All Together

Prayer & Praise Report #3, April-May 2016

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Can All People Learn Together?

While talking with an STS instructor about the way many Bible studies separate families, such as teens go to one Bible study, and men being separated from women in another study, and children in a different class, the instructor said something profound. "The more literate the Bible studies are, the more division has to happen. This is due to the literate levels and aptitude of people at different ages.” We are blessed that with the oral style of a Simply The Story Bible study, families and people from all age groups can learn together and from each other as they find treasure in the Word of God.

One such example comes to mind. A few years ago, I was invited to do a Bible story with a group in Macedonia. The youngest in the group was 12 and the oldest were in their 70s.

There were at least 2 or 3 different languages being spoken, so translation was needed. Some in the group were believers and some were seekers, so Bible background varied from person to person. I think you get the picture of the challenge. Since it was God's Word we were studying, all were affected and blessed by our time together. I enjoyed watching the faces of our hosts light up as they realized their investment in STS would reach their community, regardless of age, as they were all personally touched by the Word.

How are Oral Bible Schools affecting the students?

In a highly Muzm area of Asia, 9 students graduated from the first Oral Bible School (OBS) in that area. There are even more students who are ready and eager to hide the Word in their hearts. Please continue to pray for all the students and the Oral Bible Schools that are ready to start.

Oral Bible Schools preparing to Launch

We praise the Lord for the work going on in Cote d’Ivoire where our team just finished working with 6 OBS leaders and students, who are preparing to launch several schools soon. The team also recorded 4 languages of God’s Story that will be used in the OBS areas.

During one of the workshop outreaches, 55 people accepted Jesus as Lord. Our leader there reported, "It was a great encouragement for all, and motivation for all the students to go forward with the OBS.”

Quick God’s Story Report

In Europe one couple took the morning off and shared that they stayed in their pajamas to watch God’s Story. She wrote, ”Both of us were profoundly impacted and are brimming with ideas and ways that the combination of the film and story telling (and training) can be passed on...” Praise the Lord for the impact He has on lives through His love, His Word, and His guidance.

Could Bible stories be used in everyday life?

Thailand

One STSer recently wrote to us about how he used a couple of Bible stories in his daily life. "For a week I had been involved in orality training at a conference and on my last night coming home I passed a couple on side of road. Feeling convicted that I should help them, I stopped and then reversed back to them. Their motorcycle had broken down and they needed a ride…. I was able to tell this couple “The Good Samaritan” story and was pleased when the young man answered my questions about why the 2 religious people walked by without helping. This couple thanked us profusely when they left our car."

Does a Simply The Story training affect people?

One STS instructor recently led 2 training classes in India and also introduced STS at two seminaries in the Philippines.

The following are reports that the instructor shared with us from the students at the seminary. (Names

changed for their protection.)

Student Simon, a strong Filipino preacher and M-div candidate wrote, "You know, when I preach, people don't remember what I say; this is more powerful."

Student Maz, a man from India and M-Th candidate, said, "This is more interesting for the people; they can engage in it."

Peter, another student from India who is a Doctor of Missiology candidate describes his experience, "A sermon is like a meal in a fine restaurant--it's good, but you can't enjoy/cook it at home.”

Peter had to leave the workshop early because of an appointment to meet with a Sikh woman and three of her friends. In the STS training Peter had just learned the Jars of Oil story from 2 Kings 4:1-7. He told the ladies that story. At the appointment, one of the women explained that her husband had just left her for another woman and she was in bad debt (though not in danger of losing her children). Additionally, she held on to severe bitterness towards her family and extended family back in her home country because they had mistreated her since childhood; she hasn't seen or talked to them for years. The woman began to cry.

After Peter finished discussing the story with the ladies, she asked him about the God of this story, and he told her about Jesus. She accepted Christ as Savior and began saying God had sent Peter just for her! When she returns to India, she's going to try and reconcile with her family.

How might Simply The Story be integrated in to VBS and Bible Studies?

This report comes from one of our instructors on the team in New Zealand. “The VBS part of the team has had great success in sharing the gospel and seen kids and a couple of adults accept Christ. “We have a worship time every night and have done stories. ‘Karel’ has done 2 stories. For being 17 she is amazing.

“Last night ‘Leander’, a local, who has been here every night and who the pastor said, ‘he never shared anything in church’ has not stopped sharing. He said what he really likes about this method is the freedom to share and explore the Word.”

Eastern Europe

One recent attendee of an STS training implemented what she learned and reported the results on Facebook.

“Did an STS Bible study with our home fellowship group tonight. We def (definitely) had fun! One of the ladies is a non-believer. Man, did she have good spiritual observations!! And the other one is a new believer who just got saved a few weeks ago - she’s never been so enthusiastic about discussions before! Our spiritual applications went on and on. It brought back so many sweet memories from my time….

“What an amazing tool that will never cease to amaze me, inspiring me to fall more in love with my God!”

How might STS encourage us in a difficult situation?

A young lady, who is working towards being an STS instructor, reported about her experience upon landing at a United Kingdom airport. On a previous visit to the UK she had been deported due to a misunderstanding in paperwork. Once again she found herself detained at Immigration.

After waiting in the detention room for more than 5 and a half hours, and following an interview, the border officer said they decided to release her.

The young lady clearly knew this was a spiritual battle and could have been bitter. She described her emotions as, “a bayonet against your throat when you are detained and imprisoned, especially if you've been deported in the past... and how those emotions can linger and poison.” However, she chose to put this behind her. As a result of the time in detention, this young lady shared how the Lord ministered to her.

“As I sat there waiting for hours, pretty numb, I kept hearing Jesus ask, ‘Do you trust me?’ And I had to honestly answer no, I don't, because look what happened last time. So Jesus, if you want me to trust you, you're going to have to make it happen. I asked him for a story, and two bits rose to the top... Mary, sitting at Jesus' feet, quiet, not saying ‘I should have said this or that,’ and what happened? Jesus defended her...” (Luke 10:38-42)

Recounting the second story, she shared, “Moses Rock One, when God's people get led to a place with no water, and they ask, ‘Is the Lord with us or not?’ (Exodus 17:1-7)

The young lady continued, “The story prodded me to recognize that attitude for what it is, and simply wait to see what He would choose to do. God's faithfulness doesn't always look like faithfulness from our perspective, but there are times we get to see it, bright and clear!”

Grateful to the Lord, Andrea

Executive Director

The God's Story Project