Paul and Teresa Koehler have developed a Storytelling Ministry over the years. Storytellers memorize and tell Bible stories. Jim Belfiore, who has a donor-advised fund set up through Legacy Global Foundation, explains that as the storytellers relate Bible stories to others, “The spirit moves and fills their works of faith and power.” Storytelling has the ability to connect people, whether religious or not, and gives everyone a sense of feeling closer to Christ.
Quoted directly from their website, Globe International: ‘Missionaries around the world are discovering that biblical storytelling is a powerful way to win the lost and plant new churches...Over the last 15 years, Dr. Paul Koehler and his wife Teresa have seen hundreds of new congregations planted in highly resistant areas by training indigenous workers to simply tell stories from the Bible…’
Places such as India have had success with Storytelling. A few years ago Paul and some friends traveled to South Asia to learn and teach storytelling face-to-face with the native people. This experience was successful and eventually rooted a desire in Pauls’ friends to get involved in the storytelling ministry. His friends have been a part of the outreach ever since.
Paul and Teresa offer training to those who want to become storytellers. The training helps those to learn, memorize and tell Bible stories. Becoming a storyteller allows you to fully immerse yourself in the Bible and really get to know the Bible stories by heart through memorization.
Jim and Marilyn Belfiore became interested in storytelling because they have a desire to share the Bible and share the gospel.
Jim explains,
‘...Many people love stories and [storytelling] does not involve preaching or witnessing in traditional ways. I like hearing stories, and at times telling stories, and I like praying. The eternal truth in the Bible story along with prayer and by a faith filled believer brings the spirit into the middle of it all. It is the spirit that does the ‘heavy lifting’...The gospel of Luke is especially focused on marginalized people and Jesus was the greatest storyteller and prayer warrior. He says in Matthew 11:28-30:
“28. Then Jesus said, ‘Come unto me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.
29. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
30. For my yoke is easy to bear, and my burden I give you is light.”
Jim explains that the art of storytelling has, “really helped me to focus on my own testimony,” adding that storytelling has also helped him use/recall scriptures when praying for others.
The Belfiores have used funds from their donor advised fund to help support the art of storytelling. Funds help the storytelling ministry by being administered to either specific workers or to storytellers in general. Funds can also go towards the continuous project of building a new training center in South Asia. King's Commission Ministries, who work alongside storytellers ministry, is building the training center, but it has been a long process due to permits and lots of other challenges. They started building the training center back in 2019 and it is still not completed.
If you would love to read accounts from storytelling by Storytellers Ministry click here where you’ll find monthly updates and stories. If you are interested in learning more about how to donate to the storytellers ministry, please feel free to contact us here at Legacy Global Foundation:
Legacy Global Foundation: 602-704-2000
Email us at: programs@legacyglobal.org