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Prayer & Praise Report #6, October-November 2022
Sharing Our Faith…Easy?
During our trainings, we teach how easy it is to have a discussion over the Word of God with strangers. We discuss the impact Bible stories can have on the people we meet. However, not until we take our trainees out on the street do they discover for themselves that sharing their faith and witnessing to God’s goodness is easier than they thought.
Recently an instructor shared that when showing a friend around her city, she took the opportunity to share Bible stories with people they met along the way. At the end of their time together, her friend said, “You have shown me how easy it is to do 5 minute stories with people.“
This same instructor also uses her storytelling skills when she gets those pesky spam sales calls. One afternoon a salesman called. Our friend asked if she could share a Bible story with him. He said yes. At the end of the Bible story, the salesman said, “wow that’s impressive. I like that!”
Thankfully, our instructor did not end there. She told the caller, “I have lots of stories. If you want more, just give me a call.” How about that as the end of a spam call!
Martha, Mary & Life Impact
The impact of the Martha & Mary story from Luke 10:38-42 continues to reverberate through the hearts of many! Recently one of our leaders in India shared this Bible story with other ministry leaders at a workshop. When discussing the application of the story in their lives, many of these ministry leaders were crying and asking the Lord for forgiveness. They shared that, like Martha, while they love the Lord, they also had been complaining to the same Lord they love!
God's Story Languages Update
We recently finished a specialized workshop to raise other God's Story language leaders. Many requests to record languages remain. As a result, we are focused on developing the African team that oversees the process of God's Story from inception to final checks.
We praise the Lord for the Moba Mual language premier. Many people received copies of God's Story: From Creation to Eternity on solar audio players, DVDs, microSD cards and more. Pray for the Word of God to move swiftly among the people.
One of our leaders recently traveled to Central Asia where he completed the translation of a Central Asian “gypsy” language. This people group does not have the Bible or any other Christian materials in their heart language; God’s Story will be the first. Our leader hopes to return to Central Asia in the spring, to record this language. Please pray for the completion of this and a second Central Asian language that has run into some challenges.
STS Training Updates
We had many trainings happening globally over the past couple of months. One training in Lancaster, PA, greatly impacted the instructors. One instructor shared, “People started using STS from the get-go. I’ve never had people complain that they needed more than 2 hours on the streets telling Bible stories!” Many of the attendees in this highly oral society testified of their difficulties coming out of the Amish and Anabaptist backgrounds and learning to trust God's Word. They were greatly encouraged to have God’s Word in their hearts.
There is revival among the Amish! Praise the Lord. The STS training equipped them well to reach their community and for their ministry among refugees. Listen to Heart Pocket Podcasts 219 thru 221 in December (www.HeartPocket.org) to hear about their ministry and what God is doing among the Amish and how they plan to use STS among Muslim refugees during an upcoming festival.
God’s goodness was evident during out Comprehensive Leadership Training in Kenya. Representatives from Rwanda, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Kenya, Zambia, and Ghana continued developing their STS skills. One pastor told our instructor, "Never have we interacted with Scripture that deeply and now we are able to multiply.”
STS Training, Oral Bible Schools, and God's Story showings continue in earnest throughout the refugee camps in Uganda and Kenya. One leader recently wrote, "After presenting Bible story of Abram and Sarai going to Egypt (Genesis 12:10-20), we distributed food to this area that was … contributed by local churches in Kalobeyei under our fellowship … for the Turkana. There is Hunger all over the county. More prayers and aid is needed."
Prisoner Praises God
Recently a prisoner that attended a STS training shared, "Thanks, the story of Paul in prison touched me so much. That he still didn’t lose his purpose of preaching in prison. I had lost hope but Paul’s story ignited my hope again."
What's Next?
Please pray for upcoming trainings in Kentucky (January) and Israel (February), and for our story-centered specialized tour of Israel following the training there.
Our leader in India travels this month to record God's Story, raise leaders, and continue STS workshops.
The work in Singapore grows! We thank the Lord for those hearts open to see God's Hand at work in their country. We are working on both advanced and regular STS training dates in 2023 for this region.
Over the past few years we have been working among the Chineze. Please pray for Chin_a as our leaders continue to hand off the skills to rightly divide the Word of God and for those who have grown in their walk with the Lord Jesus.
Christmas Encouragement
One storyteller said, "Merry Christmas" to a man putting his groceries in his car and asked if he knew much about the real Christmas.
"No" he answered, "except that it’s Dec 25."
The man did not have time for a Bible story but agreed to read Luke Chapter 1 and Matthew 1 and 2. The storyteller encouraged him to see what he would learn about God and Jesus and the real Christmas. The man said, "I will read them tonight."
There are many gifts given during the Christmas holiday. What if we left people with the greatest gift of all? No matter what we know or don't know, we can always help guide people to the birth of Jesus in Scripture like this storyteller.
The Power of a Clock - The Real Tik Tok
During a meeting in Asia, our leader gave people clocks for Christmas. I asked why a clock? He shared, “Time is running and goes without your permission, like our breath and our heart. The clock tells us we're closer to heaven. What are we doing with our time?"
Thank you all for your prayers and support. Merry Christmas and have a blessed New Year.
Andrea & The whole staff of The God's Story Project (TGSP)
Executive Director