In this conversation with Stephan Taeger, a scholar of preaching, narrative, and transformative communication, we discuss why humans respond not to abstract principles but to stories that give them room to think and decide for themselves. Drawing on his work in homiletics and instructional design, he explains how indirect influence — the kind that invites discovery instead of instruction — creates space for people to internalize insights rather than merely hear them.

In these lines, we hear not just ideas but the rhythm of influence itself: how a life becomes a parable, how stories shape change, and how letting listeners make sense on their own can be more powerful than telling them what to think.
We’re left with the question, not the answer.