More than Writers

One of my favourite and most satisfying types of writing is reimagining Bible stories: whether as short stories, drama scripts, poetry, or even a game. Recently, I’ve been writing these for ‘Devotions’ in my Boys’ Brigade company.  It’s a challenge working out something that grabs the attention of eight to fifteen year olds. To be honest, they all seem to enjoy listening to a good story, whatever their age. But I want these stories to be more than historical records or bedtime tales. I want the narratives to portray real people with similar hopes, faults, worries, and idiosyncrasies as the boys. I want them to picture themselves in that situation, asking, ‘What if that were me? How would I react?’ If the boys can imagine themselves meeting Jesus, encountering God, maybe they can go on to do it for real. Sometimes I do this by focussing on the personal emotions and reactions of a character, leaving the practical details ambiguous (although the younger boys always li...