Each year, our SIU partners present to us some truly incredible opportunities in reaching people in areas that have never been reached before. This represents a timely year-end giving opportunity for those with significant Kingdom growth and effective ministry stewardship mindsets.
The Lord loves to grab our attention and has an interesting way of bringing things to us when we least expect them. We seek the Lord and ask for His clear wisdom, discernment and direction and He gives us opportunities that sometimes seem out of the blue. Recently one of those out of the blue opportunities came my way. A key leader from one of our supporting churches introduced me to Art Brooks from the “Rescuers” Radio Show. Art has a passion for sharing what he calls “the untold stories of society’s unsung heroes.” Art’s radio show tells those untold stories and shares what God is doing through some amazing people.
Are you disappointed, discouraged or disheartened by the events and circumstances around the world today: Wars, rumors of wars, illicit deals, insatiable greed, threats of nuclear war, devastating poverty, and overwhelming homelessness? This earthly realm and it’s roughly 200 nations leave us wanting more for humanity. Don’t be fooled, “AI” (Artificial Intelligence) is not going to resolve these issues. Only the King and his Kingdom of righteousness, justice, and holiness, filled with love, mercy, grace and truth will solve our problems. His Kingdom will last forever. Jesus spoke often of the Kingdom of God. Our partners speak with much passion and hope about the “Kingdom of God” and those in their networks tell the stories of the Kingdom in their communities.
Our Bridges for Women training events are transforming and it is so exciting to be a part of them! Last year, in 2022, we had over 108 Bridges for Women training events with 1,475 women in attendance. Overall, in the 15 years since this training curriculum was launched, we have had 2,237 Bridges for Women training events and over 50,982 women attendees! Amazing transformations and changed lives come from these three-day trainings that are highly interactive, with engagement in the Word of God in the content of every lesson plan and in every small group exercise. The women share and dialogue God’s stories using the Oral Arts (Storytelling, Drama, Dance, Music, Song & Poetry) in their mother-tongue, heart language. These women of God are some of the best storytellers and disciple-makers. Many of them become Master Trainers, equipped to pass the training on to other faithful women. The training and equipping curriculum includes over 120 Stories from the Word of God. A few of the Stories quickly become favorites. Let me share with you more about this training.
We thank God for another tremendous year of ministry in 2022! Thank you for partnering with us as we see the Great Commission being fulfilled among oral culture communities around the world. Our trusted partners across Asia and Africa reported more than 8,000 new churches planted. This brings our cumulative total of reported churches planted among oral cultures through oral Scripture engagement, 1997 through 2022, past the 100,000 mark! Praise the Lord! All for His glory! Read on for a story and other highlights from 2022.
Recently a foundation that has granted training funds to SIU in the past requested a conference call with the SIU leadership and field leads. With our team back to full travel and training schedules, it can be difficult to get this group together. After one cancellation and rescheduling, we were able to get the SIU team and the foundation board together on a Zoom call. God used this interaction to set a wonderful challenge and opportunity before us. Read on for the wonderful news and challenge which could significantly impact our network’s ability to reach the unreached.
If you listen to the news this month, you will hear about certain festivals, feasts or celebrations happening around the world. Some of these last for weeks, or even an entire month, and are dedicated to worship and sacrificial practices in the pursuit of peace. In these times of increasing conflict within and across the Nations – increasing natural disasters, failing economies and financial difficulties, increasing pestilence with global viruses, wars and rumors of wars and other civil unrest – can peace be found? There is one who spoke much about this topic…
When Jesus walked this earth, He often used parables and stories to reveal truth and to illustrate moral or spiritual lessons, and even future events. Our Bridges 1 equipping and training curricula includes a “Parable Collection” listing parables our partners might use in the field when discipling others. “The Watchful Servant” is a favorite. Let me share the story and some thoughts that come to mind
Have you ever thought, “I’ve heard about these Storytelling trainings, and I would really like the chance to experience one?” Have heard about “Bridges” and wondered, “What is a Bridges to Oral Cultures Training?” Do you know someone who might like to join an SIU training? Through our partnership with TRAIN International and their TELL division, we have an upcoming opportunity for you or an associate of yours.
With this final post of 2022, we are featuring the last two of the seven unreached people groups our proven partners have brought to us recently. God has providentially provided great opportunities to introduce His story through the stories of Scripture among these people groups. You can help this effort through your prayers and your financial support toward funding Bridges training events. As we have stated before, this presents an incredible year-end giving opportunity for those with significant Kingdom growth and effective ministry stewardship mindsets.
Kent Kiefer is the CEO & Executive Director of Scriptures in Use (SIU). He has over 20 years of International Ministry experience; in his eighth year with SIU, and previously four years with a faith-based International Missions’ Sending Agency (“ABWE”) and eight years with a faith-based International Parachurch ministry (“Focus on the Family”).
Kent has a heart and passion for “reaching the unreached” and believes strongly that the oral arts, communication bridges training approach designed specifically for the indigenous men and women of peace around the world is one of the most effective means to reach the nations with the Gospel.
Kent is widowed after his wife Melissa (“Missy”) was promoted into Glory in November ‘21 after a 14-year battle with Parkinsons Disease, and has four children (two college age and two teenagers). The Kiefers are involved with two local churches with the body of Christ in Southeast Tucson (“Grace Church of Sahuarita” and “Pantano Christian”).
