EMQ » July–September 2023 » Volume 59 Issue 3
Stick Figures Save the World: Drawing Simply to Share Jesus Well
By Pam Arlund
William Carey Publishing, 2022
152 pages
US $12.00
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Reviewed by Cameron Smith, pastor, and a doctoral candidate in contextual theology at Evangelical Seminary, Myerstown, Pennsylvania.
Stick Figures Save the World is a book that emphasizes narrative-based evangelism. With the aid of using simple stick figures, Pam Arlund encourages the church to be practitioners of telling good stories. The book considers literacy rates and oral learning. Did you know “85 percent of the world will likely struggle with reading through a print version of the Bible” (28)? In light of this fact, the author suggests sharing the gospel simply in personal ways.
Written in a casual style, the book touches on the sentness of Jesus’ followers, differentiates God’s role and ours in gospel communication, and points to Jesus’ practice of storytelling. Mark 4:33–34 is a key passage for the book, “With many such parables, Jesus spoke the word to them ….” Arlund states, “Jesus used stories so people could understand, and he did it a lot” (21), because “stories are better than lectures at helping people learn” (26).
The main thrusts of the book are to provide the basic principles of creating narratives and show how simple visuals can foster good storytelling. There are numerous examples of stick figure drawings in the book and many tips for communicating effectively. The author also argues for the importance of developing authentic relationships, in addition to telling Bible stories, to communicate the gospel. Such relationships enable the reader to share personal stories and testimonies. The best “evangelism is simply sharing Jesus and ourselves with people” (15).
Most people could benefit from this book – from everyday disciples to church planters to seminary instructors. Readers will want to pick up a pen and start sketching their own works of art. Church small groups, seminaries, parachurch ministries, and so forth could potentially host workshops on how to draw pictures and tell stories of good news. One limitation may come from the increasing use of electronic technology (e.g., video conferencing platforms), as teaching people to draw on a tablet or computer could be a challenge.
This is a fun book. In a cheerful tone, Arlund writes in accessible language, as if she is having a personal conversation with the reader. The heart of the author is clear. She loves Jesus and believes sharing stories about him can be simple: stick figure simple. To be fair, a proper review of this book would require some stick figures.
For Further Reading
Building a Discipling Culture by Mike Breen, 3rd ed. (3DM International, 2017).
The Back of the Napkin: Solving Problems and Selling Ideas with Pictures by Dan Roam, expanded edition (Portfolio/Penguin, 2013).
Flicker: Your Brain on Movies by Jeffery Zacks (Oxford University Press, 2015).
EMQ, Volume 59, Issue 3. Copyright © 2023 by Missio Nexus. All rights reserved. Not to be reproduced or copied in any form without written permission from Missio Nexus. Email: EMQ@MissioNexus.org.
