Discipleship and Church Planting
Praise & Prayer Report #3, April-May, 2025
Great Stuff!
We recently completed a Simply The Story training in Uganda and the results were outstanding. Several of the students received MegaVoice audio players with God’s Story and the Bible in their language. Tears streamed down faces as people heard the Bible in their heart language. The instructor asked one girl if everything was ok, she said, “My mom is blind, and she’s wanted a talking Bible for years. Can I give this to her?” Of course, the instructor said yes.
Our team always gets excited to hear feedback from the workshops. Here is some of what the trainees shared:
"I would suggest that the time of the workshop is increased." Everyone loved the training that several people asked for more time!
"I would like you to continue spreading this to all countries. It's really understandable."
"The workshop was very useful to me and to the people. It simplifies discipleship and evangelism. Telling the story does not make the congregation go to sleep and … [instead people participate and puts] God's word on their hearts permanently."
"I liked the teamwork by the instructors, and the love they showcased to us while during the entire course."
"Assuredly this has been really interesting, inspiring and motivating on ways of understanding Bible stories and truth."
Those trained plan to use what they learned in children's ministries, discipleship, evangelism, home, school, church, and elsewhere.
Please pray as our team’s follow-up to raise instructors in this region of Uganda.
Evangelism in Central Asia?
What happens when an instructor is asked to teach on marriage in Central Asia? There’s a real need in Central Asia for marriage help. After some brief research, we learned that the divorce rate is higher there than in the USA. Even Muslims are seeking marriage help from Christians.
One of our instructors was asked to lead a marriage seminar. While there he also conducted a one-day STS evangelism training. As part of the training the group went out to tell Bible stories on the street. A former Muslim, our instructor, and the host went to a local restaurant. It turned out that everyone in training went to the same restaurant. Seeing this, the instructor assumed there wouldn’t be enough opportunities for people to do stories. Was he wrong!
Everyone returned to the training center after lunch with testimonies of success. Every person shared a Bible story with someone. Only the instructor and host did not share a story. People said they had been so scared to share and yet this method of telling Bible stories was so easy. Two days later our instructor received an email from the pastor saying, “Our people were impacted more than anything they’ve ever done … we want you to come and do a full workshop.”
Eighteen months ago, we entered into a partnership with Grow Mongolia, a ministry focused on evangelism, discipleship, and prayer in and for Mongolia. Throughout this time, leaders from Grow Mongolia learned STS and have become instructors in their own right. Last week Grow Mongolia leaders led their first solo STS workshop without help from outside STS instructors. Workshops in Mongolia have now been held in 4 different regions of the country. In September we plan to return to Mongolia to deepen the skills of the Mongolian leaders even further through advanced training. We will then coach them as they lead a workshop in yet another region of the country.
Homeless Disciples?
One instructor shared that 80 people accepted Christ when going door to door and during public meetings at night showing God’s Story. He called them lost sheep and did the Prodigal Son story.
However, our instructor reported that the Church in the area does not want to disciple those people. He stated, “The church said they cannot come and do bad things in the church. Yet these people decided to be good people and follow Jesus.” Prior to God’s Story the people called Jesus ‘the White people’s god’ and so the people followed their own gods as animists. Now this instructor has been discipling these new believers using both God’s Story and Simply The Story.
Reaching the Downtrodden.
On occasion I get the chance to join an STS training. When the opportunity to join the Oklahoma City training arose, I jumped at the chance. This incredible time did not disappoint. Pastor Greene serves his church in Oklahoma City. While his size could seem daunting, his heart exceeds his former offensive lineman frame. Pastor Greene and several in the congregation are reaching people who suffer from PTSD, those who want freedom from drugs and alcohol, and others who are downtrodden.
Pastor Greene saw the value of integrating Simply The Story into their ongoing outreach. Bible stories with discussion, open people to hearing Truth and discovering solutions to their very real struggles. We continue working with the church to help further their skills.
Souls Saved in India
India has become a difficult place to share the Truth of Jesus Christ. Although some men seek to stop God's Word from going forth, many are finding Jesus and are spiritually changed. Recently, 47 people who came to faith as a result of storytelling outreach practice during an STS workshop were baptized.
Several Bible schools in India are also integrating STS into their curriculums.
Teams are recording the 52 Bible stories we use in our workshops. They have finished more than 25 languages.
In another area of India, a trained STS storyteller wrote that more than 100 children came to a camp. After the storytelling, many children shared with the storyteller what they learned from the story of Zacchaeus. Several shared that Jesus would take away their sin and many repented. More than 100 children received Christ!
Praise the Lord! Pray for the many STS team members who are training people, recording Bible stories, and overseeing the STS Oral Bible Schools. Pray also for the teams in India who are teaching children.
Thank you all for praying for our leaders, the trainings, languages, and the ministry. Thank you also for the gracious donations that help us get the Word of God out.
Andrea Miller
Executive Director
The God's Story Project (TGSP) & Simply The Story