It is a good kind of weary but weary nonetheless. 2 weeks of class and a weekend of teaching squeezed in between. But - I am sitting here now trying to process what has been an amazing run!
Most of you will not be able to appreciate what I am about to share.
Some of you have experienced the Bible Story Telling, either on one of your trips to Belize or on one of our trips back to the U.S. So you will have some idea what I am sharing here.
A few of you have seen this being shared in direct ministry context. YOU will be the most blessed by what I am about to share.
In fact, I face a dilemma right now. The trouble with sharing this is that if you have not experienced Bible Story Telling, you won't really 'get it'. So, some of the impact and the wonder will be lost on you - but let me share anyhow, hoping that it will intrigue you enough to want to learn more.
Bible Story Telling is a system of discovering the treasures that are in the Bible for us to find.
It is simple. It is practical. It is POWERFUL.
It is so simple, even in its name, that many people do not give it a chance, until they experience it firsthand, THEN they are amazed!!
We saw that here in Belize this week, not only in class, but also as one of the students taught a Bible Story Telling session to a visiting Youth Group from Florida. They were astonished that the discoveries they were making from just 5 short verses took them nearly an hour! The time flew by so quickly that they did not realize it. (This always happens!) They also were aware that there were many more discoveries to make still !
The pastors who came to this 2 week class were a diverse group. They came at my invitation to an "experiment". From their responses at the end of these 2 weeks, I can only determine that the experiment was a HUGE success !
In short, we spent each day digging into one Bible Story after another, learning them by heart in order to repeat each story without reading it. Then, working together, as a group to search for treasures in each story. This simple process is the key to this amazing system. Seeking treasures, as if walking slowly down a path, makes each story COME ALIVE!
Without going into all the details right now, let me just share some of their thoughts with you.
"I have been praying for the last 3 months for God to lay it on Pastor Ray's heart to teach us this Bible Story Telling. I am very excited that I learned this and I will use it in my church this Sunday." (This from a pastor who did not know I was thinking about doing this - nor did I know that he was praying such a prayer! Oh, and guess when I started planning it? 3 months ago! Yeah God!!)
After the first week, a new pastor spoke up and said, 'Before when I preach, some of the people hang their heads like they are not listening or they are bored, but now they sit up with their eyes wide open! And 2 young men now want to come to the class!'
One shared a Bible Story at a bus stop where 9 people were waiting for the bus. They all got excited and wanted to learn more!
One dear older pastor who cannot read or write shared how grateful he was for this. (You can learn it without knowing how to read or write.) He feels this was made just for him. He wants his whole church to experience it.
One lady shared that she had a heavy heart now that she learned from Malachi that God would rather have the church doors shut because of unacceptable worship and how God would move on to other nations that honored His Name. She prayed - through the night - that Belize would be a nation that honored God's Name!
Several shared that they sense that God will use the Bible Story Telling to spread across Belize and really make a big, big difference in their people, especially because it can be done in their own languages. (More on this later...)
Still another veteran pastor said: "I am going to teach this in my church and send people out 2 by 2 to teach it throughout the village and in other villages. We are excited to go home and use this!"
Personally, I was driven to tears and humbled by the raw vulnerability and heartfelt words shared by so many who were here. I told them that I grew to respect every one of them in new ways after seeing their hearts so clearly.
They all agreed that they want to do a class like this for one week every month!
THAT - is encouraging, AND challenging. The funding for these 2 weeks came by a special gift from some who had experienced the power of this amazing system.
I believe that this model will revolutionize pastoral training, not only here in Belize, but "Beyond Belize" as well. I have not in the past, requested help for projects here but this is SO POWERFUL in the lives of these pastors that I cannot help but do all I can to meet their request.
I am willing to make the time to teach them and literally, pour myself and this system into their lives. Would you be willing to help? Would you be willing to give to support their training? We worked hard to keep costs low yet the reality is that we needed to help with transportation, food and lodging in order to make the week happen.
We discovered that it cost a least $75 US per week per pastor to run this Bible Story Telling School.
The first 2 week Introductory Course just ended today. Would you help us make sure their wish for an ongoing school does not end? God bless you as you search your heart.
Write us for details on how you can help.
Blessed, blessed, blessed...
Ray & Becki
