History of God's Story
In 1992 Norm McGary, a former lead illustrator for Disney and Hanna-Barbera Studios, drew 12 pictures to help him share the Gospel with his mother. He showed his work to his pastor, Chris Johnson. Pastor Johnson liked what he saw and took Norm to a movie producer who lived near Tom and Dorothy Miller, in Hemet, California.
The producer, Pat Matrisciana, told Norm they would need more pictures, but he’d see what could be done. Knowing Dorothy Miller was a writer, the producer asked her what she thought they could do with the pictures. Miller possessed writing expertise and twenty-five years experience in chronological Bible teaching. Pat commissioned Dorothy to be the script writer and head of the project. Dorothy joined a team from Jeremiah Films to produce a full-length film which came to be God’s Story: From Creation to Eternity which is a storytelling overview of the Bible.
This 80-minute film covers Genesis to Revelation. God’s Story was released in 1996. The Lord provided the perfect narrator for the English version in the person of Dean Jones, renowned Disney actor who acted in Herbie – The Love Bug and many other movies. Dean was a dedicated Christian. Jones' multiple voice-characterizations set a splendid standard for the many narrators who would be recording God's Story in other languages.
Dorothy was used to writing books, so she wrote the script for one person to narrate the entire story, without thought to the significance of that decision.
Led by the Lord, this single-narrator format made it easier for people to remember and to repeat the stories in God’s Story to others. Having only one narrator has also allowed for easier translation and recording into new languages. Dorothy’s experience leading small group Bible studies helped her understand the importance of teaching chronologically through the Scriptures. She took these major stories: creation, fall, Cain and Abel, Noah, Tower of Babel, Abram and Sarai, Abraham’s sacrifice of Isaac, the Exodus, 10 commandments, the Prophets, Jesus’ birth, life, death, resurrection, and the time to come, and wove them together in this meta-narrative.
God continues to use this chronological layout of the Bible to powerfully impact Christians and non-Christians alike. As of 2021, God’s Story: From Creation to Eternity has been translated into more than 410 languages.
Simply The Story is Born
Over the years, reports from the field flooded the The God’s Story Project (TGSP) office: letters, emails, phone calls and visits. People asked for more of the Bible; they wanted the Word with deep teaching. In 2003, Dorothy attended the first conference of what would become the International Orality Network (ION). She went mainly to let people know about God’s Story.
During the conference, Avery is shared a Bible story. Before Avery began the story, he said, “I don’t want you to open your Bibles. I would like you just to listen as I tell the story.” Dorothy was surprised, but out of respect kept her Bible closed. She listened to Avery tell an Old Testament story she knew well. When she heard him make a “mistake” she opened her Bible, which was on her lap and partially hidden by the table, turned to the passage and discovered he was right!
In the many times of reading this story, she had missed several small, but meaningful, details. By just listening to a story told with expression, the told story had taught and touched her. She realized that the telling of Bible stories could be very important for “those people,” for those overseas who could not read.
After this experience Dorothy decided to put recorded Bible stories on the Megavoice players along with God's Story: From Creation to Eternity. After discovering that very few recorded Bible stories were available in the languages of God’s Story, TGSP decided they would have to do their own recordings.
Dorothy chose to have some TGSP leaders record the stories, but before having the leaders record, it seemed wise to make certain that pure stories would be recorded. The leaders were each assigned a short Bible story to learn. Dorothy then asked them to tell her the story on the phone. She reminded them, “just tell one story, don’t add anything and don’t leave anything out." All eight failed the test. They told only the high points of the story, they added information from other Bible stories, they embellished and they preached.
She said to one of those leaders, "I asked you to tell only the story." He responded, "I did, mum. I told the story." She said, “You preached, left out parts, and added other Scripture!” Dorothy then told him the pure story. Afterwards he exclaimed, "Oh! You mean simply the story!"
In September 2006 God led Dorothy to launch Simply The Story. The Simply The Story process is best described as “inductive Bible study, oral style.” Built on the foundation of “storying,” STS teaches the skill of discovery and teaching through questions.
STS instructors now impart these skills to both literate and non-literate learners globally. On December 9, 2014, Dorothy Miller went to be with the Lord, but not before discipling many in God’s Word, raising leaders, and leading a movement that instilled a passion for the Bible in many countries.
After Dorothy’s passing, Andrea, Dorothy’s “right hand” from the early years of God’s Story, stepped in to lead the organization. Andrea is an example of how Dorothy poured her life into others, raising them up to serve the Lord and carry on. As of 2021 STS training has been conducted in more than 130 countries, raised 63 senior instructors (those who can raise instructors), and more than 9,000 people have received some form of instructor training.