How Do Prisoners Break Free?

A few years ago we started consulting with a group going into the women's prison in the Middle East. They struggled communicating the Gospel for several reasons, including the need for multiple language translators in each meeting with these prisoners!  We returned several times helping to streamline their process and they've experienced tremendous success as a result. 

A team of 3 STS instructors was recently invited to teach the process to men in a maximum-security prison. One instructor shared that some of these men at the training are serving multiple life sentences, and that these prisoners also realize that the Lord can use them to reach up to 3000 other prisoners.

One evening “Modavador G”, who wrote the script and rhymed the Holy Hip Hop version of God’s Story, rapped the Bible to a large group of 75 prisoners.  Then another instructor told an STS Bible story to these same men.  Everyone loved Modavador G and the Bible story.

Other reports shared during the training included the following:

"The men are responding and showing interest. The men who have been with us for the first 2 1/2 days [of training] are having ‘ah ha’ moments…."

"God was giving special encounters with the men just like Moses had at the burning bush. But they have never experienced this before. One man said that he had never had ‘God-encounters’ like that before... like he's experiencing in STS."

"God showed up through His Word and through the men wrestling with the questions. The other man said he's read all kinds of books; he's been over the stories many many times himself, and because of STS,  he is seeing things in the stories he has never seen before."

At dinner, the host said to the instructors, "The men are really enjoying this and getting so much out of it. I don't know how I could've asked for more!"

At the end of the training, a prisoner, who represented all who were part of the Native American religion in this prison, stepped down as the leader because he had become a Christian through the transfiguration story.  This man saw how the Lord lifted Jesus above Moses and Elijah when God said, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I’m well pleased; listen to him.” (Matt 17:5)  If Jesus is the one God elevates, this Native American knew he needed to follow Jesus.

After the prison training, we received the following update. “The men are using STS all over the prison. They meet together weekly and talk about what they're doing and what new things they could bring STS to.”

Please continue to pray for these prisoners. They may be serving a life sentence physically, but their life sentence with Jesus gives them the freedom to serve the Creator of the Universe in places few of us can go.

What Happens After a Bible Story Is Told in Mexico?

One instructor shared about Simply The Story to leaders in Mexico, inspiring people to attend an STS training this November. The next day after the Bible story, during a meeting, one woman stood up and testified how awesome STS was for adults. She had thought about the story from Isaiah 6 all night, and in the morning she woke up thinking about the Bible story. This woman shared with all the pastors and their wives how much the story from the day before had impacted her.

As a result, several pastors and their wives said they were going to definitely come to the workshop in November and bring people with them.

Do Youth Need or Want Entertainment?

In May, the local youth center invited us to do Bible stories with the 8-12 year olds. This youth center provides a safe environment for kids to stay when not in school.  Many of these youth have family members in prison, don’t go to church, and some have only one parent.

The director said to us after the 3rd week that they have trouble keeping volunteers. I asked why. He said because these kids curse them and the volunteers leave. Stunned, I said, “We haven’t heard a bad word yet!”  Even at the recent leader meeting, they discussed the two most “troubled” kids, and these 2 are in our Bible class!  One is simply full of energy (no trouble for us) and the other has simply been lost in the pack of 5 older brothers (again, not a problem).  

Then recently, the dance instructor at the youth center shared that the girls in her dance class love the Bible time in our group.  The dance instructor was shocked that the girls would stop dance to go to Bible class. Amazingly, in every class we spend at least 45 minutes discussing the Word of God without games or other “enticing” incentives to come.

Needless to say, the staff at the youth center are astounded by what the Lord is doing and how these kids are responding. We are documenting everything, and filming as much as possible.  

Is There Freedom for Sudanese Refugees?

The Lord continues to open the door for both STS and God’s Story to provide hope for refugees fleeing South Sudan. 

In the previous trip to Uganda, our team of leaders from Egypt conducted 3 workshops with more than 100 people being trained along with 12 local instructors.

The team also showed God’s Story to an average of 3000 people each night for more than 3 weeks. That number sometimes reached 5,000!  After the video, our leaders led discussions and more than 1000 people per day responded to prayer. STS Oral Bible Schools started in 3 settlements and 6 more settlements are asking for these schools as well.

During this trip to Uganda, more than 120 people were trained in STS by a team of 14 people. What makes this even more astounding is new STS leaders were raised.  The trainees belong to about 12 different tribes and languages.  Now we have instructors in most South Sudanese languages!

Along with training, our leader showed God’s Story in the Acholi language (spoken primarily in Uganda) which was his first time using this language!  Not only are refugees hearing the truth, but Ugandans who speak Acholi are wanting to see God’s Story as well. 

People have been using Bible stories, winning people to Christ and for discipleship. The storytellers say that this way suits them 100%. The refugees get up early in the morning to help with STS workshops, and they stay late to help with the God’s Story film at night.  

One lady discovered in the one leper story from Mark 1:40-45 that the leper was disobedient by not doing what Jesus had asked. She said, "I am also disobedient to Jesus!" and confessed she was pregnant due to adultery.  Before hearing this Bible story, she used to defend herself fiercely that she did not commit adultery.

Please continue to pray for the people who reaching refugees worldwide.  We are working with multiple groups reaching refugees.

Our Comprehensive Leadership Training Spreads the Word.

Every summer for the past 5 years, The God’s Story Project conducts a Comprehensive Leadership Training, or CLT, at our headquarters.  This four-week training helps people to prepare to lead STS trainings, understand the impact of God’s Story, reach people in everyday life, and utilize tools for children, radio and missions.

One night each week we also have a barbeque with the Miller family. Sometimes one of the children shares a Bible story and leads us in questions.  People always love the fellowship.

One day each week we take attendees to local restaurants to have lunch and to do Bible stories with people in Hemet. It is always a big hit with attendees, even if they are afraid to do this. 

One woman in her 60’s shared with tears, “I can do it. It’s not about being really good, it’s about having a better way to connect with the word of God. You can share it everywhere and with yourself.”

Another woman said, “And then I was just amazed how easy it was to just go up and talk to someone and ask if I could just sit with them today.”

One man described his time at the training, “I don’t know how to explain it. It’s like Heaven Dude.”

We joined together to pray for several people. We prayed for a young woman taking STS to orphans in Mozambique, another young European finishing her schooling who has worked with refugees, other men working in Africa, and many more received prayer for implementing what they have learned.

Other Blessings From the Lord

We recently had a team from Europe and the USA, Ethiopia and Kenya conduct trainings in South Africa and Malawi. The before and after pictures to the right describe a woman transformed through the STS training. Even her mentor was amazed!

We thank the Lord for the STS trainings at the following places: Theological Seminary in the Philippines, Burkina Faso, India and other locations.

God’s Story languages that are close to completion include 3 languages from Burkina Faso, 3 languages from Ghana, 1 language of Nigeria, and 1 language from the Republic of Congo.

One missionary to South East Asia shared that he, his wife, and their daughter watched God’s Story meticulously day by day.

Grateful to the Lord,

Andrea
Executive Director

& the whole staff of The God's Story Project (TGSP)