NAMPA, Idaho – Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF), a global ministry organization based in Nampa, is offering a workshop on presenting the Gospel using story telling. The training will be held October 23 – 27 at Central Valley Baptist Church in Meridian, Idaho. Three-day and five-day sessions are available.
“Seventy-five percent of the Bible is in story form. This is the way Jesus, the master storyteller, chose to teach—both the uneducated and the religious leaders alike,” said Regina Manley, MAF oral communications specialist and certified Simply the Story (STS) senior instructor. “Stories reach the heart! Workshop participants will learn how to use Bible stories to naturally engage their listeners in experiencing God’s Word for themselves.”
According to Manley, some 80 percent of the world’s population either do not read, or prefer to learn without written methods of communication. Even here in the USA, a strong preference for oral communication is expressed by the saying, “When all else fails, read the instructions!” The workshop presents ways to effectively connect with these oral learners.
“The workshop is very useful for anyone who wants to find new ways to teach and share God’s Word, be that on the mission field or with media-savvy teenagers in the U.S.” said Manley. “Some have found this brings family devotions alive. Others use STS to plant churches and train leaders, while others have become STS trainers themselves, multiplying their effectiveness.”
Workshop participants will learn to …
• Lead interactive, inductive Bible studies
• Tell fascinating, accurate Bible stories without using written materials
• Teach using interactive discussion
• Design questions that help listeners discover spiritual truths and personal applications
Those who attend the three-day session, held evenings and Saturday, will become certified STS Practitioners. Participants in the five-day “Leadership Workshop” will have additional opportunities to practice and develop their skills, and will obtain STS Provisional Instructor certification.
Manley has extensive knowledge and experience in the field of oral learning. She has presented oral strategies workshops in Brazil, Venezuela, India, Colombia, Lesotho, Sierra Leone, Thailand, Guatemala, Mexico, Costa Rica, and northern Africa. Manley also served 17 years as an MAF missionary in Ecuador.
The three-day session costs $50, and the five-day session costs $130. There is a discount for early registration. The fees cover materials as well as meals and snacks during the all-day sessions. The workshop will be held at Central Valley Baptist Church, 600 N Ten Mile Road in Meridian, Idaho. For more information or to register, visit www.maflt.org. If you have questions, please contact Regina Manley at 208-498-0781 or rmanley@maf.org.
