Episode Details

Nothing connects us all to the human experience quite like stories, and if ever there was a master of its craft, it is today’s guest Robert Fergusson. Robert is a world-renowned teacher, known mostly for his incredible biblical messages and public speaking.

He is currently based in Sydney, Australia where he preaches on the platform of Hillsong Church, and teaches aspiring students how to craft compelling messages using an art that has been tried and true throughout the ages: Storytelling - which he is now sharing with the world through his book, ‘Are You Getting This?’

Dive in with us as Robert uncovers the art of storytelling, and the power it has to impact your message, relationships, and life.

Things you will learn in this episode: 

[00:01 - 06:33] Opening Segment 

• Sponsored ad  
• I introduce today’s guests Robert Fergusson
• Teaching team from Hillsong Church 
• Are You Getting This
• Be sure to check out guestio.com and start booking
• Robert gives some background around his story
• Brought up in the farms of England 
• Life in Boarding School
• Told in school reports that he would never excel
• Pushed into the direction of teaching
• Becoming Christian during college 

[06:34 - 14:15] The Art of Storytelling

• Robert talks about his journey going into ministry 
• Traveling around Europe with a team teaching and preaching
• Speaking to 10,000 children in one week 
• Learning to tell stories
• The misconceptions of storytelling 
• Condemned in Ancient Greece 
• Jesus himself communicated through stories and changed the world
• A somewhat mistrusted and simplified way of communicating
• How stories work and their usefulness
• Robert’s analogy through learning music 
• Anyone can become a storyteller through the right method
• Robert talks about why he wrote his book
• A lifetime in the making
• Links below
• A word from our sponsor

[14:16 - 25:30] The Impact of Storytelling on Building Relationships

• Robert talks about relationships that influenced his journey
• Meeting Brian Houston while being an itinerant preacher
• The relationships that can change your life 
• The importance of relationships
• God uses people to communicate with you 
• Robert’s story about getting invited to speak around Indonesia
• Who you know or what you know?
• Robert answers through the story of Paul’s conversion 
• The strangest people can have the most impact on our lives
• How storytelling impacts relationships
• Unpacking HOW people impact the world 
• Taking the ordinary and making them into a life lesson
• Using stories to persuade without coming across as disingenuous 
• Building a bridge that works
• Robert gives an example of using stories 
• Smashing the guitar 

[25:31 - 34:28] Closing Segment

• Robert talks about a story’s effect on conversation 
• The story of John Wesley and William Wilburforce 
• A story that opened up a relationship
• How to find your stories 
• The gift of curiosity 
• ThE RaNdOm RoUnd
• How to engage with Robert
• Links below
• Final words 

Tweetable Quotes: 

“I learned how to build bridges, how to make connections, how to get people’s attention; and how to tell stories!” - Robert Fergusson

“When you start understanding how stories work, it is both simple, yes, but immensely profound in the way that it communicates ideas.” - Robert Fergusson

“A simple decisi