‘…if your church can put on a Nativity, you can stage ‘The Bible in 60 Minutes’…’ 

Lucy Marfleet explores how local churches can be intentionally inclusive in sharing the story of the Bible, and grow in biblical literacy in imaginative ways

Have you ever wondered why somebody brought baskets to a talk Jesus gave?

I often overlooked that when reading about Jesus feeding the 5000. Recently I’ve been hungry for more.

Each gospel adds tasty crumbs of information about this story. In Matthew 14 we learn that there were 5000 men as well as women and children. In Mark 6 we are told that the grass was green. In Luke 9 we find out it took place near Bethsaida, north of the sea of Galilee.

And in John 6, it was no one special but an unnamed boy who brought and offered his simple lunch. Five small barley loaves and two small fish – probably sardines.

Jesus multiplies this humble and practical offering, blessing it and feeding the crowds.

Somebody else present brought baskets. We can only speculate why, and yet all four gospels record that there was so much food that the leftovers filled 12 baskets. Surely this was just as practical and useful.

All this feeds into what I really want to bring you: the idea of intentional inclusivity when it comes to church community gatherings. The least likely people in society are frequently the ones Jesus blesses and spends time with; they are also the ones he asks to help him. In our churches some people never make a fuss or get attention. There are many who do not feel included.

I am passionate about inclusion, having worked in various settings where people have traditionally felt sidelined. I want to champion those at the edges. I am also a biblical scholar and have tutored ‘Equipped to Minister’ courses for Spurgeon’s College under my married name, Lucy Robinson, since 2018. I have a hunger for increasing biblical literacy in our churches.

God took these passions and kept prodding. I felt a conviction to see if our community at Histon Baptist Church in Cambridge could deliver the metanarrative of the Bible in under an hour. To engage the entire church family, I found helpers to assist with food, displays and props and asked individuals of all ages and abilities to participate with scripts. On a cold, dark and wet Sunday evening one January, I began to worry whether people would turn up. Were they hungry too?

As I waited, the church filled with people. Many were either involved or had family members taking part. ‘The Bible in 60 Minutes’ turned out to be a great success. We had biblical food, cake and a hunger to learn more, together. We saw God at work stirring hearts and breaking barriers.

This led to a resource other churches could use to bring biblical literacy and intentional inclusion together. The premise is relatively simple: if your church can put on a Nativity, you can stage ‘The Bible in 60 Minutes’ and engage a diverse range of people in the process.

Kevin Mayhew Publishers jumped on board, and we have just released a book: Telling the Big Story: The Bible in 60 Minutes. Now schools, churches and communities of all flavours can stage this event.

In the book I have prepared ‘easy read’ scripts to include more people, even if their English fluency or reading ability might usually stop them. At lucymarfleet.com there are further versions using Widgit symbols, dyslexia friendly font, large print and high contrast.   

We planned an unusual launch: using one of the ideas in the book, we staged a ‘Telling the Bible Story with Food’ event at Histon Baptist. People visited to get a flavour of what food in Bible times might have been like, sampling red lentil stew, figs, barley rolls and lots more.

The final station was all about cake and cups of tea. I love the verse in Revelation 22:2 that says that the leaves of the tree in Heaven are for the healing of the nations, and I also love a good cup of tea, even though I doubt that’s exactly what God had in mind there.

We remained mindful of being inclusive, with written instructions for those who are deaf, labels concerning allergens and a warm welcome for everyone. The team did an amazing job and all of us felt part of something exciting.

Reviews of the book have also been really positive:
'I really loved it and think it will be such a valuable overview of the whole Bible story for people who are new to the faith and for those who have learning differences.'
Lynn McCann, Autism Support Consultant

'I thoroughly recommend this book because I know what a blessing this journey was for our church community and for those seekers on the margins. If, like Lucy, you have that same fire in your bones to share God's story, then this is the book for you. 

'May it give you the encouragement and direction you need to share the greatest story ever told... and in 60 minutes no less!'
The Revd Chris Farmer, minister of Histon Baptist Church
 

The book can be used for inclusive variations and is also available as a practical church bundle. The idea is good for church weekends, youth groups or evangelistic outreaches.

Each of us humbly and willingly brings what we have to Jesus. It doesn’t matter if it does not feel like a lot; it’s not our job to multiply it. We might be quite surprised at how many people our offerings feed. Or how many baskets of blessings there are to pass on to others in the wider community.
 

Telling the Big Story is published by Kevin Mayhew and is available to buy at a discounted rate at lucymarfleet.com 

Lucy Marfleet is an ‘Equipped to Minister’ biblical tutor for Spurgeon’s College. She has an MTh in Biblical Studies from the International Baptist Theological Seminary

Do you have a view? Share your thoughts via our letters' page.