again.
Create characters that leap off the page--and into readers' hearts! Populating your fiction with authentic, vivid characters is a surefire way to captivate your readers from the first sentence to the last. Whether you're writing a series, novel, short story, or flash fiction, Creating Characters is an invaluable guide to bringing your fictional cast to life. This book is a comprehensive reference to every stage of character development. You'll find timely advice and helpful instruction from best-selling authors like Nancy Kress, Elizabeth Sims, Orson Scott Card, Chuck Wendig, Hallie Ephron, Donald Maass, and James Scott Bell. They'll show you how to: • Effectively introduce your characters • Build a believable protagonist • Develop strong anti-heroes and compelling villains • Juggle multiple points of view without missing a beat • Craft authentic dialogue that propels the story forward • Motivate your characters with powerful objectives and a believable conflict • Show dynamic character development over the course of a story No matter what your genre, Creating Characters gives you the tools necessary to create realistic, fascinating characters that your readers will root for and remember long after they've finished the story.
If you are looking for an easy and entertaining resource for kids' ministry, 30 Simply Fabulous Bible Skits for Kids is the perfect book for you! This book features 15 Bible story-based skits from the Old Testament and 15 from the New Testament. Designed for use with 3 or more kids, these skits will help get your group out of their seats and involved in telling Bible stories. Because the skits are written in reader's theater style, kids don't have to memorize their lines ahead of time. These teacher-tested and kid-approved skits are simple to perform, requiring minimal props and preparation. Just photocopy the scripts you need for the number of children in your group and let the fun begin! Features and Benefits Book features 15 Bible story based skits from the Old Testament and 15 from the New Testament. Intro page for each skit gives Scripture reference, main idea, Bible background, New Testament/Old Testament connection, key verse, cast (what kids you'll need to select for the performance), props, if any, topics that go along with the skit, and stage tips “How to Use this Book” section included at the beginning of the book. Material can be used by a teacher for small group programming or children's church, summer programs, or other programs. Skits appropriate for children ages 8 and up (third-fourth grade reading level) and are written in reader's theater style, so kids don't need to memorize lines. Skits include Adam and Eve, Noah and the Zoo Cruise, Joseph's Journey from the Pit to the Palace, Naomi's New Family, David and Goliath, The Birth of King Jesus, The Return of Lazarus, Jesus Is Alive!, Saul Sees the Light!, Paul Is Shipwrecked, and many more.
Winner of the 2018 Storytelling World Award.Take your story to the next level of excellence! You've completed the first draft of your novel--now what? Chances are, it's not perfect...at least not yet. In order to increase your chances of getting a literary agent, selling your manuscript to a publisher, or garnering an audience for your self-published work, you need targeted, practical instruction on tackling the problem areas and weak spots in your story. You need Troubleshooting Your Novel . In this hand-on, easy-to-use guide, award-winning author Steven James provides helpful techniques and checklists, timesaving tricks of the trade, and hundreds of questions for manuscript analysis and revision. You'll learn how to: ADJUST elements of story progression, from causality, tension, and setbacks to plot twists, climaxes, and endings. DEVELOP authentic, riveting characters by exploring their attitudes, desires, beliefs, and more. LEARN narrative techniques for elements such as dialogue, flashbacks, suspense, voice, subtext, and flow. ENSURE reader engagement by aligning with their expectations, fulfilling promises, and instilling trust. CHECK issues with context and continuity. You owe your book more than just a polish and a proofread. Strengthen your story, prepare it for the marketplace, and make it the best it can be with Troubleshooting Your Novel .
Winner of a 2023 Storytelling World Award Unleash the power of storytelling to transform your talks, speeches, and presentations—whether your audience is a boardroom of executives, a classroom of students, or an auditorium full of eager listeners. Everyone, regardless of their background and training, can improve their storytelling abilities. But what is a story? How can you tell it in a way that delights and informs your listeners? Take a journey into the keys to great storytelling with two of the country’s top experts on story presentation and speech writing. In The Art of the Tale , expert storytellers Steven James and Tom Morrisey team up and tap into their lifetimes of experience to show you how to prepare stellar presentations, tell stories in your own unique way, adapt your material to different groups of listeners, and gain confidence in your ability as a speaker. In this book, you’ll learn why: practice doesn’t make perfect. you should never tell the same story twice. there is no right way to tell a story. it’s best to avoid memorizing your stories. You’ll also find helpful hints on: gaining confidence in your ability as a storyteller. connecting with your audience. matching your expectations with those of your listeners. understanding what makes a good story. drawing truth out of stories you wish to tell. crafting and remembering stories. shaping your memories into inspiring stories. Learn how to tell stories more effectively, lead and teach more creatively, and prepare your message in less time by using this unique resource provided by two of the nation’s premier communicators, who tap into their experience to share a lifetime’s worth of insights and expertise.