Opportunities
Prayer & Praise Report #4, June-July 2022
Going Back to Summer Camp
Summer camp brings back emotional memories for most people, For some, it might be warm thoughts of good times with old and new friends, water sports, and cool camp counselors. For others those memories might be full of fear from being away for the first time, or even a longing to go to camp.
Our STS staff started to work on training the camp counselors with the STS process prior to covid. Knowing that these leaders typically come from college, have a limited amount of time to train and have other priorities with their camps, we landed on a partial set of videos and a part of STS that needed to be in person for training. Then covid hit and we rapidly shifted to a fully online training.
I recently ventured to girls camp as their missionary and enjoyed teaching the girls how to learn Bible stories. The girls as young as 9, 10 and 11 learned a couple of Bible stories and were greatly impacted by the Lord through His Word. Some of these girls had lost brothers, mothers, and loved ones and were open to share during our discussion time.
The older girls and even the camp counselors accepted the call for a contest to learn the longest Bible story they could in just a couple of days. The winner…? Judges chapter 6 & 7. The most accurate, the whole book of Jonah. The biggest winners were all the girls as they shared how the Bible spoke to them throughout the week.
They say I blessed them and taught them, but the opposite holds true as I’m now a richer woman for having spent time with these young ladies! For anyone interested in sending your children or grandchildren to this camp in Maine, contact the office. We are also available to help train staff in STS.
God’s Story: From Creation to Eternity – Amazing Progress
Since our last prayer and praise report, several languages have been mastered completed and are now in the field. As well, more than a half dozen are also waiting for approval. We thank the Lord for every person involved in seeing God’s Story reach the nations. Here are some pictures from our recent recording session going on in SE Asia and Africa.
Please pray for the several teams traveling to record, wisdom for translation, and for no technical challenges.
From Prisons to the Children!
Recently one team finished training prisoners in Africa. Opportunities for teaching STS throughout multiple prisons exist in Africa, Asia, and the USA. Pray for our teams that go behind bars to help set the captives free and that more prisons would open their doors to the Gospel.
Another instructor recently reported using God’s Story with a Bible study group she’s been leading. The students are learning English and come from Asia. A young boy of about 11 or 12 years old also listened in and said, "At school they have been telling me that I come from a monkey and now I know that is not true." He was touched by seeing in God’s Story: From Creation to Eternity that God created Adam and Eve. This boy now sings in the choir.
Unique Israel Tour in February 2023
We have been invited to conduct another Simply The Story training in Israel. With this opportunity we decided to include a special tour following the training. Some key aspects along with the standard tour are the STS style storytelling and discussion in several locations that will be conducted by different people on the tour, and a community contribution component. Please feel free to browse our online brochure here: https://www.simplythestory.org/israel
We would love to have you join this truly international group! Space is limited so register early.
Moving Forward!
A recent conversation with a friend sparked me to share the following for prayer.
For several years our ministry has been developing the applications for using STS in different situations. For example, a few years ago we finished a video series that helps people apply Simply The Story in evangelism. You can find that series at http://www.simplythestory.org/evangelism. We call it “Moment for Eternity” because we, as believers, can impact a person’s eternity by taking a moment out of our day to listen and care for a person.
The development of our children’s ministry application using STS stalled during the covid years. About a year ago, the Lord started bringing the right people into the picture to help move the project forward. The children and youth curriculum integrates STS in ways that we know have worked in multiple countries throughout the world. The development of this “curriculum” required a unique understanding of orality, Simply The Story, and experience with children.
Wow! God has brought an amazing team that has used STS in Sunday school, with youth, with believing and unbelieving children, globally, and with VBS. One woman on the team has more than 52 years experience working with children!
We are not done, but people keep asking for this information. Please pray for this special team as they finish development and testing of the children and youth curriculum.
Other teams are developing projects that use Simply The Story methods in other settings, which include Biblical meditation, church celebrations, and many more. As well, a strong instructor team of professors has successfully developed and used a syllabus for Bible schools and Seminaries with Simply The Story as the practical part of the class. (Hear these podcasts for the amazing reports: https://heartpocket.libsyn.com and search for episodes 148, 153, 166, and 168. At the end of this month, hear 2 more students share their experience with the recent class at Dallas Theological Seminary.)
All these projects require prayer, time, and the right teams. We are grateful to all who have stepped forward with the vision!
Needless to say, there is much happening behind the scenes and we look forward to how God will use His Word to reach the nations!
Martyrdom
With a heavy heart I write this. “If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.” (John 15:18) Recently a brave young man, who took the STS training, was empowered by God to reach a very difficult people group. He was recently martyred for the Gospel of Christ. He leaves behind a wife and three children. Please pray for the family, friends, and those who committed this atrocity.
“Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints.” (Psalm 116:15)
Thank you for your prayers,
Andrea & The whole staff of STS & The God's Story Project (TGSP)
Executive Director