In the beginning, oral traditions passed down biblical tales from generation to generation. While those stories are now collected in the Bible, Rev. Bert Marshall says storytelling engages audiences in ways the written word doesn’t.

“Before there was so much entertainment, people used different voices, gestures and acting to tell these stories,” Marshall said. “Some stories were serious, some were wacky, some were funny…All of them tell us something about ourselves and our relationship with the divine.”

Marshall, a minister at the Center Congregational Church in Brattleboro, Vermont, sang, played guitar and told stories on Sunday.

He performed in the Mattapoisett Congregational Church’s Reynard Hall before an enthusiastic group of children, parents, congregation members and visitors.

Marshall of Plainfield has told the story of the Gospel of Mark in churches across the country using music and storytelling since 2003. That year, he memorized the gospel while on a sabbatical.

Sunday’s show focused on other Bible stories and gospel-inspired songs.

“I want to encourage storytelling,” he said. “Hopefully, families will go home and try it themselves.”

Marshall said for some stories he uses a device learned from a former teacher.

“A legitimate tactic is to take a familiar story and fill in the details around the core of the story,” Marshall said. “Basically, you make stuff up. Of course, it’s not verbatim from Scripture.”

For instance, in retelling the story of the Tower of Babel, Marshall’s version began, “God was standing on the new deck He built during nights and on His one day off.”

In Marshall's version, God was grilling food with friends when one spotted something amiss in the distance. Marshall described a great tower was being built, also he said God’s people were behaving badly.

Marshall said God then came up with a solution.

The next morning, the tower workers found themselves speaking in different tongues. Unable to communicate and finish the tower, the workers soon left the city.

“And that's the story of how different languages scattered across the globe,” Marshall said.

Patricia Berry, the church’s Christian education director, invited Marshall to perform after meeting him at a conference.

“I’m very passionate about storytelling,” Berry said. “It’s a way for us to connect with the past, stay rooted in the present and create a sense of community.”

She introduced Marshall, whose résumé includes rock band performer, truck driver, dairy farmer and counselor for troubled youth in New York City.

“I tell people I did all of those things because I couldn’t hold down a job for very long,” he joked.

Marshall said while stories can be tailored for specific audiences, if told well, the message remains the same.

“A great story can’t be recited, it can only be retold,” Marshall said.

For more information on Marshall, visit his website www.gospelofmarkalive.com.