Students gathering around to study the bible.

Man has had a need for story from the beginning of time. Narrative representation is fundamental to our drive to make ordered sense of our lives amidst the chaos of our surroundings. The most powerful narrative ever told – the story of God’s unfolding revelation to His people – is embodied in Scripture.

The Power of Story is the name given to a scripture series that represents Bill Stott’s response, however modest, to a universal call to evangelize. As such, it has constituted both his motivation and delight since 1999.

After consulting on the creation of adult education programs for the St. John Nuemann Catholic Community, Bill was asked to teach a course on scripture. Being a man of action with the passion of the Poets, he couldn’t contain his passion at a single course.

Instead, he re-enacted all 73 books of the Catholic canon into an academic model curriculum. The Power of Story is taught in eight semesters over a period of four years; its completion constitutes a major in biblical theology.

“This experience has been, beyond calculation, the most exciting and most fulfilling of my professional life.”-William R. Stott Jr.

Since the Fall of 1999 up to the end of 2014, the Power of Story has been taught by Bill Stott five times. While the majority of students are Catholic, the story has engaged individuals from a variety of religious and secular persuasions.

The overwhelming majority of class participants complete the series in its entirety, which serves to reinforce Bill’s belief that there is a deep desire for the Word of God. And therein lies the core value of the Power of Story: above all, it is not a series about scripture, theology, philosophy, or Apologetics. It’s an attempt to enact, to be, at one with the Word of God.

The story of God’s unfolding revelation to His people