The power of story telling 

So many of us ache to share our faith with the younger generation and members of our own family, and I believe we need more creative resources to help us do that, says John Prockter.

Here's my attempt - an introduction to the world of Hikaru, a retelling of the gospel with anime art 

 
If you're anything like me, then you're probably surrounded by young people who aren't really that interested in Jesus. For most, Jesus is a variation of a swear word, someone far less interesting than Santa and not nearly as cute as the Easter Bunny.

For those children and young people fortunate enough to have Open the Book attend their schools, Jesus is a bit more real. However, even churched young people struggle with Jesus, often faking genuine interest when they go through the motions to learn how to fit into a worshipping community.

My name's John Prockter and I've worked with young people for 26 years. I've also got three children of my own. Over the years, I've used most available resources to teach, inspire, and stir hundreds, maybe thousands, of young people towards Jesus.

In my experience, the most impactful resources have always been based on people's stories.

Testimony is so powerful.

For example, I took a video of a friend to RE lessons in secondary schools for years. Over time, the video started to look dated, but it didn't matter. When I introduced it, I would explain that this video was important because it was the story of someone I knew and loved, which made a connection for the young people and drew them into his journey from drugs and gangs towards faith in Jesus.

Interestingly, although personal testimony is impactful, it's often not the story's facts that compel the listener to get invested. For the most part, I think the person telling the story conveys passion and paints a picture that stirs the listener to respond.

This idea of stories drawing people in has led me to consider the worth and use of allegory as I share my faith in Jesus with young people today.

 

Who or what is Hikaru?

Around six years ago, I sat at my computer writing my first book, Stuck in the Mud. As I got to the end of the manuscript, it struck me that my children were unlikely to read it until their early twenties. After all, Stuck in the Mud is a discipleship book about living and walking in faith.

As I sat wondering how to make the book more appealing to younger readers, it struck me that I could rewrite it as a story, as a retelling of the gospel.

At its heart, Hikaru: name above all names is a novel written to be a gift in the hands of those who love Jesus. So many of us ache to share our faith with the younger generation and members of our own family, and I believe we need more creative resources to help us do that.

Hikaru is compiled into four acts. In Act 1 we're introduced to Ningen, a human character who finds himself pushed through life at a pace he can't cope with. His life is a disappointment, and he longs for better days. 

One day, two men appear at Ningen's home, and his life is thrown into even greater chaos. One of these men is there to kill him, and the other is there to save him. 

In Act 2, we're introduced to Miyako. Miyako is our bad guy, and in this part of the novel, he's on trial for killing Ningen. Miyako finds everything desperately unfair and lives his life chasing the next big thing. This character has good reasons for everything he's ever done, but in the end, our hero must deal with him.

Act 3 is where things come together. This is where we're properly introduced to Hikaru. Hikaru is the saviour character, and he's been present throughout the previous two acts. Still, it's only now that we understand who he is, how powerful he is and how he will save the day.

Finally, Act 4 is when I bring the entire novel together as the author. Act 4 is written as a personal letter to the reader. In it, I explain how the characters relate to Jesus, how I came to faith, and what living for Jesus has meant for me. By the end of the book, the reader will have engaged in the message of the gospel four times, with the fourth being an actual presentation of the real gospel.

 

Hikaru: name above all names

The book is 384 pages with four acts and is quite an easy read. Visually, Hikaru is also stunning. The book contains around seventy anime illustrations and two double-spread graphic novel pages. Anime is a very popular Japanese art style that young people love, and so far, we've had a great response to it.

In addition to the novel, I'm also taking Hikaru into schools where I will use it to teach about Jesus in both primary and secondary schools. So far, the feedback has been encouraging, and I hope it serves you and your family well, too.


 
"Captured my imagination and loved the story within the story! What an absolute gem. Bought this for all the kids in the family." Amazon Review

"It's a really amazing book and workshop. I loved the storytelling activity and the music that was playing in the background; it helped me to really imagine what was going on and get a better picture of the story in my mind." Year 7 Student.

"This was an incredibly valuable interactive workshop, and I personally enjoyed the sessions. The materials were outstanding" M Antwi. Head of RS and Philosophy.

"I loved this book from beginning to end! I found myself completely gripped by the story, wondering – along with each character – whether evil would triumph or good would win… and at what personal cost?" Darin Stevens: Start to Stir.

"We gave Hikaru to our son two days ago… he's now reading it for the 2nd time because he enjoyed it so much! I can tell you from experience that he only does this with books he enjoys." James Mondon: Parent.


 

John Prockter is a youth worker, worship leader and author who lives and works in the West Midlands.

John has worked with young people in full-time youth and schools ministry for 26 years. He spoke at the 2019 Baptist Assembly.

John is also married, and has three children.

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