All Ages Lean In

Praise & Prayer Report #3, June, July & August 2011

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Dear Friend of God’s Story,

It is with great excitement and awe that we send this report to you.  We continue to see languages of God’s Story, new ones and old reaching the lost.  So far this year, *12 new language versions of this 80-minute overview of the Bible have been completed. An exciting number of versions we produced (21) are just waiting for final approval! Also,19 more are in the recording phase!  

Flash!!! This report just arrived: Right now our Africa director is at MANI, an African led, Christian conference. “I am currently very emotional because for the first time a man literally cried to me ‘in tears on his knees’ asking for STS training. He saw the demo of an STS story done for the attendees in which the participation and discovery was phenomenal. He said, ‘This is for my people. Only me and God know how long I've wanted this for my country and how many times I've been turned down or given the wrong form of teaching material. Please come,’ he said!!! So we are making a date before tomorrow.” 

Men, women and children in Mali lean in to see Bible pictures as they hear God’s Story played on solar powered audio players.  

Over and Over: In Africa a Simply The Story (STS) instructor led a Mus.lim man from Ethiopia to the Lord. The instructor loaned a MegaVoice solar-powered audio player to him with God’s Story in the Oromo language. We were told, “Over and over this new believer keeps listening to God’s Story. Then he asks questions and we talk and he is learning about the Bible.” 

Mali, It’s Their Bible: “We brought in some players with Bambara God’s Story and Bible stories in them. In the few weeks we were there, they listened to them constantly, calling it their ‘Bible.’”  

“While in Haiti, I did use the Megavoices - PTL for those little voice boxes! [With God’s Story in Haitian Creole.]  I saw several of the pastors again whom I had given them to in the last 2 years (Thanks to you and donors).  One pastor I saw again said – ‘It is so wonderful, my people like it.’”

From Nepal: The leader who attended our STS seminar along the Tibet border and another one reported, “By using this tool we have now started 6 churches average 20 people in each.”

Paraguay: A man who learned STS in Ireland wrote,  “I did a story last night with the youth. I hadn’t told the pastor how I was going to do it, but he asked me about it today. ‘Where did you learn to do that?  It is a style that works very well in nuestro ambiente’ [our environment]. Everyone participated including 2 drunks who had come in! So maybe STS will be able to come to Paraguay sometime?”

Upcoming Trips: Please pray for our STS staff (including 7 International directors) who will be sharing the vision and how-to of STS and God’s Story at the International Orality Network’s conference in Asheville, NC and then going on to Williamsburg, Sept ,16-20, to lead a workshop. [A few attendee spots are still open. Details on site, lower right, Workshop Locations.] In October a team goes to Bible schools in Ukraine for the first STS training done in that country. Continually national instructors are leading workshops throughout Africa, Asia, India and Oceania as well as making ongoing forays into Europe. Numerous Central and South America countries are being touched through workshops, led mostly by one of our senior instructors, Regina.

www.SimplyTheStory.org presents the short Clouds Without Rain video on the right side of the home page.  Hear vibrant testimonies, including how Africa Inland Mission leaders are setting up the STS Oral Bible Schools (OBS). Now, 15 schools are meeting in Kenya alone. The schools use God’s Story and train students to learn over 200 Bible stories. Because of what pastors in the region saw take place on the lives of the graduates, the Kenya leaders have been asked to start eleven more schools!

Nine Machines: Below is a note sent to an STS national instructor in Africa.  The instructor had led a workshop 6 months earlier among these MBBs (Mus/lm background believers).

"Greetings. Thank you for the 9 machines (mega voices) you gave us after training us to tell stories. We have used the machines in the village and 1000 people have heard the word of God from the machine. 35 people have given their lives to Jesus as they heard the word of God from the machine. People are interested hearing the machine as it speak our language. If you have more, we need other 35 machines. Thank you for coming to help us."

Seminary Success:  We have asked for prayer to see more doors open for STS in seminaries and Bible schools.  By God’s grace, in the last few months, instructors have taught classes wrapped around STS in Denver Theological Seminary and Talbot Theological Seminary at Biola.  The PhDs taking the classes continue to send in praise reports to the professors who taught the classes.  The reports include successful witnessing using the stories and the lives of the students themselves being touched by God’s Word.

Myanmar: “I believe I told you that some of our grads from the 2 Bible Colleges that my church now supports have told me that they were having no success in sharing the ‘Good News’ with anyone in their villages.  The Buddhists didn't want to hear.  Then, after learning STS, they found everyone willing to listen to a story and ask for more.  They also would say, ‘We didn't know your God was like that, tell me more about Him.’  Last time I was there I had reports such as, ‘I just baptized 14 people last month.’ I asked what had changed to cause the Buddhists to listen and respond by trusting in Jesus for their salvation?  They said, ‘It was the stories.’  Many now have a church and are using the stories to disciple the new believers.  Their Bible College information is not presented in a style that they understand, but the stories are easily understood.”

God’s Way of Peace in Asia: “In our radio station right now many people has been touch by the story. The good news are the listeners joining us at the radio station they just wanted to thank us and to be a part in our program. So I put schedule for sharing time so they are crowded in studio.

“The place that is famous for always having war between our gov army and the rebel army until this day text us how they are bless listening in our program. They are hoping that they will receive peace in their place because of this program. 

“These places are not desirable to minister or to go there and plant church, but by the power of the Bible story near to that place asking us come. So I let my team to visit and stay 2-days just to share stories. The result is the people are asking us to put a church building in their place.  Please pray for them that God in the heaven will grant their prayer because this is a great changing in their lives our country are famous rebels movements, especially many young people in that mountain asking us to study desiring to know how to do more STS so pray for them.”

Togo Attendees: In West Africa they said,  “The training time is too short.” “STS helps to have a deep Bible study.” “STS help to keep the attendees awake during all the presentation what is difficult when preaching.” “I will do a better work in the ministry after this training I wish That all the churches attend this training.” “STS is a good tool it open my eyes deeply in the word of God.” “STS model is effective even the unbelievers who hear a story can remember it after.”

Ethiopian Women's Conference: “It was an amazing time, especially for the first women’s conference ever in the Awi zone.  We had hoped for 200 women. And that is how many showed up.  75 women came by public bus from outside the city. That was a great surprise to the Evangelical fellowship leaders. They were beyond thrilled with the event.” [Next report we hope to share impact.]

Togo Pastor Reports: “STS is different.  It is practical.  In most of the seminars I have been in are just messages.  But here you use your time to help us to come step by step and this is something very significant for me.  And this will help me for my personal meditation and the Bible study and different type of teaching.”                                                                                                                             

India, Pastors Recommit: “Many leaders told that God’s Story and STS is a great tool from God for their Mission field. It is very useful and great opportunity to learn from God through HIS word to our personal life and as well as make disciple (story tellers) as Jesus taught to His called once.  6 Pastors recommitted their lives to the Lord in this workshop. The Bible Stories helped these pastors to come back to Christ and experience with the fellowship of Triune God.

“During the 1^st day evening practical work 21 new souls came to the Lord. On first evening an Advocate, when she heard the story of Martha and Mary, she told that, ‘I am working since 15 years as Advocate, I have earned lot of money but I did not spend time with God and not done any good work.’ She accepted Jesus as her personal Saviour. Then she requested us saying that shall I attend STS? We said ‘Yes!’

“She attended next four days and she learned STS skills. She said, ‘Now I understand the Word of God well and now STS helped me to do my job according to God’s plan. And I have learned how to ask questions to my opposite clients.’ She led 5 more people to Christ within those 4 days and now she is a great witness to the local Court. Please pray for her and her family.”

Witnessing At My Apartments: Jenny attended two workshops and started using Bible stories to witness including sharing a story with a guy at her apartment complex. A week later she wrote,
”By the way, I ran into the Russian guy who I shared the story of blind Bartimaeus  with. (He is not a believer. Someone had given him a Bible and he keeps it by his bedside, but doesn't really ever read it.) Well, he said he went and read that story. He told me, ‘It’s just a short story, but so much in it.’

“I asked him what did he see or learn from the story?  He said, ‘Well just what we had talked about before, you know … mercy. He (Bart) saw something in Jesus.’ So we talked just a few minutes about mercy again and then discussed whether today we ever find ourselves in a place where we need mercy. We talked about who we look to receive mercy. I commented, ‘We did see that Bart saw something, believed something about Jesus, so he cried out to Jesus for mercy and Jesus responded Bart received his sight and was made whole.’

“Then I asked this guy, ‘Do you think if we find ourselves in a place of needing mercy that we could cry out to Jesus and He would respond?’ I could see the wheels in his head turning and he nodded his head and smiled. It was cool to see God's word stirring this man’s heart.”

USA Youth Leader: “In July of this year I did STS with a team of our youth leaving on a missions trip to Russia. When they got there, they found out that they were ministering to a large group of young adults that were there studying to be doctors and scientists. These students were from all over the world and very intelligent! At first our students (ages 14 – 18) were intimidated by this group. The youth ended up sitting down with the students and telling a Bible story. It was incredible! The foreign student’s hearts were captured by the Word of God and discussion came alive with revelation after revelation. The trip was very fruitful with our students feeling empowered to minister and the foreign student’s learning a different way to explore the Bible.

“In the USA, one of our youths brought a completely unchurched friend ‘J’ to a meeting. ‘J’ didn’t know any Bible stories.  As the 2 girls and the pastor’s daughter got into my car for a ride home, ‘J’ said, ‘Jen, I bet I can tell you the story.’ ‘Ok I said. She was almost word perfect! We dropped her off and then the pastor’s daughter said, ‘Jen, I bet I can tell you the story.’ So I had her tell the story. She was word perfect.  Her next statement blew me away. She said, “I have been in church and Sunday School my whole life. I have memorized all the verses in Sunday School and won the prizes, but I barely remember any of them. This story … I will never forget it, never.

“The next day after school, Kate connected with me. She said, ‘Jen, you will never guess what happened. Last night after we dropped off ‘J’, her mom asked how it went and what happened in youth. ‘J’ then proceeded to tell her mom the story AND the observations AND the applications!’ One night at youth meeting, and an unchurched 14 year-old girl is sitting on her bed sharing the Word of God to her unchurched mom!”

*New God’s Story versions:  Kayah -eky Myanmar; Ao-Naga – njo,  Khasi-kha & Kui - kxu all for India; Juba Arabic - pga Sudan; Luganda – lug for Uganda; Maldivian-div Dhevehi for Maldives; Afrikaans-afr for South Africa; Bassari - bud Ghana & Togo, Chumburung – ncu,  Hanga – hag, Nafaanra - nfr  all for Ghana and Malagasy - plt for Madagascar     

The effectiveness of these tools and trainings was sweetly demonstrated at the September 4^th OBS graduation. One lady confessed to her fellow students that she was married and had split up with her husband two years earlier.  She told of tremendous hatred in their marriage. They had not communicated even once since the breakup. 

Oral Bible School graduates in gowns march through town. Crowds followed these 24. Soon the parade swelled to over 300 people in the spontaneous celebration. The paparazzi saw their chance, snapped pictures, and quickly set up display to sell photos of this great event to the excited onlookers. 

What she saw in all of the stories they were learning was forgiveness.  She said, ”I can’t forgive him, but would you pray for me to change?” The ladies prayed. 

Two days later her husband phoned her!  Soon they reconciled and she began telling her newly-learned Bible stories with him. 

Now, fast forward to her graduation.  Her beaming husband presented her with a bouquet of flowers!  Everyone present knew how God and his Word had healed this marriage! Please pray for an expanding army of OBS graduates, as they are now well equipped to tell the stories and to teach others.

Thanks for your prayers and support for all of the volunteers that God is using to accomplish this work. For each of the praise stories we shared, know that many volunteers are sacrificing to produce new languages of God’s Story, to lead these workshops and to attend a training.

In His Mercy,

Dorothy A. Miller

 

 

Kenya-Glorious Time of Reaping

Praise & Prayer Report #2, April-May 2011

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Dear Friends of God’s Story,

God told us in His Word, of a time to plant and a time to reap. We just returned from celebrating the first Simply The Story Oral Bible School (STS-OBS) graduation in Africa. It proved to be a glorious time of reaping! We praise God for all the doors He is opening to spread His Word via STS and God’s Story. Thanks for your prayers and support!

Red dots on Kenya map show existing schools. Yellow are regions selected in northern Kenya where instructors hope to go to plant schools. See precedent-setting Kenya testimonies at end of this newsletter and home page, right side, Videos!-Stirring Testimony

California. Two “Upcomings”

If possible, do consider joining us in Hemet, CA July 11 for a 2 ½ (or 5) day experience in Simply The Story. Call USA for details, 951-658-1619, or see North America: Scheduled One-Stop Workshops

RADIO: Tuesday, May 17 at 4:00 PM Live! Rich Buhler interviews Dorothy Miller on STS world impact. KBRT (AM-740 on dial).

Closed Country, But Not Closed to God

“From watching GS DVD and then teaching, we see people converted. 20 people took baptism in river. Please pray for the newly saved people and for us, so we can continue the work in the coming days.” TGSP Leader

Surprise Pastors’ Training

While out of the US, we visited one of our God’s Story production partners. This lively, talented man creates media to reach unreached mus.lim people groups. (UPGs)

While we toured his studio, this man announced, “I just got an email from our in-country contact who works with the UPGs we did that God’s Story language for last year. The guy told me, ‘We are seeing new believers and we needed some way to disciple, but have very little material in their language. I thought you might like to know that we are now using GS for pastors’ training.’” We all laughed. “Yes,” we agreed. “We would like to know that!”

Unreached Jungle People … Now Reached

About ten years ago in India, a young married couple, active in church, well-settled in a home and having good jobs, experienced a tragedy. They lost their firstborn at birth.

After crying all night, the husband heard from God. This bereaved father asked his wife, “We are heart-broken over the loss of our son who we never knew and we think he is now with God. Millions are dying in India who will never see God. Why are we not mourning them? We must go now tell those who have never heard about Jesus.”

That same day, they left everything and went hundreds of miles north to the Koya people. The reclusive Koya hide in the jungle from the government and outside world. Only a few Christians had been reaching out to these nearly one million people. But God helped this man and his wife find the Koya. Slowly, trust was gained and some began coming to Jesus.

In 2005 our India leaders helped produce God’s Story in the Koya language. We sent God’s Story on many MegaVoice solar players to them, and the rate of salvations jumped!

In 2008, an India STS team visited the Koya and led a workshop for these young believers. The Koya stated, “Ministries tell us to come to the city to be trained, which is too hard for us. But you came to us. No one has done that.”

Just last week, the India STS team returned to give advanced STS training (inductive Bible study, oral style). Some of these growing believers are now trained and planning to use Bible stories to go to other Koya to evangelize and disciple! Five evangelists there now use the God’s Story flip charts and love the results they see!

As the workshop, the Koya leaders told our India team, “God’s Story and STS is a great tool from God for our mission field. It is very useful and great opportunity to learn from God through HIS word to our personal life and as well to make disciples.” During the workshop, six pastors working there recommitted their lives to the Lord in this workshop and 21 new souls came to Christ during the evening practicals.

The STS lead instructor reported, “During the 1st day evening practical work we met a lawyer. When she heard the story of Martha and Mary, she told that ‘I am working since 15 years as Advocate, I have earned lot of money, but I did not spend time with God and not done any good work.’ She accepted Jesus as her personal Saviour and requested us saying if she should attend STS. We told her please come and join.

“She attended next four days and she learned STS skills and she said that ‘Now I understand the Word of God well and now STS helped me to do my job according to God’s plan and I have learned how to ask questions to my opposite clients.’ She led 5 more people to Christ within those 4 days and now she is a great witness to the local Court. Please pray for her and her family.”

From Closed Country in Asia

“I was wondering how effective our training time had been, I met with a key student two days before returning home last year. I offered him use of a solar audio player with God’s Story, Bible stories and the New Testament for while I was out of country. He took it, paused for about a minute, and then said, ‘I'd like at least another ten of these. We'd like to train villagers...’"

USA: What a Concept!

Excerpt from a note a pastor sent after attending an STS workshop. “… so, what did I have to lose. Obviously prior counseling didn’t quite help with a solution to the problem. I decided to try the STS method. I told her the story about Jesus walking on water. She, through the process, discovered that sometimes when we decide to be obedient we find ourselves in a rocky boat, maybe even doubting the choice to be obedient.

“She also discovered, and this was the good part, that if the disciples had not been obedient, they would have missed out on a miracle by Jesus – not an observation from any of us in our tribe. We talked about what that meant for her for a few minutes. She stood up and said she had to go, that she now knew what she had to do and she was going to go do it. I don’t know what ‘it’ was and I was too amazed to go any further. I didn’t do any counseling. The Bible did. What a Concept!”

Kenya-Glorious Time of Reaping (DVD on STS web site, home page, “Stirring Testimony.)

When Ann, a plucky five-foot, 65 year-old widow can’t get a ride to the daily Oral Bible School she attends, she walks 10 kilometers to get there. Ann cannot read! Surprisingly, she said, “Now when I go preaching, I do not have to carry my Bible, because I have the stories in my heart pocket!” Humm? If Ann cannot read, why did she bother before to carry her Bible? (You who have been to STS workshops have heard our instructors explain this oddity. We’ve discovered that non-literate people often carry Bibles and put pens in their pockets so they look “educated” and can gain credibility.)

Ann’s comment may reveal even more. Could it be that her perceived "need” to carry her Bible to give her credibility has now been replaced by her new-found ability to easily speak multiple stories by memory? Ann has boldness now to speak in front of anyone. In fact, consider the boldness it took for this non-literate villager to give her spontaneous testimony in front of 130 people, most strangers to her, Westerners included—while being filmed!

Seventeen leaders from outside Kenya, representing eight countries, came to observe this celebration and to listen to testimonies about the schools and STS impact. Thirty-plus

Kenyan STS instructors and leaders joined the 80 students from among the current 120 OBS students. All met together in this first ever, momentous occasion.

The ten graduates gave interesting reasons for committing to the hardships of one year of school. “We found in STS that we could go deeper into the Bible stories than anything we had ever experienced.” “The people don’t sleep in church any more.” What I learned in the traditional Bible school earned me a certificate, but it did not equip me to reach my people. The STS education is helping me to understand the Bible and has equipped me to teach in a way that people do understand.”

The Design of Oral Bible Schools

The ten schools in Kenya are locally supported by Kenyans! About two-thirds of the students actively serve as pastors or on a church staff and are literate. Nearly half of the students have been to Bible school. Many students were nominated to come to the OBS by their own pastors or bishops. The OBS education is seen by these ordained Christians as a way to create stronger leaders, pastors, teachers, church planters and evangelists. Students in all ten schools expressed their interest in learning to teach and in becoming school overseers.

Future Plans, “We Want to Go There!”

When the Kenyan STS instructors met before this graduation celebration, they looked at the map being prepared for attendees showing the locations of the current schools in operation. The instructors spoke in shock. “All of our schools are in the south. The work in the north is harder. People are spread out and know far less Bible. Many are unreached and in bondage to false worship. We must go there!” The STS web site gives the complete report on the Kenya graduation and schools on top tab, Training Info. Go to Oral Bible Schools and scroll down the page to “Fruit Bearing, First OBS Graduation in Africa.”

For all of the projects, plans and newly saved souls, we would appreciate your prayers.

In His service,

Dorothy A. Miller

Evangelists Cross Bridge

Praise & Prayer Report #1, December 2010 -  January 2011

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Dear Friends of God's Story,

As we move yet into another year, let me share just a few of the exciting occurrences from November, December of 2010 and January 2011 with you.  

God’s Story, Impact

“We first showed another film in Mali and people kept getting up and moving around. When we showed God's Story, the viewers were transfixed.  They never moved and stayed afterwards to learn more.”   Missionaries in Mali

Will Bring Thousands of Lost Souls
Our India director wrote, “Yesterday evening a group of 10 people came from each language (both literate and non-literate) and to check the two languages we just recorded. Every one was happy and praising God for TGSP and its commitment to bring God's Story into their languages. Two senior Pastors told that ‘God's Story film will bring thousands of lost souls to Christ because it has both O T and N T.’”  

[These two languages have just a small percentage of born again believers.] 

Wouldn’t Play

A US pastor and a team member reported on their church’s most recent short–term mission trip to Tanzania. “We reached a new tribe that is the most primitive we have yet encountered.  Christianity was new to them.  You’ll be happy to know that our entire ministry this trip telling Bible stories and discussing the contents. We spent most of our time talking about creation. They had never heard about what God had done!

 “The next morning we returned to find that the solar player we had given them with God’s Story and Bible stories wouldn’t play. They had drained the machine’s 6 hour charge from listening to it! It had to be recharged. This was our most rewarding trip yet.”  

From a closed country where Christians are not allowed to gather:

“Thanks for producing the new version we recorded. This people are waiting to get the GS. Most of the time they keep contacting me for the GS. Still this people do not have the OT. Only the NT they have. I believe GS will be effective and great for them. Our GS languages is spreading in many places. I am making copies and giving out.”

[This couple reaches hundreds of thousands. They devised a wise networking plan to get copies of God's Story into the hands of willing people who then walk to the villages and play the movie in homes on portable DVD players.]
Photo shows evangelists walking over bridge on way to play God's Story

God’s Story, Progress

The Kuyah God’s Story version for Myanmar was completed and 12 others languages are done and in the field waiting for final approval. Another 12 are in recording soon to come to us for final production. 

About ten more versions of God's Story have recently been streamed on various exotic sites that reach restricted regions of the world.

Mobile Theatres
Reports from the first 500 God's Story flip chart reports are coming in.  Evangelists using them in Africa, India, Nepal and Philippines have become “low-teck mobile movie theatres.”  Evangelists use the charts with children and villagers by playing the audio of God's Story and turning the pages. Then the evangelists are able to stop the “show” and talk about the story with the audience. 

Simply The Story

Doors keep opening for STS. In February alone, vision castings and workshops are set for Guatemala, Slovakia, Moldavians, Sri Lanka, India, Africa, Philippines, Thailand, USA, Jordan, Dubai, Ireland, Nepal and some countries that cannot be safely listed here. Paradigm Shift in Missions

On April 4-10 in a village outside of Nairobi, Kenya, students from 10 schools are set to gather to celebrate the first STS-OBS graduation!  I plan to go and join with mission leaders from many countries who want to measure the depth of theological understanding gained from stories and find out first hand what practical impact the school had on the lives of these students and on those to whom they minister.  Imagine being able to tell over 200 Bible stories and passages and being able to teach from them deeply in a discussion style format.

Needs Help!
In a country, still ruled by communism, an instructor has managed to lead nine STS workshops in two years. "Tourists" join in to complete the staff. The staff disguise themselves, and at times vacate and run when their meetings are discovered.  This instructor shared, "The biggest problem I have right now is that for every workshop I do, we get two more requests to go to two new places! Women and villagers are discovering that they too can learn to understand the Bible."

Africans Train Non-Africans to Do Inductive Bible Study, Oral Style!

Three Africans and one local missionary led a Simply The Story workshop. The workshop was done in French in a N. African country. As a result, one of the non-African attendees, whose organization sends people to N. Africa, wrote our headquarters. The letter asked if we could send a team to a neutral place to train ALL of their workers!!!!!

None of these 3^rd tier African instructors had been trained by headquarters’ STS instructors! In fact, we have never even met these African instructors. All who led this N. African workshop had been trained either by 2^rd tier African or 2^nd tier American and African teams!  All the 2^nd and 3^rd tier training took place in a span of about a year and a half.  Replication of trainers promotes speedy multiplication of storytellers.   

That Girl Called Out To Jesus.

In December, part of the workshop training the Philippines was to do "practicals." The attendees went to a mall in Manila hoping to tell conversational stories to strangers!

Over 40 attendees went out to try.  These are a few of their reports:

Two girls, Lori and Joanne, talked with some guards about Exodus chapter 4. These guards saw in the story of Moses and Aaron how God chose Moses to talk to an evil ruler, even though Moses was speech impaired. God knew Moses could do the task.

H.A. shared with two girls and they wanted to listen to more. He told the story of the Widow’s Mite.

Cecile and John shared the Blind Bartimaeus story to people waiting in line. One lady and husband saw in the story that the person who is blind can see and the ones who see are blind. A girl stated, “I'm one of the people in crowd who is blind.” Then that girl called out to Jesus and gave her life to the Lord.

Jo and Cynthia spoke to two men waiting to go into a recording for a game show. These two students of STS told The Storm story. Then these storytellers went quickly through the Gospel and then back to story. The men accepted Christ!

Many of the Philippine workshop attendees went out expecting most people to refuse to hear a story, hoping that maybe a few would be interested in listening. However, our team reported that ALL listened. These times for practical application of the STS stories greatly encouraged all of the workshop attendees and the STS staff instructors!

Need More Trainings and More Solar Players

Pastor in Senegal says he wants more trainings. “The people who took the Nov 2009 training have been using the stories with their families, friends and communities.” 

Another of those pastors talked about the value of the MegaVoice players he has with God’s Story on them and how much he has loaned them to others.  He said he could easily use 40 of these in his work among the M--lims in his area.

One pastor said he told the Prodigal Son story. The listeners were astonished that the son wasted his father's inheritance.  They were also astonished at the love of the father to accept him back after what he had done.  He told them that is the love God has for us and went over John 3:16.

Before You Came

[An African STS instructor forwarded this report that had come to him from a major Christian leader of a large people group in Ethiopia.]

“I’m so happy about the STS method you trained us in my church. Before you came to us, I had a real struggle on how I could disciple people in my churches of whom most are non-literate. I tried many ways to help in discipleship and evangelism in the villages - as you know I minister in villages - but nothing seemed to work. Actually I was getting a bit frustrated.

“After you trained us on STS, we started using the method almost immediately and within a space of ten months, we have planted three churches in three different villages using STS method.

“Your coming was so timely. Before this, we were discipling just a few people - those who could read-in hope that they would somehow reach and disciple the non-literate. Of course I didn’t expect them to do so, for I myself knew that we had no proper way of discipling the non-literate, but there was nothing else I could do.

“Now the whole congregation is being discipled. People teach each other. Even those I thought they knew nothing, God is using every one to teach each one.  And it’s so simple. You do not need textbooks, black/white boards, chalks or markers or bible scholars. The difference STS has made in my ministry is very visible.

“I’m requesting that you come to train more people in all the seven regions where we have our churches. Thanks to God, to you and the God’s Story team for making this tool available to us.”

So friends, thank you for your prayers, encouragement and support.  As you can see, God is giving much fruit as a result.

Dorothy A. Miller,

 Executive Director of The God’s Story Project 

 

Ethiopians Drink Yogurt Jul-Oct

Praise & Prayer Report #3, 2010 

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Dear Friends of God’s Story,

It is with Thanksgiving that we send this report, the third letter we have sent this year! We are thanking the Lord for carrying us to many places with STS and God’s Story.

For three years we had a temporary web site for www.SimplyTheStory.org. Please take a moment to look at the NEW site.

As we assembled this site, we shed tears at times while reviewing the letters and reports from precious people who tell of being touched by God’s Word.

Now we have posted those reports on the site for you to see. New information is continually being added.

The Power of God’s Word

Just to give you a taste of stories on the site, here is one not yet posted that came to us from an African STS instructor. (A lady who is a mission leader attended an STS workshop in the USA, and afterwards she asked this African instructor to help her in three workshops in Ethiopia.)

“All the 35 attendees were MBBs [Musli.m background believers] from the XXX tribe in southwest of Ethiopia. I was telling the story of the One Leper, and how Jesus touched the leper-man who had suffered rejections. As we made applications, at that point, one man stood and talked of how he has suffered rejection from his family and the community for becoming a believer.

“Then the whole group, one person after the other, identified with the leper’s rejection. At that point God’s presence came into the room. The room was so electrified that all became silent. And Jesus was present, touching each person. Every one was weeping as they felt Jesus touch them and removing the feelings of rejection they had. It was a beautiful moment to see their faces after Jesus touched them.

“Here are some of their comments about the time we spent in the stories:

‘We like drinking yogurt very much in our tribe. Yogurt is a delicacy in our community. All the time we have been here in this training, it is like we have been drinking yogurt. We will tell the stories to our families and friends.’

‘Before this training, if we wanted to tell people about Isa, they persecuted us every time they saw us carrying the Bible, this is a very good way to make Jesus know to our people. We don’t have to carry the Bible again that caused persecution. We know the stories now by heart and you have taught us how to learn more stories. We will put many stories in the pocket of our hearts. Thank you for teaching this way.’”

Headquarters Report

In the last five months Andrea and I have traveled half of the time. We led workshops in countries new to STS and some advanced leadership trainings. Since June, our US instructors oversaw workshops in Lesotho, Brazil, Turkey, India, South Africa, Israel, and numerous states in the USA. (Many more were done worldwide by national instructors.)

Andrea just left NE India (2nd time in India in 3 months) and has now landed with a team in the Philippines to see the graduation of the second STS Oral Bible School held there! The team is set to do advanced instructor training for people gathered from three islands and then to lead a workshop and advanced training in Manila. On web site, see “Workshops-Upcoming” including one in Louisiana in Dec and in one Hemet, CA, January 24.

In August-September Andrea led teams (with outside observers along) in India and Africa that interviewed and documented the impact of STS and the oral Bible schools. The reports of their findings are found on the new web site in “Oral Bible School, Results” and in the film Africa Bush Fire, right side link under “Videos.”

For example, in Africa the team did random testing. They wanted to see if the students could tell a story the team picked off the list of stories the literate leaders said the students had learned. It was discovered that in four months of school, the student had learned 120 Bible stories and were able to share from the stories spiritual discoveries and applications for today.

We have completed the first set of recorded Bible stories and instructions for the Practitioner Audio Training (PAT). Strategic new versions of God’s Story are done, Norwegian, Fur (for Darfur) and Tajiki. Eight new languages are being recorded in Ghana and twenty-four of India and Africa are ready to record! (Recording is the last and quickest part of getting a new version done.)

Mexico

“We did the first Movie Night showing of "The God Story" in a slum area of San Jose del Cabo, Mexico. A local woman donated 7 huge jugs of punch and 4 huge bags of pre-popped pop corn plus 200 lollipops. We gave prizes to the one who brought the most guests (the winner brought 11!).

”One of our goals was to help the pastor get his church launched after very poor attendance for 2 years - the highest # in attendance has been 7 people attending his church.

”Well--as God would have it for the Gods Story- 73 people showed up out of a village of 300! Showed it in 2 parts.

“The last night, we were competing with a very noisy birthday party across the street and the attendance fell to 43. However, we showed the final part and gave an invitation. 17 people came forward! Praise the Lord.”

“Thanks again for providing these wonderful tools for us --God is using them to expand His Kingdom even at the end of the Baja!

Alan and Carolee.”

Ghana, Africa

“Several years ago you sent MegaVoice solar players with the Farefare language on them. We placed them in several hard to reach parts of the Farefare population:

1) with the craft sellers in Tamale,

2) with the craft sellers in Accra, and

3) with the kebab makers on Labadi Beach in Accra.

“Most Farefare people are unreached traditionalists (animists), but these groups (plus those working on lorries as loaders, drivers mates, etc) live as Mus.lims because those who own the businesses in which they work are Mus.lims.

“On Monday we were at Labadi beach and the man in whose care we left the MegaVoice player came and showed us that it is still working. He thanked us again for leaving it with them to listen to and study. He said, ’You know we're fasting now, so we have time to listen.’ They don't have much choice in what they do each day, but at least they have God's Story to listen to while they do it!”

Senegal, Africa

“God's Story People, Greetings from Senegal!

We were blessed to have your excellent film "God's Story" produced in Wolof in 1999. The audio of this film is being used all over Senegal on MegaVoice players. Senegalese find the audio fits in very well to their oral culture and this program is an effective tool for sharing the story of God to the Senegalese.”

North Africa

“I went to the suk (market) this evening to show a DVD in Arabic called God's Story to the Arab traders that I recently started teaching English. We piled into a small "cafeteria" and I set the small DVD player up on a plastic jeri can. About 20 men began watching the film and over the next 90 minutes, they came and went. About half way through I found myself getting a bit discouraged thinking, "I wish they would all stay here and watch the film. Why does there always have to be so many interruptions to keep people away?"

”But then I began to encourage myself saying, ‘Even if only one hears the truth, then it is worth it." I turned my attention to 2 men, one Arab from the north and one local man. They stayed in the same place on the mat the whole time. One of them was regularly nodding his head in affirmation to the things he was learning from the film. Who knows how God's Spirit may speak to him about the things he learned today? PLEASE PRAY THAT THE SEEDS OF TRUTH WOULD BE PLANTED ON FERTILE SOIL.

"Yes, Lord, even if only one comes to know You, then it is all worth it!"

Impact of Simply The Story workshop in Brazil

1. “This week was significant for a number of Brazilians and will certainly make a difference, at the very least, in the expansion of the Gospel among the Amazon River Communities.“

American missionary in Brazil who served as STS instructor

2. “I am glad to contact you, and tell you the wonderful blessing that was to help in a workshop in Satarem, Brasil, there we had a two day, training for 9 Assistant Instructors, they would be prepared to help training more that 35 brothers from Wednesday to Friday. It was a huge blessing! Many brothers and sister were blessed as they received this tools for they ministry, some of them, work with (Riveriños) people who live near the Amazon river, and also with indigenas.

“They told us that this method would be of great Impact in their ministry.

A man told me that he has more that 25 years doing ministry, and that if he would know it before his ministry would be of more impact. And that from now on he will use it, in his reaching for indigenas.”

Instructor and wife who came from Dominican Republic as STS instructors

3. “I was very impressed by the attending Brazilians, a dedicated group who arrived each day on time, ready to put in the full 8-hour workday. Most were missionaries. Three were “Riveirinos” working in the churches in their community and many were missionaries working in a variety of Riveirino communities. Most working in the communities were technically skilled (nurses, dentists, health care) and did evangelism as doors opened through their service. We had the whole workshop filmed and got some wonderful testimonies.”

Lead Instructor, Regina. Missionary Aviation Fellowship-Learning Technology Orality Specialist

(Note in Brazil, missionaries and workers are including STS as a way to accomplish their ministry goals.)

We thank God for the wonderful ways He carries us, and for your prayers and support.

In His service, Dorothy A. Miller

Non-Literate Tribals

Praise & Prayer Report #2, March-May 2010

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Dear Friends of God’s Story,

Many events for which we praise God are in this report and prayer is needed … as always!

Nepal: “The GODs story is the greatest tool to reach the urban and rural people of Nepal. It has been watched from the remote village to the Prime Minister’s office in the capital. I am in the far west Nepal, training few leaders for STS where there was no church, now there are 11 churches. Praise the Lord.

“These fellowships are due to the connection with local stations broadcasting Christian programs and we are providing follow up materials i.e. God’s Story Video CD. Every month we are sending more than 400 CDs to remote areas.

“We, along with the radio groups, have received numbers of letter telling that they have started house groups as the result of radio program. They are the ones saved and meeting in what they call “Jesus Clubs.” These new believers live remote and have no believers nearby. They love the stories. One man walked two days to learn more about Jesus.”

Panama and Non-Literate Tribals STS leader in Ireland: “The training opportunities and demand for Bible storytelling continues without break. YWAM in Panama invited me to lead a workshop there. It was exciting to lead that “jungle STS”, training of some sixteen people in that country. Six of them were from four indigenous Panamanian tribes, and there was even a 100% Mohawk Indian from Canada learning with us!

“It never ceases to amaze me how this STS training is so cross-cultural and so applicable to any people group I have met so far! We had people, who are not used to thinking critically, not only doing that by the end of 5 days but also putting together some powerful and incisive observation and application questions by the end of the course. “

Supplement has more on Non-Literate Indigenous Become Critical Thinkers

Haiti: Over 1,000 donated solar audio players formatted with God’s Story in Haitian Creole and French made their way to earthquake victims in Haiti. Most were transported there on one of the Friendships’ vessels. The players, and scores of God’s Story DVDs, were distributed by Christians as they gave aid and ministered to the Haitians.

“We have used the mega voices like they were gold. We have given quite a few out to older people that do not speak any English. Just this week we (the Mennonite ladies and myself) met some older ladies on donkeys up in the mountains and we were able to give them one each.

"We have given some to visiting teams that are going into remote areas as well and they have found that they are great.

"I also give them to any police officer that stops me on the road. We show them how they work each time and the local pastor in Simonette uses his one quite a lot to play in between Sunday school and church.”

USA: Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa- Close to 200 attended a two-weekend STS workshop. This was a blessed time with very hands-on lovers of God’s Word. Since God’s Story premiered in that very church, it felt like a homecoming to us!

A highly educated man at the Costs Mesa workshop had been saved late in life. He wrote “I have seen….and have subsequently listened to God’s Story several times. God’s Story and STS are two of those things that beg the question, “What took us so long?” This is how God’s word got to us in the first place, and it is obviously how He intended us to receive it…..personally.

“I totally loved meeting you and your staff. Though the experience was brutal for someone who lives out on the far reaches of the literacy tail of the population, it was incredibly eye opening. It is purity and it is truth.”

In Costa Mesa, one seasoned children’s worker with 40 plus years of experience told us, “I am absolutely in awe of this incredible method of imparting God’s Word…I’ve used STS in the after school program with children from secular school and they remembered and retold stories from 4 weeks back …. and made personal applications!"

From Bible Translator in Thailand: We just heard that during the devotion time for the XXX translation team, that they are practicing telling stories! From time to time their church used to have a Wed evening prayer meeting, but that wasn't happening for about the past year. After your workshop here, they started up again, and have focused on practicing story telling, using your methods. This could be a great boost to them beginning to use the XXX Scriptures more personally.

USA: A lady who bought God’s Story in 2001 told us she has used GS all these years with new their member’s class at church. “New members come in knowing hardly anything, and God's Story is easy to watch, simple for them to understand, and covers the basic principles of the Bible.”

In South East Asia in restricted county: “Greetings in Jesus name. Thank you for every thing especially for your prayer support. We used STS method and the Mega Voice. On April 13 - 17, we conduct a camp and there are 170 people were attended. And we make a small group too. Moreover, we play the Mega Voice for them to listen the Story again and again.

 ”In each group 4/5 people asked the questions. There were 13 people accepted Christ and took baptism by God grace. We thank you for those who are helping, donating these tools for the Kingdom of God. My the Lord bless you abundantly. Constantly remember in prayer for us, we need the DVD player and 3 Mega Voice more.

Lausanne: We ask prayer for our Africa Director, Bram... M. Bram... has been invited to be the plenary speaker for oral strategies at the upcoming Lausanne Congress on World Evangelization in Cape Town South Africa. This young leader has arranged the production of numerous languages of God’s Story in Africa and planted STS in over 20 countries of Africa.

Ethiopia An Amazing Workshop: Above 90% are oral communicators. The pastor who set it up has 332 churches in 7 villages in the region. All of them are Oromo speakers (though different dialects). These are his words;

Age made no difference. Over 100 Years Old!

“I have been impacted by the STS. Before I was telling stories, but not like the way you have trained us. Our community is an oral one and they pass information to each other in story forms. STS is very ideal for us.

"I want to request that you help us in this kind workshop in other places we have planted churches.

"You just gave us 12 of the audio players with God’s Story. So each will be shared among 27 churches. Please help us the way you can” Pastor D

One group comprised of government workers and students attended from 5:00 am to 7: 45 am and then from 6:00 pm to 9:30 pm. A different group came during the day from 8:30am to 5:00pm.

[Now that is a dedicated staff!]

"These two old ladies in Ethiopia could not be left out. The one on the left is above 100 years. It was amazing as she retold the story of Abram in Egypt. Though she could not remember the names of places, she told the stories with such accuracy.

"She said, 'I did not go to school any time of my life. I knew Jesus loves me, but I did not know how to tell others about him. Thank you preacher for showing us about stories. Now I will tell others His stories before I die."'

"As they received players, they had this to say. “Women in our community are not educated, especially those old like us. Men just marry our girls and they don’t want to educate them.

"Now I will tell others his stories before I die."

"'We talk about many things as women in the markets and at home when we meet.

Now that we can hear God speak to us in our language, we will be telling His story. In fact we have already started telling the stories to our families before even the preacher goes back to his homeland. This ‘radio’ speaks to me the word of God. It is god speaking to me and to us.'" “We will tell the stories of Jesus. Please come many times and teach us more stories.”

TGSP USA: We need prayer as our Hemet headquarters is the narrow part of the funnel. We have some donated computers (awesome IMAX) on desks in our “expanded” office building. The computers await God’s appointed people to come join us. Need help in shipping. Requires basic computer skill and a person who loves seeing details are right.

TGSP USA cont... Other opportunities could be layout, art, data entry, letter writing, phone vision casting of TGSP and STS, recording, cleaning of recordings, assorted office admin skills or web site design/management experience. Most needs at headquarters require basic to advanced computer experience.

We offer no pay and lots of work…and the daily delightful experience of peering through our office periscope with wonder at how God is using God’s Story and Simply The Story around the world.

Workshops: Since Feb, God opened the door to plant STS for the first time in Niger, Panama and Lesotho, and multiple workshops took place in 12 different countries including 3 locations in USA. Upcoming workshops are scheduled in the next few months for the new countries of Turkey, Israel and South Africa. (These are workshops led by our first tier leaders. Beyond that, who knows how many trainings will take place.)

Up coming workshops to be held In July in Running Springs, CA and in September right after the International Orality Network in GA near Atlanta and in Grand Rapids area in September and November. KY and MO pending for the end of 2010. Hemet, CA is set for January 2011. See web site or contact office for details on USA workshops.

STS Bible schools have increased to twelve, ten now in session. This 6-months course requires no faculty or facility, and students, mostly non-literate, learn 100-200 Bible stories. For poor or non-readers this puts the Bible within reach, and into hearts. Discussions on starting two schools in USA are ongoing.

Nepal: [After 4 months of school] “We have started an oral Bible school in Mudabas Nawalparasi with 12 students in it, These 12 students have learnt 125 stories in total and have started at least 18 new fellowship during their study time.

"In their own words, ‘Bible is more conversational, where GOD talked to the People or people talk to GOD like we talk in family.’ They never attended any Bible school and have now learnt stories and can share with others from the word of GOD and bring them to the fold.”

New Practitioners Audio Training (PAT) is being tested: So far there is GREAT excitement from those who have tested it. This is yet another way to train people in STS.

It seems that no matter how many workshops we lead, we cannot keep up with the interest! We are extremely thankful that STS workshops are running on their own and led by national leaders in multiple countries …. but, for example, in Africa, our director estimates that they are responding to 10% of the requests for workshops.

Considering most workshops are staffed and financially supported by locals, this is extremely exciting. Local ownership is part of our DNA!

So now, to try to keep up with the requests in learning STS, we have designed this new audio training as yet another way to hand off a powerful style of preparing and sharing Scripture.

CD of sample stories available for $5 including Shipping & Handlng

We thank God for your prayer and support.

In His service,

Dorothy A. Miller

TGSP

Supplement: The God’ Story Project / Simply the Story Prayer & Praise Report #2 of 2010

MORE on Children’s Responses and Retirement Ministry;

Six people from Costa Mesa Calvary Chapel attended our CA workshop in January. They began using STS immediately in various ministries, including retirement homes and outreaches to children in secular schools.

Pat, who ministers in retirement homes, reported, “We did four weeks in the book of Jonah. Even those with Alzheimer’s remembered the stories each week and participated in the discussion. They all love this way of learning Bible.”

Judy, Pat’s wife, teaches children in weekly release-time for children in secular schools. They have 45 minutes at lunch time to: walk the children across the street to a mobile classroom that they trailer to the school, feed the kids, teach them and return them to school! Judy shared, “I tried telling a story and asking questions STS style and it worked! For the first time, we can cover the whole lesson in the 20 minutes that is actually all the teaching time we end up having. But also, now the children are engaging more and they have been going home and telling the stories to their families!

A vivacious lady with 40 years experience in teaching children told us, “I decided to give it a try in our after-school Bible club that we do 2 ½ hours once a week. These 4^th graders come mostly from dysfunctional low-income families that are illiterate and bi-lingual.

After using STS a month, I asked my students if anyone could tell me the story we learned together four weeks previously. I was in shock as nearly all of the hands shot in the air; all the children wanted to tell me the story of Jesus as a Boy. One told the story, and as well they all told the personal applications that had previously been discovered. Afterwards, they told the three other week’s stories.

What really blessed me in using STS with the children was when I saw the Holy Spirit teach the children through a story. We talked about Mary’s last recorded words in the Bible when Jesus turned the water into wine. I asked the children “If today Mary said those words to you, ‘Whatever He tells you to do, do it,’ what would you do?” They discussed this awhile and decided the words of Jesus are the most important for them to follow, so they didn’t need to pray to Mary anymore.”

MORE about The Physician and The Discarded Lady;

The Woodlands, Texas workshop outside Houston was held in a very large church led by highly trained seminarians. One evening the board of elders met. A physician on the board decided to use the story he had worked on during STS for their devotions. He told the Lost Axe Head story of 2 Kings 6, and then led an in-depth discussion that lasted a whole hour - and everyone loved it!

Another attendee, a lady that, by looks, seemed not to fit with the congregation, intrigued me. She looked like a person who had been battered by life. Turned out she was a Katrina victim that this church had adopted. The people there had loved on her for almost a year, but up until the workshop, during church functions and Bible studies, she didn’t talk. Amazingly, during the small group time of exploring for treasures in a story, this discarded lady spoke out loud some. The church people who knew her were amazed. Finally, on the last day of the 5-day training, she announced, “I will tell a story!” She did not commit to leading the discussion on the story; someone else in her group would do that part. So, when storytellers rotated to tell their stories to a new group, this extremely withdrawn lady did tell the Bible story.

After that came the time for each small study group to select a story to tell and dramatize for the evening grand finale. One person tells the story, while the rest of the group silently acts it out in front of everyone. Wonder of wonders, the once beaten down lady volunteered to tell the story! Not only that, when the evening came, she brought her Down’s-syndrome daughter. When we saw 70 plus people in the audience, we realized that the storyteller would have to use a microphone; for a withdrawn person, this presented an added hill to climb! We all watch in awe, some even in tears, as mom told the story, over the microphone and her daughter took part in the drama! The STS way of empowering people gave this broken lady that courage to speak God’s Word. God is no respecter of persons!

MORE on Translated Scriptures Taught With Understanding:

“Before [you came to Thailand and led the STS workshop] the style they used to teach Bible did not engage the listeners. Only those who were perceived as 'leaders' ever said anything. I think the others felt they weren't supposed to say anything, since they weren't the teachers.

“Now, the person whose turn it is to host the meeting is the one to tell a story. They are mostly choosing stories from Matthew and Luke, since those are printed in our XXX language. They discussed and analyzed the story. Some people were quiet through most of it, but thankfully some of the non-leaders were willing to express their thoughts, and relate the story to their own personal experience, which is a new step.

“The leader has really picked up on the underlying concepts of what you and your team introduced. He mentioned today that some of your Thai team members helped him to see that there is more to most stories than he previously thought. By asking questions, and looking at details, you can get deeper, in order to help you remember the story.

“They mentioned that they are learning how to apply it to their own lives, comparing themselves to the characters in the story. The leader is also pulling in some of the questioning technique for using during his Sunday morning preaching, encouraging more thinking and interest.

“That is so wonderful, that church members are interacting with the Scripture on their own, and it's something we've been hoping for, for a long time. Thank you for being the catalyst for it!”

MORE on Non-Literate Indigenous Become Critical Thinkers

“Another thing that amazed me among the indigenous people was that they quickly went from a place of not being used to critical thinking to forming great questions of observation and application.

“Initially I thought it would be an uphill climb and a real battle, but it turned out really well, learning to not only think for themselves beyond, ‘What observations do we see in this story?’ type questions to asking incisive key-word questions.

“Everyone thought that this one lady, a non-literate, was not going to present a story at all as she hardly spoke Spanish and was in the category of non-literate. She slept through a lot of the up-front class - something seen as “normal” for women from the indigenous peoples!

“I encouraged the tribe leader to see if she would do the presentation in Spanish in full first and not let her know that there were two back up options (1: doing it in her tribal language and 2: doing story-only). He and the rest of the tribe were bowled over when the woman said she would do “it all” in Spanish! She did it and with only a little tribal language thrown in with translation for clarification purposes.

“One Ngabe man said it had given him the tools he needed to share the Gospel with his people.

“Another American man, going to a remote indigenous people with his wife, said that he had always struggled with sharing his faith, but that now he felt impelled forward and equipped for the task of his calling.

“One indigenous tribesman from Chiriqui said that he felt this was the missing element in reaching the youth and others in his village. He had been trying (in vain) to reach the youth with discipleship books and now he understood why it didn’t work and why he must use story from now on.

“Another tribesman is going back armed with a way to reach his non-literate kinsmen and to start a YWAM base in their province (San Blas) and he wants STS to come there so he can properly train his people.”

 

How Can White People Teach Storytelling

Praise & Prayer Report #1, 2010

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Capsule of Last Four Months

Dear Friends,

Thanks for your prayers and gifts. Thirty new versions of God’s Story began, plus Danish, Greenlandic Gonja, Bal s/w-bcc & Karamojong were recorded. Simply The Story workshops held have quadrupled.

Four Oral Bible schools show an average of 100 stories learned in 4 months!

Multiple workshops were led in Central Asia, Philippines, Thailand, Myanmar, India (15) in Africa, Vietnam, Nepal & USA as well as singles in Egypt, Cambodia, Malaysia, Dubai, Kuwait, Ireland, Colombia, Guatemala, Australia and New Zealand…to name a few!

But always, the only thing that really matters is how God is reaching people through these tools. So here are “stories.”

God’s Story

GUATEMALA:

“Pastor Pedro, arrived to tell us that one of the men of his church had borrowed the Pokomchi DVD and used it to evangelize the neighboring Achi tribe. Translating bits and pieces verbally, he succeeded in bringing 25 Achi people to Christ! ... using the Pokomchi DVD! Is that cool or not?! It is so God!

With Him nothing is impossible and He wants to make sure that we don’t forget it, by d’ golly!”

SEA ASIA:

Our leader from Asia spent days living in airports, then was deported when he was supposed to meet us in the Middle East.

“I had fellowship and good time with big Monk in the Monastery. I gave a GS video.

“I was so eager to share with you all God has done and doing through GS and STS, Mega Voice in my country. But that happened and could not meet you. I am sorry for that. But I never mind for this problem, Sometime failure happened. But failure is not the end but it is the beginning for the better way. Pray for us.”

Simply The Story

Mus*lm Background Believer

“In 2008 I attended a storytelling (STS) seminar in Manila. I was reluctant since the instructors were white people. I told myself, how can white people teach storytelling to a guy like me from a storytelling tribe?

I opened my ears and listened to the instructors. I was blown away by the

system they use. I knew this will change my ministry and way of life.

“After the training, I told the story of ‘Jesus and the Storm’ to M*sl*m youth. I saw the spark in their eyes. They listened and participated in the story.

“In the discussion looking for treasures, one young M lady said ‘Excuse me. I think Jesus is Lord!’

“In ‘Crippled Man Lowered Down’ story, a 17 year old guy shared ‘Hey, I didn’t know that Jesus can forgive sin.’

“Storytelling changed our lives and we know that God will also use this system to change people’s lives. We use STS for our family Bible study, in the pulpit preaching, sharing gospel on bus, plane or in one on one conversation.”

Horse Watches Retiree Teach

STS in Senegal

People listened too! Henry discovered STS in 9/08 and since as an instructor has taught on 5 continents.

"Senegal’s big surprise was having a Muslim attend the 3rd day and participate fully in the discussion, both OT & NT stories!"

Parlez-Vous Francois?

We Do Now!

As you will see from the following Nairobi report, highly educated Africans from French speaking Africa (20 African countries are Francophones) are embracing STS. Leaders with Masters and Doctorates in theology testify to discovering life changing information in the Word never before seen.

But amazingly the non-literates training alongside these leaders were discovering the information more quickly than the literates!

Finally the vast reservoirs of non-literates are being empowered to understand the deep treasures in the Word, in a way that they can, and are taking it back to others.

Our Africa Simply The Story instructors just led a workshop in Nairobi, Kenya. There, 30 top African leaders from 7 West-African countries joined in as part of the 80 in attendance. These were top leaders from Francophone countries. A revered academic, Abel, gathered them.

Previously a dear friend of TGSP, Mike, had demonstrated STS to Abel. Then Abel sent a "scout" to N Nigeria to join a workshop when we could not get STS instructors into Chad. After hearing the report from his scout, Abel was so taken by the possibilities of STS for Africa, that he invited these 30 leaders to fly to Kenya for the STS workshop. Abel saw STS for what it is, inductive Bible study, oral style.

One of those highly educated pastor/leaders from Cote d'Ivoire attended the workshop with great reluctance. Twice he wrote back to Abel, saying, "You must have made a mistake. You don't want ME to go across Africa to a storytelling training?"

After the 5-day training, that pastor stood up and told how he had not wanted to come, but to his surprise the stories had impacted him personally. He then announced. "This training should not be called 'Simply The Story.' It should be called 'The Deepest Bible Study Ever Invented!'''

The leaders attending from Burkina Faso didn't ask ... they "demanded" that our African director not answer the 6 months ago call to go train in Cote d'Ivoire. But "Rather," they said, "You must come train in Burkina Faso. It is the easiest place to gather leaders from all the French speaking countries of Africa. And you will not just stay one week. You will stay until you have completed our training in how to train others, however long it takes! We will then carry STS on to French speaking Africa.”

USA Missions Pastor

“For the workshop and the lessons I learned, thanks. I taught Feeding of the 5,000 to my best friend, who is our Ends of the Earth leader, my Sunday school class, and to our mission team heading off to Tanzania.

“I keep hearing, ‘Can you teach us another story?’”

April 30 this church in AL is hosting a workshop … open to all.

Beyond Remote Region in Africa.

“After two years God's Story was finished in our people’s language. They are almost 100% Muslim, spread across several countries of West Africa. What a blessing the DVD has been.

“I was in one of the major cities of our people, helping to distribute the DVD. Over the next few days, people started stopping us on the street saying, ‘I watched the DVD last night and have questions for you." Of course, we were very glad to answer their questions!

Several thousand DVD's have made their way into the hands of the people in that area. We are now so thankful that they are there. Our missionaries have been evacuated due to severe security problems. Even though we are not there, God's truth continues to be proclaimed through God's Story. How precious it is that they are hearing of God's perfect plan for their eternal lives in their own language.

Thanks for your help in bringing God's Story to those who have never heard.

Tibetan Churches Birthed

“I had one STS planned on the Tibet border with EN the leader who attended our seminar. By using this tool they have now started 6 churches, average 20 people in each.”

Witch Doctor Hospitality

“We shared GS with an all animist village. I showed it in Thai and translated it into Po.

“The video was seen in none less than the witch doctors house! He even made new steps for us so the whole village of 42 could easily gain access.

“I gave the invitation and 2/3rds of the people said they wanted to receive Christ. The witch doctor stood up and told everyone to ‘stand down. I don’t want the village split.’

“That night, two young boys, age 15 and 18, snuck out of their huts and came to me asking if they could secretly receive JC. ‘Many villagers are meeting, all agreeing that GS made so much sense and JC had to be the true sacrifice.”