In "Telling a Better Story," Josh Chatraw aims to help Christians rethink their strategy in sharing the gospel to non-believers in the post-Christian era of the Western world. The author argues that traditional methods of defending the Christian faith through reason and logic are no longer effective. In the past, Christianity was readily accepted by western civilizations as being generally good and beneficial to society even by agonistics and atheists. On the contrary, Western cultures presently see Christianity as being old-fashioned, intolerant, and oppressive. When believers attempt to awkwardly bring up questions on the meaning of life and faith, they are often met with a range of responses ranging from polite disinterest to outright antagonism. Chatraw suggests that we must dig deeper to connect with the hearts of those we want to reach before we lay out the objective evidence and proofs that classical apologetics employ. The author suggests the use of storytelling as an effective tool to engage the imaginations of our hearers before we attempt to wrestle with their minds. Throughout history, narratives are what capture the imaginations of different peoples of various cultures and civilizations. The author draws on numerous examples such as J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis of how storytelling can be utilized to awaken their audience to the possibility of a better narrative that can help explain their experiences in life. Next, the author outlines three of the most prevalent secular stories in Western culture that Christians commonly encounter. The pessimistic secular story sees the world as being void of any meaning or purpose and religion as being a crutch for those who are weak. On the other hand, the optimistic secular story sees the human race as being capable of achieving its highest good through its own efforts. The last story is the one of pluralistic and moral therapeutic spirituality in which its adherents acknowledge a far-off deity or higher power that oversees the world but humans need to look inside themselves for salvation and freedom. In addition, three micro-stories that are also pervasive in Western culture include consumerism, achievement, and romance. To counter these false stories, Chatraw argues that Christians ought to employ an inside-out apologetics in which we first get to know the stories of the different people we engage before trying to present the story of the gospel. Instead of traditional apologetics built on logic and evidence, inside-out apologetics seeks to affirm what is true in the other party’s story and confront what is false before suggesting how the gospel offers a better story. Furthermore, this type of apologetics is gradual and intentional requiring the establishing of a trusting relationship with unbelievers with gentleness, respect, and love. In the ensuing chapters, Chatraw examines one common cultural narrative we encounter in our everyday interactions with non-believers and suggest how Christianity provides a much more fulfilling alternative. The author emphasizes that these examples are not formulas that readers should follow step-by-step but merely suggestions on how to dialogue with non-believers using the inside-out approach.

I recommend this book to Christians who may feel discouraged, fearful, or helpless trying to evangelize to those around them. Every generation of Christian believers wrestles with the challenges of their day in how to faithfully carry out the Great Commission in a firm but gentle manner. Chatraw points out that the negativity towards Christianity today is similar to the days of the early church where persecution and martyrdom were consequences of following Christ. While we may not experience the same level of hostility, we ought to be ready to defend the gospel in the face of increasing adversity, resentment, and humiliation. Chatraw suggests the use of storytelling to help unbelievers realize the inconsistencies and weaknesses of their own stories in comparison to the great story of the Bible. It is important to note that the author does not discount the power and value of objective evidence, logic, and reason to support our arguments as he uses all of these elements masterfully in the examples discussed in the book. However, we must first gain the attention of our audience by illustrating how the Christian faith is the most persuasive narrative that explains how we perceive our lives and this world. Doing so requires us to not only know what the gospel is but also to be a living apologetic in illustrating in our own lives the transformative power of the gospel story. Only then can we be convincing in upholding the Christian metanarrative that centers upon the person and work of Jesus Christ as the best story the world has ever known.

In compliance with Federal Trade Commission regulations, I was provided a review copy of this book from Zondervan.

Telling a Better Story is about... telling a better story. The author builds upon the assumption that all human beings are living out some kind of a story, some narrative about the big questions: Who are we? What’s the meaning of life? What’s wrong with the world and how can we fix it? What’s wrong with me and how can I fix myself? The task of the Christian is to listen for the story others are telling, and then to show how the Christian faith offers one that is more compelling. “This book,” he says, “is about engaging the deepest aspirations of our secular friends and asking them to consider how the story of the gospel, as strange as it may seem to them at first, just may lead them to what their heart has been looking for all along.”

The book is divided into three parts:

I. Background: where he shows what has changed in recent decades and why it matters to Christians as they share their faith with others.

II. The heart of the book where he offers some “trajectories” to follow when engaging with others. Here he introduces a framework he calls “inside out” which allows the apologist to show others the rival stories they are following while attempting to show them a better one. It is a means of addressing cultural assumptions such as “I don’t need God or religion,” or “you have to be true to yourself,” or “we have progressed beyond faith and myths to science and reason.”

III. Where he answers several common charges: The Christian story is oppressive, it is unloving, and it is false. Written for a general audience, the book moves quickly and makes for reading that is at once relatively simple and seriously thought-provoking.

In my assessment Telling a Better Story is an effective work that teaches what is perhaps more of a framework than a method for addressing contemporary skeptics. But it is just the kind of framework that might help the gospel make sense to those who have grown up in this post-Christian culture. I’m glad I read it and am glad to recommend it to you as well.

Somewhat helpful, but didn’t come across anything really new or originally insitefull at least to me

Chatraw cuts to the heart of the problem with so many apologetic approaches: they focus on raw data as modernist/enlightenment thinking was right and humans are just computers, needing only the facts. In fact, humans are designed to respond to good stories, ones which speak to their hearts and help them see how reality works. Thus, apologists need to emphasize that Christianity isn't just factually correct, it gives the best narrative framework for people to understand how the world works. Chatraw's "inside story, outside story" helps readers see apologetics in a new, more effective way.

An interesting read. In Telling a Better Story, Josh Chatraw sets evangelism as a consideration of competing narratives - the Gospel of Jesus as a story that can hold its own and surpass the various other stories we turn to in order to deal with the complexities of life. I appreciate this perspective, particularly his focus on the role imagination plays in this process. He speaks of "asking unbelievers to try on the Christian story to see how it actually makes sense of their experiences and how it speaks to their deepest aspirations and longings." This is a rich resource for anyone attempting faith conversations that keep getting stuck at the level of intellectual debate. Chatraw does a good job showing how one can shift the discussion to consider mystery, our universal leaning toward spiritual exploration, and God's care for our personal hopes and longings. Part of the good news is that Jesus meets not just our minds but also our hearts.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.