The Bible makes it clear that every time that there is a story of faith, it is completely original. God's creative genius is endless.

That's why I tell stories: to create readiness, to nudge the people toward receptive insight. In their present state they can stare till doomsday and not see it, listen till they're blue in the face and not get it.

Parables release the adrenaline of urgency into our bloodstream.