Trying To Keep Up
In the first four years since its beginning, multiple Simply The Story workshops were held in 56 countries! [Note we keep the list below current, so you will now see more than 56!] Also, people, who served in other countries, traveled to one of these 56 to attend workshops, so that they could carry STS concepts back with them.
Those working in other countries increased to 76 the number of countries where people were using STS to minister.
Based on field reports and typical replication of STS, we conservatively estimated that, after that first four year span, 300,000 people were using STS principles in ministry.
Certified STS instructors now span the globe, and 22 training centers spread over all six populated continents.
How Does This Happen?
As with other movements of God, people plant, God gives the increase.
In our initial testing of Simply The Story, we presented the concept to our leaders in The God’s Story Project in USA, Asia, Africa, and India. These leaders had previously partnered with TGSP to produce multiple language versions of God Story: From Creation to Eternity. They heartily embraced STS.
Then, to launch Simply The Story, we made a five-country, 42-day, 20-seminar trip. We trained Christian leaders in the STS way of using pure and complete Bible stories, and of doing interactive, inductive Bible study, oral style. After experiencing STS, many of these leaders immediately included leading STS workshops as a part of their God-given ministry assignments.
Since that time, these leaders have attempted to respond to the huge interest generated by those inaugural Simply the Story workshops.
Almost none of these leaders are financially supported by TGSP. A few key country leaders do receive travel money, as needed, when STS is planted in new regions and countries.
First Disciples … Then Disciplers
We discovered that those who attended these workshops immediately began using STS concepts in ministry and in the training of others. Within the first two years, due to the design of training and certifying of instructors that developed and the replicability of STS, we saw these results:
1. Workshop attendees understood Scripture for themselves.
2. Attendees spontaneously began productive evangelization and discipleship.
3. Workshop attendees learned how to train others.
4. Those they trained began to train yet others. (see Multiple Generations)
Some of the countries where STS workshops have been held (or from which leaders have come out to attend workshops):
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