God's Story Recordings in Nigeria

In March a team of four God's Story specialists traveled to Nigeria to work with 13 teams to translate and record 13 languages of God's Story: From Creation to Eternity. We thank the Lord that 11 of those languages are completed and the other two languages are being translated. We plan to record the remaining two languages the next time our team returns to Nigeria. Sadly, some of the team members contracted malaria and another got typhoid, but we praise the Lord that they are better now. These heroes remind me of the spiritual battle many face to complete the God's Story program in their language.

Please continue to pray as we work diligently to complete God's Story in the languages of Africa, Asia and elsewhere. Nigeria alone has more than 520 languages.

Grandparents Have Experiences to Share 

Three of us recently traveled to Texas for the Legacy Grandparents Conference. What a blessed event! We met many grandparents looking to reach their grandchildren with the

Lord. They want a relationship. Some grandparents we met described having a strong, godly relationship with their children and their grandchildren, while others do not. Many grandparents loved the idea of doing the God's Story puzzle with their grandchildren and reading the stories from our Illustrated Children's Book that go with the puzzle. There are instructions for turning the completed puzzle into a Bible storytelling game. The game gives grandparents another opportunity to spend time in the Word with their grandchildren.

Our team told many Bible stories

throughout the two days of the conference. A woman volunteer from the church that hosted the conference heard the storm story from Mark chapter 4. She was so impacted by that story that she returned to our table the next day and excitedly shared, "I can't stop thinking about that story! I told it to my husband. I went to sleep thinking about it. I woke up thinking about it. And I'm seeing new things I've never seen in that story before."

Please pray for us as we follow up with contacts we made at the conference.

Leaders Gather in East Africa

We thank the Lord that our Simply The Story Comprehensive Leadership Training (CLT) is taking place again this year in East Africa. At a CLT, leaders from multiple countries gather together to deepen their skills for training others in the STS oral inductive Bible study method. This month people from Sudan, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, and several other African countries are meeting to grow in their skills, dig deep into the Bible, and become better equipped to share the Bible with others.

The Comprehensive Leadership Trainings from past years have resulted in building up teams in various countries that are able to conduct STS trainings without outside help. The loving fellowship that takes place during the CLT not only creates ownership of the STS method, it strengthens the bonds of the teams throughout the region. The leaders are strengthened in their faith and they grow in their sense of responsibility to hear and obey the Word of God.

Please pray for the CLT. Pray that the Word of God transforms the hearts and minds of each participant. That they grow in the Lord, and also that everyone remains healthy during their time together.

Brazil, YWAM and Two Months!

 

Over the past few years teams, of STS trainers have been traveling to Brazil to train many people at several of the YWAM (Youth With A Mission) bases. The results have been astounding! You can read about some of the exciting results in our Prayer & Praise Reports from the past year on our website.

We have a very special opportunity for two of our instructors to work with YWAM in Brazil for a few months. They will train many of the people at several YWAM bases in the Simply The Story process. Along with teaching the Bible study and storytelling process, they will also teach how to use STS in day- to-day activities and outreach. The ultimate goal is to raise instructors at the various bases so that leaders in YWAM can begin to train their own people in STS.

Please pray for our team to stay healthy and for wisdom to know the best schedule and process to raise leaders in STS.

Dr. Larry Dinkins Shares about Orality

Dr. Larry Dinkins, a longtime STS instructor and Operation Mobilization missionary to Thailand, was interviewed about the need for oral teaching methods and how ministries like Simply The Story are meeting this need. Click here to hear Larry explain why stories are such a powerful tool for reaching the world.

Online Bible Studies Raise Leaders in Central Asia

Daisy, an STS Lead Instructor in Central Asia, has been meeting online with a woman she met at a conference this past winter. During these online sessions, Daisy has been training this woman in STS. Between their sessions, this woman shares the Bible story they studied with two or three groups of believers she meets with regularly.

Daisy also leads a couple of small online groups, training them with STS. A woman in one of the groups became so skilled that Daisy handed off the leadership of the group to her.

Another of Daisy's groups is a gathering of Mugat women (Central Asian "gypsies"). The Mugat are an unreached minority people group among whom God has started to powerfully move.

Several years ago we completed God's Story in the Mugat language. This is the only piece of biblical material in the Mugat language. A translation of the Bible has not yet been started among these people.

Praise God with us for how He is using Daisy to share His Word and to train others to do the same.

God's Word Impacts the Rural Philippines

A letter came to our office recently about Megavoice solar audio players carried to the Philippines. We praise God for his goodness.

They wrote, “Thank you all for your help to get these players made! They are being put to good use in rural Philippines!”

The pastor who led the mission trip to the Philippines shared that Anna, a school principal for over 100 tribal kids, came to her Christian school just to know Christ and get a high school education. The solar players provided the perfect fit for her students who don't know how to read. Anna was overjoyed to receive the solar players.

Pray for Anna as the principal, and pray also for these students to grow in their faith.

Upcoming Workshops in the USA

We have several trainings coming up throughout the USA. Click here to visit our website to see all the details.

• Lexington, Kentucky, Friday-Sunday, May 1-3, Foundational training
• Lexington, Kentucky, June 25-27, Advanced training
• Warsaw, Indiana, July 8-11, Foundational training
• West Bend, Wisconsin, July 15-18, Foundational training
• Starting September 2026, an 8-session, weekly Online STS Ministry That Multiplies training
• Hemet, California, January 18-22, 2027, Advanced training
• Hemet, California, January 25-29, 2027, Full In-Depth or 3-day Foundational training We would love to see you at any of these training

If these times don’t work for you, consider hosting a workshop at your church. With a minimum of six people ready to learn STS, you can have a workshop. Click here or call our office to learn about hosting a training in your location.

New God's Story Visuals

As we work to update the visuals of the God's Story video, we need your help. Our final samples are ready for feedback. The audio of God's Story remains powerful. However, the visuals have become outdated. To keep God’s Story: From Creation to Eternity a powerful tool for sharing the gospel for the years to come, we are updating the visuals. Please take a few minutes to watch the short 20-second samples and share your thoughts. We are gathering input from all ages, various backgrounds, and different countries, so feel free to share the survey link with anyone you would like.

Click here to see samples and share your feedback.

God has provided nearly half of the funds needed to redo the visuals. If the Lord leads you to donate towards this project, please click below to donate on line.

The Word of God Touches Those Who Listen

What happens in Papua New Guinea (PNG) when a well-trained STS storyteller gets a wonderful opportunity to lead Bible discussion with a group of people? This leads to a powerful testimony of God’s presence.

After a time of worship, an experienced STS storyteller, with the help of a local translator, began to tell the “Jars of Oil” story from 2 Kings 4. The local families and mission workers were captivated. Children participated as well. One six-year-old girl gave a profound answer from a question about the story that amazed the adults in the crowd. After hearing how STS is used as a witnessing tool in prisons, one of the key evangelism leaders was visibly impacted by the power of God’s Word shared in this way.

As they say in infomercials, “But wait, there’s more!”  People in PNG were so excited, they invited us to come and train them in Simply The Story. A team of skilled instructors traveled half way around the world last month. They just returned with incredible reports!

One instructor wrote that the students quickly mastered the STS process. A pastor from a nearby Island asked the instructors to say hello and give a word during the Sunday service just prior to the training. This instructor shared a brief testimony of how she had given her Bible to a security guard after sharing with him the story of Zacchaeus using our 5-minute conversational model of STS. She then told the congregation the short part of the Zacchaeus story that she told the security guard.

The Pastor continued with his own message that Sunday. The instructor heard him mention in Tok Pisin the name of Zacchaeus at least 4 times during the sermon. After hearing how powerful even a short part of a Bible story can be, the pastor changed his plans for the week and attended the workshop.  

During the workshop, the pastor shared that he and his village talked about that Zacchaeus story all Sunday afternoon. He said he also told the Zacchaeus story to a group of children and youth ages 7 to 15 years old. The pastor continued to be amazed that just a small part of Scripture, along with discussion, could be so impactful on a person’s heart.

The pastor continued sharing how much he loved STS and that he could easily see how this method would bless his community even more than “him bringing all the treasures he had found!”

In our workshops, we teach how to present epistles using the STS method. When a “story” from James 1 was presented, a young man was deeply impacted. He confessed before the whole group his own lack of hearing the Word, then not doing the right thing.

Near the end of our workshops, we also have the students act out stories as dramas. The Holy Spirit spoke to many people who watched God’s Word acted out.  The instructor said, "The power is in God’s Word. We can trust just the Word to do the work in people’s hearts."

Praise God for those who received the training in PNG; pray that the Lord would strengthen them and that much fruit would be borne from their time in the Bible and the uses of Scripture with others.

The Real Gospel Dispels the Fake

What happens when some pastors in Africa are teaching wrong doctrine? There are a few transactional Gospels permeating some teachings in African churches. Well-meaning pastors who are not rooted in the Bible and who often learn what they teach from YouTube, Podcasts, TV or radio, are teaching that something must be done (a transaction must take place) in order for a person to be right with God. Church members follow these leaders!

This leads to personality cults and feeds the ME’isms, or as a friend says, "It's all about me, Lord."  After a conversation with our East Africa Director about this, I was greatly encouraged that the Word of God is fixing the problem! (Hear the 3 part series on www.HeartPocket.org or here https://heartpocket.libsyn.com/hpp0372-false-gospels). As a result of pastors learning the STS process and applying it to Scripture, many have commented that they knew that what was happening was wrong, but they did not know how to correct the issues. Now in one region there are four STS Oral Bible Schools started that include mostly pastors and other church leaders. They respond by saying, "This is what we have been missing."

Praise the Lord for the humility of these pastors and leaders who are willing to listen to the Lord and His Word. Pray for their growth and their leadership of the people.

New God's Story Languages Recorded and Premiered

We praise the Lord for 12 new languages of God's Story recorded in Nigeria and the premiere of the Aja language. Pray for these new God’s Story videos to have impacts in Nigeria and Togo.

What a blessing to see the translators dancing with joy as they celebrated the completed recording of their language!

Pray for these people groups to have hearts open to the God’s Word and also for the production and final checks of these languages.

Youth With A Mission in Brazil Impacted!

After our team finished training at three YWAM (Youth With A Mission) bases throughout Brazil, the instructors reported that our partnership with YWAM continues to grow. Many of the YWAM students are using what they have learned to reach the lost and have also mentioned that their quiet times have been impacted for the better. Here are a few reports from our instructor.

A pastor’s son loved the training so much that he videoed himself telling a Bible story to share with his family. A few weeks later he shared this video via text with his church and wrote the following, “Today I had a break from YWAM. I came to my church to tell a story about STS... it was great…. I want to thank you for teaching. Thank you 🙏🏻"

A pastor’s daughter said she believes every Christian should learn Simply The Story. ”It transforms how you read God’s Word.  It takes you from just going through the motions routinely of reading the Bible to falling in love with God’s Word.“

One instructor wrote, “Thursday during the training we taught on how to tell Bible stories in a conversational way, but we didn’t take the time to go out and practice on the street like we typically do during a training. That evening, three groups of girls got Ubers to go watch the guys play soccer.  All three Uber drivers heard Bible stories…”

What a testimony to the empowering effect and training STS has on people to share the Living Truth.

As our instructors raise leaders and more trainers in Brazil, our instructor shared this report. “In Sao Paulo it was a huge blessing to see many Brazilians willing and prepared to help teach and take on more responsibilities. Several came to help teach the following week in Curitiba at their own expense.  God is continuing to raise up more Brazilians who have a desire and calling to help teach STS.” 

Praise the Lord that people have gone beyond owning the Bible stories for themselves and see the multiplication value of raising others.

One YWAM base has a baking school for YWAM students and people from the community. The leader of the baking school decided to start a Bible story time during the class. This created an opportunity for those who took the STS training to share a Bible story and for the people in the community to hear God's Word. Praise God for wonderful and creative ideas. Pray for the community attending these classes to find Jesus.

 

Puzzles are Here!

 

We are thrilled at how amazing our new God's Story puzzle looks! Gorgeous pictures from God’s Story: From Creation to Eternity woven together show the progress from creation to eternity in this 100 piece puzzle. The completed puzzle becomes the game board for our Bible story telling game. 

 

The God’s Story Christmas Special, including a puzzle, the God’s Story Illustrated Children's Book, and your choice of the audio or video of God’s Story: From Creation to Eternity makes an ideal gift for children and adults, and is a great way to have Bible discussion. https://oralbibleresources.com/shopcart/

Self Sufficient in Africa?!

 

For the past several years we have been raising leaders from various countries in Africa at our Comprehensive Leadership Training. Part of the training includes casting the vision for breaking financial dependence on western donors. We praise the Lord as our leaders in Zambia have moved in this direction. Please pray for these leaders as they pursue the right projects to provide for their families and ministries. They have a vision to train people in STS throughout the whole country of Zambia and beyond and are dependent on us to help fund their travels. 

Brave Soldiers Defy Persecution

The number of new believers in the persecuted parts of Africa has dramatically risen to more than 2000.  Please pray for these young Christians as they face persecution and death every time they share the Gospel.  A number of these believers are currently on the move to more countries and on a quest to reach all of their region in the North. 

We are a partner supported ministry. Thank you to all our praying, ministry, and donor partners. May the Lord bless your Christmas and New Years with friends and family.

Andrea & The whole staff of The God's Story Project (TGSP)

Executive Director