Academia

Traditionally the topic of Bible story telling has been relegated to children or discussions on how to communicate the Bible to non-literate or semi-literate learners on the mission field. As a result, in the past there has not been that much serious academic research done in the field of orality. However, in more recent years there has been an increasing interest in the field of orality with the production of many books, papers and theses on the subject. Part of this interest has been the acknowledgment that we have entered fully into a digital age and a generation that have been called "secondarily oral" learners. People have increasingly shorter attention spans as they browse and scan their phones and computers looking for mainly short video driven presentations which often include a narrative storyline. The resulting impact on education has caused many academicians to revisit the discipline of orality. They are seeing just how impactful it is not just for mission in relation to the majority world but also how relevant it is for today's digital natives.

The early days of Simply the Story saw its primary growth with practitioners who were working primarily in the majority world among more primarily oral learners. Yet as the method developed and more workshops were taught to more literate audiences, the validity of the approach became to be recognized by scholars in academia. Sensing this interest, a deliberate attempt was made to affect the "gatekeepers" in various institutions. What is taught at the Bible school and seminary level significantly shapes the way that ministers of the gospel communicate. If those who influence future leaders see the validity of orality and Bible story telling and find that it is backed up by solid qualitative research, then they will be more apt to include orality in their curriculums.

Simply the Story is helpful in such contexts because it follows what is called "Inductive Bible Study in an Oral Style". A key component is that students get to see an approach that is truly oral by striving not to use notes or printed material in the training. Often in such classes, foundational principles of orality are introduced in a more traditional academic and lecture-type approach, but after the underlying theory is established, a student is then prepared for the practical component of STS where the student gets a true feel of how to absorb, observe and retell a story in a small group setting. Bible Schools and Seminaries are increasingly including such theoretical-practical type courses in their curriculums. As interest grows and more research is done on the dynamics of orality, there will be even more need for the practical component of story telling which STS delivers so well.

Business & Professional

Bible Storytelling is not just for Sunday School, youth group and the mission field. Many business professionals have found that using stories the STS way has been a blessing to them and those with whom they interact. A lunch break Bible study focused on Bible stories with discussion is a very comfortable and inviting way to reach out to coworkers. A five-minute conversation during a coffee break offers great opportunity to connect a Bible story to someone's life situation. 
 
Many professionals have recognized the value of storytelling in general in their business settings. A regional sales manager for a large insurance company had been trained in STS. She believed that the STS approach to Bible story discussions, in particular our use of open ended questions, was a great fit for her district managers and sales reps. When an STS workshop was to be hosted by her home church, she got permission for her company's HR director to offer the STS training to her staff. This was offered as an optional training, anyone who chose to decline the offer was offered a paid day off. Her entire staff attended. 

This eclectic group of people was spread across the spectrum spiritually, from Bible believing to agnostic. During the last hour of the workshop, we offered a focused time of discussion with the business group to explore how they could make authentic use of what they had learned in their work setting. Every one of these professionals found the training to be enjoyable and immediately applicable to their lives and professions. 
 
One of the women who attended told us that she didn't know if she even believed in God. She had never been in a church. However, on a business trip shortly after the workshop, she was seated next to a young woman with whom she struck up a conversation. Our storyteller's seat mate shared that she was contemplating suicide when she got home. At this, the STS trained businesswoman shared a Bible story she had learned during the training. After talking about the story, the depressed woman was so moved that she decided to seek out help rather than end her life. Truly God's word does not return empty, even when shared by a non-believer.

Bible stories are not just for children, they are not just for vacation Bible school, they are not just for the non-literate overseas. Bible stories are for each of us wherever we find ourselves. 

Leaders from around the world have demonstrated how effective and impactful the Simply The Story method can be with students of all ages. 

Younger children are already by their very nature, oral learners. The ability to think in abstract terms is not developed until after they have been taught in school how to think in abstractions. There are some unique challenges with children as the storyteller may need to be a little more leading with their questions than is typical when telling stories. Sometimes, children may just share something that is obviously stated in the story. When the storyteller asks questions such as 'what about that part of the story seems special to you?' the children will very often open up and share some fairly deep thoughts in a very straightforward and simply way.

With youth the storyteller may need to establish that the discussion group is a safe place to share. Encouraging and giving positive feedback will often lead to very honest and revealing discussions. Groups that meet on a regular basis add to students comfort in sharing more openly.

College students are an especially open group to learning through discussion. Many generations are very resistant to someone telling them what they should or should not believe. Simply The Story is a means of sharing deep truth while allowing the participants in a story to discover Bible 'treasures' on their own. It is amazing to watch as a group of students will reach a conclusion that is often very opposite to the typical cultural norm through discussion and discovery of what a Bible story has to say.

Each of these groups offers their own challenges. However, when leaders take the time to adjust and work at communicating on the level of their participants, the rewards are noticeable and long lasting.

Church Planting 

Church planting is a natural outgrowth of answering Jesus' call… He said “come .… and follow Me” that we find in Mark 8:34; 10:21; Luke 9:23; 18:22 and “Go therefore and make disciples” this we find in Matt. 28:19. In other words, it's all about making disciples in every home, every village, every colony, every town, every city, and every nation of this world.

“Jesus told them another parable: ‘The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field.’”

Scripture says that “… the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it and He produces a crop, yielding a thirty or sixty or hundred, times what was sown.

Church Growth or Church multiplication starts with a passion for the Great Commission and seeing people come to the knowledge of Christ and produce more and more spiritually.

Through the use of God’s Story: From Creation to Eternity and Simply The Story we are seeing this come to fruition. People are coming to faith, groups are forming and Churches are being planted in numerous places in and various forms throughout the world.

What follows below are descriptions of how Church Planting is happening in Africa and Asia, from two of our national leaders.

Church Planting in Africa

Simply The Story and God’s Story: From Creation to Eternity are wonderful tools for evangelism and discipleship, but do they result in Churches being planted? The answer to this question is a resounding yes.

In both Burkina Faso and Côte d'Ivoire, we have been hearing about churches being planted after STS workshops and the launch of new God's Story languages. When a those trained in an STS workshop begin to actively share stories, people come to faith in Jesus. When God's Story is made available in a new language and is shared widely, lives are being changed, people are turning to Jesus. 

We rejoice that so many people are coming to faith. This has been happening in areas where there is no church, which is resulting in these new believers starting a church where they can worship and grow together.

But who will lead these new churches? This is an immediate concern. This challenge is being addressed as Oral Bible Schools are encouraged after every workshop in many locations around the world. This is especially true in the nations of Africa. 

Church Planting in Asia 

Obeying and following Great Commission: From God’s Story to Church Plant

Our teams show God’s Story: From Creation to Eternity in many different places such as homes, small groups, parks, railway and bus stations…wherever our Risen Lord opens the door. Whenever someone receives Christ for the first time through watching God’s Story, our team then follows up with them to nurture them by teaching God’s Word through using STS method. When those who have come to faith live near one another, we conduct a 5-day STS workshop. From those workshops, small house churches form.

If a larger “mother church” is available, these believers may fellowship and worship God there each Sunday. These leaders and families also meditate on God’s Word use STS in their home Bible studies on an ongoing basis. [The home Bible studies is an implementation of STS Oral Bible Schools]

Each STS workshop results in at least 4 new home groups. In these groups, each attendee has the opportunity (expectation) to learn 296 Bible stories. Each night, when the home group meets, they learn one story using the STS process. In this way, they learn and discover spiritual observations and make spiritual applications in their personal lives. With those stories in their heart pockets, they are equipped to share these stories with their friends and coworkers.

The hope and end goal of this process is to start small home Churches of 12 to 20 members. Each OBS leader takes the stories they have learned to their neighbouring places or to their relatives to share the gospel, with the hope that people will come to faith. They seek to start new home group studies (OBS), which become regular Bible studies, and ultimately new house churches. The churches also conduct cottage prayer meetings, women’s fellowships, ministry among children and youth, and regular spiritual life prayer meetings. They pray for the sick and help the disabled and elderly.

STS is like a God given spiritual guide to go and reach everywhere and to bring spiritual birth and new live in every community. 

If God’s Story is like a tool for building the foundation for a new soul, then STS training and follow up is like a tool for constructing a strong spiritual home to bless many new souls in the society.

Compiled here are just a few of the innovative ways churches are using STS or its principles in their programs and outreaches.

1. Styles of Usage:

• To fit members’ expectations and traditional protocol, you may want to read story passage in standard “church voice” first before telling it STS style?
• In Children's Church or Sunday School Classes: tell the story several times and have different groups of children take turns acting out the story as it is told
• Lead an interactive STS Bible story discussion as the primary message. Either have the congregation respond to questions out loud or ask rhetorical (thought) questions
• Use Sign Language (ASL) to visually tell a story while the storyteller is telling the story with expression
• Read the story, but with expression, rather than the standard more stoic way of reading
• Challenge listeners to share the story with those inside their circles of influence

2. Church Services (places STS can be used):

• One Sunday per month in regular service
• Sunday evenings
• Teach on passage Sunday morning, then use same story as STS interactive discussion on Sunday evening or in weekday gathering
• Wednesday evenings
• Alternative service (Sunday morning or afternoon or on Saturday evening)
• Once monthly include children in service. Place children up front and tell story. Focusing main on the children, but also include the whole congregation

3. Sunday School (Sunday Small Groups): 

• Sunday School at any age level
• Use STS as a small group curriculum
• Challenge class members to learn stories and tell them with actions and expressions with a long term goal of moving members into role of taking turns telling stories in the class
• Use STS as a weekly or once a month curriculum
• Form an Interactive Bible study, all ages welcome (including children) class

4. Special Classes:

• Men - Weekly men participate in a story. Men are then empowered and encouraged to take that story to other men. Those who are married (no matter their reading ability) can serve as spiritual leaders in their homes by telling the stories and leading family devotions
• Youth, ages 5 and up, enjoy, thrive and grow on the interaction and the story
• New Believers Classes:  Introduce deep spiritual truths to those even with no church background
• Evangelism Classes: Empower people to naturally and comfortably share their faith

5. Special Projects:

• Evangelistic Outreaches: street witnessing, work among the homeless, nursing homes and retirement centers
• Outreach: Participants invite friends to participate in interactive Bible discussion. Dinner or dessert could be provide or potluck
• Neighborhood “Story at My House.” Weekly, bi-month, or monthly, invite ladies to a host home to participate in a story.  Hostess serves coffee or tea, and attendees take turns bringing snacks
• Youth Outreaches: Insert stories when appropriate
• VBS:  With any VBS program, tell a story a day for kids to take home

6. Home Fellowships / Small Groups:

7. Counseling:

• STS stories are being used in pastoral counseling, grief counseling, addressing false doctrines, financial counseling, pro-life, with spiritual seekers, family counseling, pre-marital counseling, etc

Counseling and Marriage

Pastors, counselors, friends, really anyone can speak into another person's life through the compassionate and skillful use of a Bible story. Whether in a professional or personal setting, Bible stories speak to the heart and can address deep and difficult issues. 

At every Simply The Story training, we include teaching and practice in using stories in a conversational way. We teach how to listen to others and select a story that fits the person's situation and need. Certainly Bible stories don't replace the need for professional counseling when needed, but God's Word is living and active, a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.