Power outage leads to great storying

Last night was a rainy night. Only 12 people showed up for the prayer meeting, there are usually around 30. My wife and son stayed at home. He’s had a fever for three days.

We began the church service telling stories of God’s work in our lives. After about 15 minutes the power went out and we were in the dark. As we ended the testimony time, Ronis is picked up a guitar and began to play. We sang praises for a good while. Then someone said, “Steve, tell the Bible story!”

Our eyes had adjusted to the darkness enough to see silhouettes. There wasn’t enough light to see faces, much less to read. So, I began. “This is a story from Luke 14.”

I told the story as it is in the Bible. When I finished. I helped the group to piece the story back together. We ended up telling the whole passage again as a group. What followed was about 15 minutes of conversation about that passage of the Bible.

When we were done, we broke up in to groups of 3 to 4 people and prayed for one another, as we always do. After about 20 minutes of praying together, we were all surprised by the return of the lights.

When we finished, one man told me, “We spent the whole time in the dark, but I never saw the scripture so well as I did tonight. I won’t forget this.”

New blog announcement

I have started a new blog called Beyond Outreach. Please go check it out.

http://beyondoutreach.blogspot.com

This current blog, Chronological Bible Storying will continue. I’ve been slow lately with the updates, but that is just a reflection of what’s going on in our lives right now. Lot’s of medical issues with family and it’s just eating up a lot of our time. The updates will come. God bless.

Telling a Psalm

I was challenged recently at a Simply the Story workshop to also use the psalms in bible storying. The Psalms are quite different than stories and harder to learn and teach, but they are part of God’s word and they stick just like stories do. There is something very memorable and comforting in the way the Psalms re-tell the acts of God and announce the character of God. Sometimes you can connect a Psalm to another story of Scripture and open its meaning even further.

Sunday I was a guest speaker at another traditional church in the big city. I decided to try using Psalm 90 and 91 for the two services.

Psalm 90 is a prayer of Moses and is connected to the time when the Israelite men were denied entry into the Promised Land for the rest of their lives because of their rejection of God’s command to enter. The 40 years that they wandered in the desert wilderness were the years where this prayer has it’s initial context. I prayed this Psalm then told chapter 14 of Numbers. We then learned many things from Psalm 90.

Psalm 91 is a psalm about the Lord’s faithful protection of the godly and how he delivers them from dangers of war and plague. They do not suffer the wrath of God like the disobedient do. This was the psalm that the Devil used to tempt Jesus to throw himself from the top of the temple in Luke 4. I told this story after the psalm, so that we could learn from how Satan tried to misapply the promise of God and how Jesus applied it correctly.

Preparing psalms takes more time than stories, and to be honest, I did not use the STS method this time out, but am anxious to do that in a small group soon.

Busy Days

Today I took my mother-in-law to the hospital to stay for a week of chemotherapy. This will be followed by 7 weeks of radiation therapy and another week or chemo.

Earlier in the week when we were at the hospital, we saw friends of ours from the small town. Our friend who had breast cancer a few years ago now has cancer in her liver and lupus. She just found out.

We spent the day in the small town at their house on saturday. It was the first time I’ve been to the small town since returning from the US trip. I told John 9 to she and her family and we talked about what it means for God to show is power and glory in someone’s life, even through sickness. Pray for her. Leia is her name. She has 3 children.

First Post using Windows Live Writer

The updates to this blog have been slow since my trip to the US. I’ve been back in Brazil for nearly a month now and have not been to the small town (Though I have made contact by phone) and I have not been to the highway that leads to the dirt roads.

Getting back into the rhythm is really going to happen when two things happen. First, if I can confirm a helper to go with me on a certain day of the week. Second, what some upcoming hospital time in my family is going to mean for my availability to go.

Keep watching here for updates.

The Dirt Roads Project

Here I am, back in Brazil and ready to go. The trip to the US was wonderful and much needed. Sorry for the delays in blogging. Like I said, now its back to work. So here we go....

Between the big city and the small town is a winding highway that takes about an hour to cross. Along the way there are little roads that shoot off to the left and right. A few months ago, I drove down one of these dirt roads for about 20 minutes and came to a place where there were 3 houses. It's not a city, not a village, and maybe not even an arraial.

There are a number of these little unmapped dirt roads and at the ends of them are little communities. This year we want to bring the gospel to the communities at the end of these dirt roads.

Pray for us as we initiate work with teams from our church to reach these communities. We will be doing some workshops and seminars, as well as mentoring. If you would like to partner with us in prayer, send an email or look me up on facebook. Stephen M Young II.

USA trip

My family and I have been in the USA for a couple of weeks and participating in a number of things. Last week we went to a Bible conference in Mansfield, LA. Southside Baptist Church paid our trip. Bro Larry invited us last year when he came to Brazil and visited our home. While there I had the opportunity to speak at Grand Cane Baptist Church as well.

This weekend I will be leading a 3-day revival at Bayou Rouge Baptist Church in Evergreen, LA. We are looking forward to what God will do with that.

In a couple of weeks I will be going to Allen, TX for training and to train others in orality and church planting at a Simply the Story workshop.

I will return to Brazil on June 30th. Keep us in your prayers.

Almost...

Just want to put up a quick post and apologize for the lack of updates lately. We've been dealing with some health issues in the family and some other logistical problems. Leading up to Easter and following I told the passion narrative and many resurrection stories.

This year I really keyed in on John 14 and 15 with the Christian groups. I believe that all of us understand the resurrection a little better now.

I've been studying through some of the essentials in creating small reproductive churches and have learned that much of what decides whether a group will EVER become an autonomous church or remain a leader-dependent bible study happens in the first 2 or 3 meetings. We've begun dozens of groups. Many of those groups produced new Christians, but none of them have become a church.

Some of the most recent groups have been nearest misses. They have produced the most obedient Christians and the ones who learn the scriptures the best. Still, no church.

We are going to make some small but significant changes as we begin the next few groups. Hopefully I can post how that process works as we get going. Of course, no real names and no real addresses.

"What did he do?" (a long post)

Last night, in the small town, I was visiting the store of a merchant friend of mine. He'd gone to the city and so I spoke with his wife. I've shared with this family a number of times, but they have not given themselves completely over to God. The woman told me that she has been reading the Bible each morning, usually Psalm 4 or 5. We began to talk about what it means to present yourself to God and pray, as mentioned in Psalm 5.

When she said she never asks God for anything, just thanks him for what she has, I told her that the only time I remember someone praying to God and not asking for something was the prayer of the Pharisee. She didn't know what I meant, so I told her the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector.

When she asked what she could pray for when she has everything... money family a good home... I told her she could pray for spiritual things. I then told the story of Abraham interceding for Sodom and Gomorrah and I also told the story of the widow and the corrupt judge.

As she began to name things that she would like God to change in her character and that of her husband, her youngest daughter walked in, cellphone in hand. She announced "That's my thing. I am really given over to stuff. This cellphone for example. It is the latest and best, but if I lose it or it breaks, I will cry and complain everyday until dad gets me a better one. I can't imagine not having my things."

I told the young teen girl about when a young rich man went and asked Jesus how he could have eternal life. She became very involved with the story, more than I expected.

As I told the story, she listened. "so, Jesus said, 'you know the commandments: don't commit adultery, don't murder, don't steal, don't give false testimony, honor your father and your mother.' Then the young man replied, 'but I've kept all these commands since I was a child.'"

Then she interrupted "Me too!"

I continued "Jesus looked at the man, feeling compassionate love for him, and said "But you still lack one thing... Go and sell everything you have and give the money to the poor, then come and follow me." I paused.

The girl's eyes got wide and perplexed and she asked "What did he do?"

I continued and told of the man's sadness and the statement that Jesus made. "How hard it is for the rich to enter into the kingdom of heaven. It's easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle that for a rich person to enter into the kingdom of God."

She was quiet for a moment. I imagine that she was thinking about that needle, because she and her mother are skilled at making clothes. She asked, "Can a rich person enter the kingdom of heaven?"

I answered with the question of the disciples "Well, then who can be saved?" and the reply of Jesus "What is impossible with man is possible with God," and then finished the story.

I asked her if she would be willing to give up all of her things and all that her parents earn in order to have entrance into God's kingdom. She quietly said "I don't know."

Her mother had been listening the whole time. As I left the two of them began to talk seriously about the stories I told.

The dance.

Thursday I did go to the small town as planned. Once there, I noticed that there was a special presentation in the pubic square. Several adults, adolescents and young children formed a circle and began clapping their hands as two men played drums and another two began to play a one stringed instrument. As soon as I heard the sound I knew what it was. Capoeira. A Brazilian martial art taught and practiced by dance and music.

I gathered in and watched as two men began to move very slowly crawling and doing small slow cartwheels and then gradually sped up to a full fast dance with back flips, spin kicks, twists and many other turns and twists. Two by two, others entered the dance circle replacing the two that were there, doing their own dance with the same kinds of moves. They danced in pairs of all ages, once even a 5 year old girl with a 40 year old formado (similar to black-belt).

Once the exhibition was over, many people stayed in the park to talk. I was able to speak with two men and present the Gospel and was invited to their homes. I will try to find their homes next week.

I still need a partner for this night of ministry, so be praying for that.

Community, Living Word, Community

Yesterday, we had our second home meeting with the family from São Paulo. This time we were able to spend a little bit more time with the scripture than in the first meeting. This group is highly literate, so instead of storying, we are reading the scripture passage together until we've got it in a firm way. One person read and everyone follows along in their bible. Then another reads the passage again, then we try to put the passage into our own words. In a few more weeks, this will be natural. Right now, it is new for many.

Of the obedience statements from last week, we had about 50% who did what they said they would do, and some others who partially did it. Everyone enjoyed the share time about their obedience and are anxious to do even better this week.

Last night, we had a special dinner to receive our friend who went to africa "H." He is here for this week only to visit, and will return. People from the company and their families met together. I began talking to one young man (20 years old) who's father works with Loaise. He'd been on our prayer list many times, because of problems with family and possibly drugs and theft. I shared the gospel with him telling Isaiah 53 and the story of the crucifiction and resurrection. He asked if the people I tell these stories to believe. I told him that some do and some don't. He asked if people who are addicted to drugs come to Jesus. I told him the story of Jesus and the Demoniac from Gerasa who had the legion of demons, but wasn't able to talk more because the restaurant was closing. We left.

Today his father came by Loaise's office and told her that his son spent the whole ride back home telling the stories I told and that it was the first time that they had all talked as a family in 2 years. Something is changing in his son. Pray for him.

Today I had a meeting with "H" and the young african lady who helps with evangelism from time to time. We practiced having a home bible study and prayer time. "H," who accepted Jesus just months ago, will begin a bible study where he lives and works in Angola, Africa. Pray for him.

Tomorrow I will go to the small town.

The family from São Paulo

This morning we had our first home meeting with the couple from São Paulo. There were ten people present, including me and all are Christians. After 8 weeks, probably only four of this ten will remain and the others will begin a similar work in their neighborhoods. (During these 8 weeks the families will learn together how a home worship service works and each couple will have an opportunity to lead once or twice. After each family feels comfortable with the way meeting in homes works and feels they will begin to reach out primarily to lost people on their street.)

One thing that happened is that as we began, I introduced this family to the others who had come from our church. As we began the prayer time, three families soon realized that they were all involved in taking care of an invalid family member over a period of years. It was the first time they'd been able to talk about the burden and difficulty freely. The Holy Spirit enabled these three families to minister to one another and encourage each other in a way that none of them had experienced before. Our prayer and sharing time lasted 50 minutes!

Each person, at the end of our time together made a specific commitment to obey Jesus this week. These were the statements, as I remember them.

• I watch too much TV and don't pray enough. I will make a commitment to pray for a time before I turn on the TV each day. I will not turn on the TV without spending time in prayer first.
• There is a man that works across from my house. I am going to learn his name and tell him about Jesus before Thursday.
• I am going to pray daily at 4:30 in the afternoon.
• I will begin my day by reading something from God's word. You can ask next week how many mornings I was able to do it. I hope to say seven.
• I will pray for your mother and for you as you take care of her.
• I will tell my neighbor about Jesus tomorrow morning.
• I will pray every night at 10:00pm.
• I am going to tell my friends at school what I learned from the Bible each week.
  

There were a few others, but I can't remember well. The point is, each person wanted to put his faith in practice. I believe this group will produce fruit.

The singer and his family

Thursday when I went into the small town, I stopped by the singer's house first. He's been in rough spot because his keyboard fell and broke. He has to borrow one to do his performances in the small towns. I was just finishing telling the story of Manoah's wife (judges 13) when the phone rang. He went and answered and his wife was listening to what he was saying from the back room. His uncle in the next town up had just died.

In the next few moments he called his older brother and sister to his home and told them. They all shook their heads and began to talk about how uncomfortable they feel at funerals. I asked them if they wanted to hear what the Bible says about what happens to people after they die. They all agreed. I told the story of the resurrection of Lazarus (john 11) and emphasized the words of Christ about the resurrection. I then told the story of Christ's death and resurrection.

I made an appeal for them to all pray and receive Christ. The two women affirmed, having been raised Roman Catholic, that they believe in Jesus. The singer and his brother pondered a moment and shook their heads, meaning they heard me, but needed to think. Soon everyone left. I will speak with them again next week.

Updates: Evangelism

I don't see myself naturally as an evangelist, but the scriptural promise is that if we sow broadly we will reap broadly. I've been spending Saturday afternoons for the past several months taking church members with me to make two or three evangelistic home visits. In the process I am sharing the gospel, (usually through a selected Scriptural story or story cluster based on the need on that home, followed by an appeal to repent, believe and be baptized) and I am training others to share the gospel.

It is more and more obvious that there are some who hear and accept the Good News, who will not be able to participate in our traditional church as members because of distance or scheduling problems. We really want to help these families become churches together with their relatives and neighbors, as they come to Christ as well.

Baptism is still a stumbling block on both sides. The traditional church is uncomfortable baptizing new believers right away, and new believers are uncomfortable doing something that is "different."

Updates: Traditional Church

During the Carnaval (Mardi Gras) holiday we took 50 members and friends of our traditional church and had a 5 day retreat at the retreat center I wrote about a few times. I was able to share stories daily about how the early church suffered for Jesus. I told through the warnings of Jesus about future suffering and the suffering stories of the book of Acts. Each group acted out each story and spent time telling the stories they learned to members of other groups.

Soon, we will begin new Sunday School classes using storying and inductive Bible study.

We will try to begin a youth service that will spend half the year telling through a set of Scripture stories in chronological order and the second half of the year selecting stories that deal with specific issues of faith and obedience. Hopefully this can become a patern that will cycle through from year to year.

Our wednesday night service continues to grow rapidly since our switch to oral-style biblical preaching. We've been seeing an average of 2 first time visitors to our church each Wednesday nights for the past 2 months.

We have not yet begun the church -wide oral Bible project. Pray for that.