Our Mission

To encourage everyone to learn and tell biblical stories

Our Story

Before the Bible was written, it was spoken. At the Network of Biblical Storytellers International (NBSI), we carry on this sacred oral tradition—helping people experience Scripture by telling it aloud, just as it was first shared.

Founded in the 1980s by Dr. Tom Boomershine, NBSI is a welcoming, ecumenical community of pastors, lay leaders, scholars, and seekers. We’re rooted in biblical scholarship—especially performance criticism—and shaped by the Spirit.

Our mission is simple: to encourage everyone to learn and tell biblical stories. Storytelling here isn’t just performance—it’s worship, formation, and connection.

Core Values

  • We believe the Bible began as an oral tradition, and we honor its origins by sharing Scripture as a living, spoken word.

  • Our storytelling is grounded in rigorous biblical scholarship and is committed to historical, cultural, and textual integrity.

  • We invite all people—of every tradition, background, and level of experience—to tell and receive biblical stories in community.

  • We honor our theological differences and focus on what connects us: the stories we hold sacred and the Spirit that speaks through them. Through God’s love, the transformative power of story grows understanding, faith, and community like nothing else.

  • We are more than a network; we are a supportive and encouraging community that journeys together. Throughout the year, we support one another through online workshops, local guilds, international missions, scholarly musings, and weekly communication. 

  • We are growing our international connections through partnerships and missions. We embrace mutual learning and inspiration across borders around the world, as all of our hearts are encouraged by God’s words.

An older woman with glasses, gray hair, wearing a purple patterned top, standing in a classroom or conference room, gesturing with her hands.

A Living Network

At NBSI, we don’t tell you how Scripture should move you—we invite you into the wonder of God’s stories. Through conferences, workshops, retreats, local gatherings, and a rich biblical storytelling library, we create space to listen, learn, and tell together.

We are a global, Spirit-led community, rooted in love and united by sacred story. Across cultures and denominations, we walk together—sharing wisdom, nurturing faith, and celebrating the power of Scripture as it comes alive in every voice.

Anchored in hope, shaped by Scripture, and connected by Spirit, we continue this timeless tradition hand in hand.

A Blessing for the Community

Our founder, Dr. Tom Boomershine, once wrote:

“Only the continued sharing of the stories will make it possible for the tradition to live... You are invited... to join a wonderful group of people who love to tell the stories of God’s presence and action in Jesus Christ.”
— Story Journey

Though Tom’s words highlight the gospel, his vision embraces the entire arc of Scripture—from creation to resurrection. At NBSI, we continue his legacy: keeping God’s stories alive through the sacred art of storytelling.