Spoken Worldwide

Pray for Malaysia, a country with a population of 35 million people, 77% of whom are still unreached by the gospel. Despite the existence of religious freedom in Malaysia, Christians are often marginalized by the ruling ethnic groups. Malays are the largest ethnic group, and the majority of Malays are Muslim. Converting a Muslim to Christianity is forbidden - if discovered, Christian converts may face punishment and be sent to re-education camps, where they are pressured to revert to Islam. It is also illegal for Malays to possess a Bible. ?? Pray the gospel will advance in Malaysia among all people groups, transforming the hearts of those who have yet to hear the Good News. ?? Pray for the protection of our brothers and sisters in Christ, that they will stand firm in their faith amidst any form of persecution. ?? Pray for unity among the different ethnic groups in Malaysia and that ethnic gaps will be bridged.

God's Word is now available to the Vinta people in SE Asia!?? The Vinta have never had access to the gospel in their own language, but now, with the help of our Oral Bible Translation team, this community of oral learners has come to know Jesus. As an oral community, the Vinta need to HEAR God's Word to truly engage with it. While Bibles are available in a trade language, Scripture in written form doesn't resonate the same way hearing Scripture in their own language does. The Oral Bible Translation team has finished recording the Books of Genesis, Jonah, Esther, Ruth, and Nehemiah. They are currently translating Exodus, Joshua, and Daniel. Your generous gifts and consistent prayers have brought God's Word to the Vinta people! "Our prayer is for new Vinta believers to grow spiritually and develop a deeper relationship with Christ. We hope their relationship with Him will be a light in their community, enabling them to reach out to others with the gospel in their heart language. We aspire to see local leaders establishing their own churches within their cultural contexts and seeing disciples multiply among other Muslim tribes in Southeast Asia. Thank you so much for your generous support of the work of the Lord here in Asia." – Tony, Oral Bible Translation Project Manager/Southeast Asia.

There are still more than 7,000 unreached people groups worldwide who have not yet encountered the love and hope of Jesus. Yet, we trust in the Lord that He will open doors to reach the unreached with the gospel - and through intercessory prayer our prayers can make a difference. By praying with us, you become an essential part of helping to fulfill the Great Commission. Join our Prayer Team, where dedicated prayer warriors come together to support our mission field through weekly supplication. With your heartfelt prayers, we can overcome challenges and bring the gospel to even more oral learners. Click the link to join our Prayer Team today! ?? https://spoken.org/prayer/

Praise God for the thirty local leaders from five local churches in Brazil's Sertanejo communities who have completed Scripture Engagement training, equipping them to use the translated Scripture available in their native language. The training focused on how to share translated Scripture and Bible storytelling with oral learners, as most of the Sertanejo speaking population cannot read. These trusted indigenous leaders are ready to GO and share the gospel and are excited to apply this method that enables them to study God’s Word. ??Please pray God will make way for these leaders to reach and share His Word with those who have yet to hear the Good News.

Praise the Lord for how He is moving in Nicaragua! We’re thrilled to share that 11 local leaders have received Orality training facilitated by Spoken Worldwide Orality Coach, Meg. Orality is a specialized method that takes Scripture and accurately shares it through storytelling. One man, determined to learn Orality, traveled all the way from Honduras to participate in the workshop. The dedicated local leaders who attended the workshop are feeling encouraged and empowered to share God’s Word through Bible storytelling. Some of them also coach Little League baseball teams in their neighborhoods, and they’re excited to connect with the kids who haven’t yet had the chance to hear God’s Word. One leader joyfully shares, “This training is more than just a tool; it’s a true blessing. First, we learn how to dig deep into God’s Word, and then we learn how to share it with others. It’s the perfect tool I needed to share God’s Word.” Please keep in your prayers those who will be hearing God's Word for the first time, that their lives may be transformed by His message.

Good news from the Democratic Republic of Congo! God's Word is coming to the Aka people in the DRC...in their language, and in audio form! The Aka people have often been overlooked in ministry, but we praise God that He has not forgotten them. While there are some Aka believers, they have lacked a Bible in their mother tongue and in the format they understand best...spoken words. The Aka are a pygmy tribe located in central Africa, where they live in isolated villages within the jungle. No outsiders visit them. They lead very simple lives in palm leaf structures, often sleeping on the ground. They maintain gardens for sustenance, but the men and women sometimes walk a few kilometers to nearby farms that will pay them to work the land for a wage of 70 cents a day. With assistance from our Spoken Oral Bible Translation (OBT) team, six Aka locals will begin translating God's Word for their community - and very soon, Scripture will be available in their heart language. Please pray for perseverance and guidance for the Aka OBT team and for the unreached Aka people who will hear God’s Word for the first time.

Good news from Southeast Asia! God is using the Spoken team to share His Word throughout this region of the world! Despite experiencing hostility from people opposed to Christianity, we celebrate the indigenous leaders in Southeast Asia who are now equipped to share the gospel with oral learners in their communities, by using spoken methods like Bible storytelling. Spoken team member, Palm led the training session for the local leaders. Palm had recognized the deep hunger for God’s Word in her home country and was passionate about providing the Bible storytelling training. The newly trained leaders - who all have a heart for sharing God's Word - are now actively leading Bible study groups, with the help of seasoned leaders. Newly trained leaders John* and James* are both oral learners, who didn't have the opportunity to attend school to learn to read or write. Knowing the importance of the spoken word, they both are thrilled to share the gospel in story format. All the local leaders continue to learn new Bible stories every week to continue to engage their community with the Good News of Jesus. Pray that the Lord will help grow the seeds to bear fruit despite this community living in persecuted regions.

Please pray for Kyrgyzstan, a nation with a population of 6.8 million people, and where 93% of the people have not yet been reached with the gospel. This predominantly Muslim country is deeply rooted in the Islamic faith, making it a challenge for God's Truth to penetrate this nation. High unemployment has led to many impoverished areas, with communities that suffer from drug, alcohol, and gambling addiction. ??Pray that God will open the hearts of the people in Kyrgyzstan to the gospel and that His Truth will be revealed to them. ??Pray for an end to corruption in the country, which is exacerbating the challenges faced by its citizens. ??Pray for the small percentage of Christians in Kyrgyzstan, that they will reflect the light and love of Jesus.

?? Meet the Chakali Oral Bible Translators from Ghana! They are celebrating the completion of the four Gospels in their heart language. After inviting local church leaders and community members, they shared passages from Luke 7:1-7, Mark 5:1-21, Matthew 4, and John 4. With these Bible recordings now available, the team is dedicated to sharing oral Scripture with their community, and to helping community members engage meaningfully with His Word through heartfelt worship and engaging small group discussions. ??

Storytelling matters...not only in building a brand, but also in fundraising. Especially in fundraising. Storytelling offers a way to create an emotional connection with potential donors. At the forefront of all marketing/communication efforts for a non-profit should be storytelling, and every good story should have these basic elements: - Characters: The people served by the non profit, i.e. the benefactor of the non-profit's mission. These individuals receive the help of the non-profit and are able to overcome their challenges. - Setting: The places where your nonprofit works and the communities served. Including details of the setting provides context for potential donors, giving them the ability to visualize the cultural and physical attributes of the community. This in turn helps them picture how the community is served. - Plot: Every good story has a good plot. Describing the events - both past and present - will help form an emotional connection. The future of the story is where donors are able to make a difference. - Conflict: Every good story has a conflict that needs to be resolved. For example, Spoken Worldwide shares the gospel with people who can't or don't read, because the conflict for decades has been a lack of oral Scripture for these communities. - Resolution: This is the act of showcasing the impact you make. Demonstrate to potential donors how you solve the conflict and how their financial gifts helped support your work. Storytelling itself is an art, not a science. But the science of testing and monitoring will reveal what's most effective with your audiences. Storytelling is a commitment that, when consistently implemented, will build interest and trust in your mission - and donors will see the value you provide. #nonprofit #fundraising #spokenworldwide