worldwide

The sub-links to this article divide the world into six major regions. Listed in each region you may see specific countries named. These reports are Presentation_woman_telling_story testimonies from among thousands we receive from Simply The Story workshop attendees … lay people, pastors, ministry leaders and heads of denominations.

We want you to have access to peoples’ initial responses to the Simply The Story concepts of learning from Scripture and sharing with others. As well, we make available testimonies from those who use STS after acquiring the skills.

Lastly, we feel it is important for us all to see what kind of long range impact STS has on effective evangelism and what measurable success can be verified in discipleship, maturing of believers and church planting.

Currently, we have far more reports to post than hands to enter the information! For now just take a look at a fast overview of impact from 40 different countries.

Australia: "A small group leader stated, 'We just gained a lot discussing the story using the STS skills, but we are very familiar with Scripture. You say people new to the Bible can do this, but we don’t see that.'

"They were stunned when a man learning with them said 'I’ve never heard this story before.' They responded, 'But you were the one finding most of the treasure!' (No one knew that this man was a Mx_l_m Background Believer (MBBX), a believer for only one year!)" DM

Bangladesh: “Those we taught in STS are begging us to come again from India to train more people." MM

Burkina Faso: “We are training our leaders throughout the francophones [French speaking Africa] in STS. The illiterates learn alongside our highly trained literate leaders.” Abel Ndjerareou

Cambodia: “People think STS is just for kids. But two veteran pastors who know these stories, inside out, and have taught them many times said, “We’ve been through many ‘programs’, but this method gives me the power to study the word deeply without needing a concordance, thesaurus, Bible dictionary, commentaries, all these resources that I do not have in my language. I am now no longer dependent on others or resources, I only need my Bible and the Holy Spirit. Praise God!” KL

Central Asia: “We were seeing converts, but they dropped out of our discipleship training. Now with STS style of studying the Bible, groups are growing.” C

Colombia: “28 Colombian nationals committed to reaching Colombian indigenous tribes loved STS! They began using it right way with the tribals. They’re discussing how to weave STS into their strategy.” AS

Dubai: Hundreds of thousands from scores of countries live in worker’s camps. About 15 language groups received STS training. This letter reflects the attendees’ responses.

“First day when the leader ask for volunteer, I say, ‘I'm sorry, I really have problem with my memory since I've gone to 3 operations. I find difficult to share the word of God because I can't memorize the verses and always depend on my written guidelines.’ I couldn't believe that the very next day morning while I'm preparing my self to go to work, I found my self telling the story to my auntie. 'I’m surprised that the story is in my ‘heart pocket.’

“Second day. Amazing how I was able to retell the story. I can't express my joy that night because God told me that I am able.

“Third day became more exciting as I found lots of hidden treasures in His word.

“Fourth day is not just I found the treasures, God's word pierce my heart and my tears fell down during discussion when I saw my self in the character of the story. Now that I know that stories of God really touch the heart of people the way it does to me. I'm even more excited to share this to my church and to do it in our Bible study. I'm not afraid anymore to go, as I have the stories in my heart pocket.” IS

Ethiopia: “STS successfully trained our non-literate tent-makers all over the country.” Presbyterian Frontiers Fellowship

Guatemala: “Young Mayan students from rural areas, in their first year in Spanish Bible school, shared these feelings … ‘Before the workshop I simply read the Bible.’ | ‘Stories are more understandable’ | ‘I like to enter into the story. Before STS I just passed over so many things.’ | ‘I read, but I didn’t understand; I didn’t know how.’” JN

Honduras: “Pastors have changed to using stories since the STS. People love it and now understand Bible.” SM

Hong Kong: “We explained the need for oral strategies and gave an example of an STS story to CCMN, the largest world network of cell and house churches. Now even more countries wait for this training!” DM

India: Five generation replication in 9 months after STS. Mumbai house church ministry in slums (was reaching 9,000 weekly) reported growth rate tripled after STS. “Not just more members, more leaders.” JS

Ireland: “We discovered that 20% of the people were functionally illiterate. I shared the orality statistics and explained how non-literate people often hold Bibles, wear glasses, and carry pens. A man, who I later found was a successful businessman, approached me afterwards.

He said, ‘How did you know? How did you know that's what I did? I just learned to read last year. Before that, I had the Bible open when I ministered to people even though I couldn't read.’ (Incidentally, he loved how we teach to ‘remember’ stories!)” AM

Israel:“My devotions were dry. I was calling G-d for help. STS opened the refreshing of the Word to me.” AK

Japan: “Listeners gasped when I reported, using STS. I told Martha/Mary and four came to Jesus.” Pastor E. Hamasaki

Kenya: “I now have a way to go deep to train and get quality not just quantity.” Bishop Patrick Njuguna (who leads over 40 churches and now helps lead STS workshops in Africa.)

Kosovo: “A man about 19 in the workshop said, ‘I do not want to tell a story.’ After praying, I encouraged the group leader to work with the man through lunch. The man decided to tell and teach a story and many he taught discovered new truths.

He gleamed with joy. Afterwards, he shared that he had taken the exam to enter university and failed twice. He feared failure again. Ironically, the story he learned and taught was Moses at the burning bush and Moses having to be encouraged to return to Egypt. The story was for him!” AM

Laos: “Stories are in our ‘heart pockets’ now. We can share and not be arrested for carrying Christian materials!” LD

Mindanao: “At first I thought, How can white people teach storytelling to a guy like me from a storytelling tribe”…I listened and was blown away. We now use STS and train others.” AM who is an MBB

Mongolia: "Right after STS, I shared the story ‘Jesus Calmed the Storm’ at my church. Everybody were involving in that story by answering questions and asking questions. It created relationships between us."

Myanmar: “We conducted a camp and used STS. 13 people were saved and took baptism.” EA

Nepal: “Remote villagers who heard God’s Story on radio formed ‘Jesus clubs.’ These new believers are uneducated, but we are training them in Bible using STS.” RS

Nigeria: An amazed ex-M__xxm lady melted at seeing in the Martha Mary how Jesus cared for women. In 2 ½ years she now has led 45 ladies to Jesus using that M/M story! BM

New Zealand: New Zealander who led workshop got this report. "I am using the storytelling skill you taught us in home schooling my children. They just love learning Bible stories this way.” DR

Panama: “Indigenous tribals showed keen ability in critical thinking when good questions were asked. They even began creating their own powerful and incisive questions” Bryan Thompson story4all

Peru: Incredibly very reserved Urarina Indians, who live in a remote village 30-hours up the Amazon, responded to STS. These non-literates answered questions and found deep biblical insights.” BT

Philippines: “Our tribals led an STS workshop in the city. Attendees who were trained pastors asked, ‘When are you returning?’ Three of the 5 instructors were non-literate!” Wycliffe translator Marianne Chiong

Scotland: “We had 5 minutes to introduce STS. I told Martha and Mary and then Psalm 1 at the second service. We had lively discussion. After church people shared their joy of the process and arranged a workshop.” AM

Senegal: “John P. is now using the stories and leading M__xms to Jesus.” AT

Spain: A couple shared, “We want to minister. We are glad we chose to spend our honeymoon learning STS.” AM

Sri Lanka: "Rev. XX, a Vicar of XX Church for the last 44 years has written six books. He is on the faculty of YY[Leadership training institute]. He said, 'This is a new day for me, I never been exposed to such training in my life time. If I had got this STS training in my early ministry days, I could have done much more effective work.’ He shared with tears rolling out of his eyes. All attendees told similar testimony." MM

Sudan: “Replication! During evenings, attendees started going out and using stories to teach!” BM

Tanzania: “Most who attended the seminar have started to use it to their churches. From the day we finished, I have started to practice it my church also during the night service with my family. All time when I use this story I see the direct response from the audience. Really I thank God for that.” Paul Buhwahwa

Thailand: “Recently saved street kids you trained took STS into the juvenile facility. Those penned up youths ‘listened” to the kids, and reacted to the Bible story of the Bent Woman!” Amazed pastor

Togo: Seminary director stated, “This gave us more Bible exposition than our tradition seminary style. We have always waited for Westerners to bring the Gospel to our people, but STS empowered us to take the Gospel to our own people.”

Turkey: “A couple who live and work in Turkey made use of their new storytelling skills immediately. One evening that week, they led their weekly seekers' Bible study. They decided to use the story they had just learned instead of the normal study method they had been using. They were stunned!

The group of seekers who attended week by week, had always seemed to be only semi-engaged in the study. This time, however, the group was fully a part of the discussion and found many deep spiritual treasures in the story.

Here's what stunned them even more: One of the regular attendees arrived late, after they had finished discussing the story. After she arrived, one of the Turkish women who had participated in the study first told the new comer the story they had just learned and then proceeded to share with her the various spiritual truths they had observed and ways they had discussed applying those truths in their lives.

The expatriate worker told us the next morning that he had never seen anything like this kind of response in the years he had been on the field. Following the training this couple wrote us to say that they had decided that the STS way of studying the Bible was going to be their primary method of evangelism and discipleship as they began a new church planting effort there in Turkey. ” STS Instructor  

Uganda: “For one year weekly we put an STS trained story-teller on radio and then did village follow-up. This strategy reached wide and caused great reactions.” Samaritans Purse

UK: “I told Martha/Mary for an introduction to STS at a church in Liverpool. A boy about 12 answered a tough question. Many were amazed. Later I discovered that the boy and his mom were visiting the church for the first time and not saved. They spent an hour after the service talking with the guest speaker.” AM

USA: STS is used and making impact in after school programs, prisons, church services, retirement homes, Bible schools, youth outreaches, house churches and personal witnessing.

Vietnam: “4 tribal pastors said the STS teaching was so profound but simple that they will use it to teach their people. Three city pastors called saying they use it in church & Bible Study and it’s well received!” K

Zimbabwe: “Wonderful experience. I’m using STS to equip non-literates for leadership.” Bishop Renison Mbogo (He also arranged an STS oral Bible school.)

Short Videos!

STS Uses

Impact Worldwide