John & Cheryl Fornelli

Late in 2009, a partnership began with the Christian Leadership Training College in Banz.  After an introduction to Oral Bible strategies, we were invited to return in June of 2010.  100 Melanesian future pastors and church leaders received one week of training in Chronological Bible Storytelling and put is to use immediately - with practical outreach ministries in marketplaces and other public areas nearby.  The students and their wives (many whom are marginally literate) were excited about this method and loved working together in ministry.  We are grateful to the Lord for the potential impact this can have for many people throughout the south Asia Pacific region. 

We have been going to teach Miskitu believers in Puerto Cabezas, Waspam and Bismona since 2004.  We have seen how oral methodology is making a huge difference in their ability to grasp the teachings of the Bible and has empowered many to share their faith and teach with confidence.

One pastor, Soraya, is being paid by the Nicaragua public school system to tell and teach Bible stories to students in Bismona!  Key leaders like Pastor Santiago Curbelo have taken the Miskitu Oral Bible into Honduras and are preparing their Bible stories to be put on solar powered MP3 players.

Beginning in early 2010, we introduced the Oral Bible project to young leaders of Iglesia Nueva Vida in Los Guido. They are excited to add Bible stories to their repertoire of Bible memory verses and discipleship materials led by Christian Light Foundation missionaries Mark and Meg Kuzdas.  Their commitment to Develop, empower and release young people to minister to others has caused the Church to grow steadily in poor areas outside San Jose.  The use of Bible narratives "fits right in" to this philosophy.  We are anxious to continue this training later in 2010.

In mid 2010, we visited the church plant of one of our spiritual sons, Felix and Ninoska Gutierrez in Merida.  The simplicity of the oral style was just what the people in the mountains of Venezuela needed to help them to grow.  They are anxious to develop an Oral Bible.
The pastors of the mother church in Merida, Jorge and Mayra Tariche, were so excited about the Oral Bible Training we did in Maracay, that Jorge accompanied us to Merida, bringing other pastors from another daughter church in Tumeremo, Pastors Augustin and Miliaidi Mata as well as Elias and Meri, who will head up the newly organized Proyecto Biblia Oral de Venezuela (Oral Bible Project of Venezuela).
We are excited to see how this tool has already effected this church planting movement for the Vino Nuevo churches in Venezuela.

Since 2003, young hispanic soccer players have been meeting at an indoor soccer facility called PlayUSA in the far west suburbs of Chicago.  Owner Hudson Fortune graciously donates an hour at 11 o'clock each Sunday for the use of what we fondly call "Soccer Church".   Co-led by Obed Mendoza, many of these young men have made commitments to Christ.  Recently, several of them have begun meeting for a discipleship group too.

Since 2008, we have been called on to conduct Oral Bible seminars for Sunday School teachers, short term mission teams, prison volunteers etc.
If your ministry is looking for fun, interactive and practical training, please contact us.

In a supporting partnership with OneWay ministries and Livingstone School of Missions, we have assisted Ghanaian missionary Ray Mensah to train young national leaders from Maun, Botswana.  Oral Bible strategies support began in 2007.   In addition, we have trained US college students from Wheaton College and Wabash College as they conduct annual Sports Camps ministries around Maun. 
Through Bible stories, team members have been able to effectively communicate the riches of the Bible with the Setswana people of Ngamiland as they seek to plant churches in areas where none exist.

Through Leadership Resources national missionary, Ruth Hidalgo, the Shipibo people are learning how to internalize God's Word and spread it through the Ucayali River area in the jungles of Peru.  Knowing that literate means were not effectively reaching many of the people that are from an oral culture led Ruth to seek training and support from us in 2008.  Now, she and her team of oral trainers in Pucallpa, Peru are equipped to mobilize the spread of the gospel in a unique and powerful way - using drama, song and art to further increase understanding of the treasures of Scripture.

Between 2007 and 2009 the Kewabe people of the Southern Highlands' PNG Ministries was in a partnership with EFC of Naperville.  We trained over 50 pastors and leaders to learn and teach their congregations Bible narratives represented on the 22 story scarf and 42 story scarf.  Late in 2009, they recorded Bible stories in Kewabe which have been downloaded onto Megavoices, solar powered MP3 players. They said, "Now, the Word of God is spreading like a bush fire!"

We conducted Oral Bible training for Kekchi Indian pastors and leaders from small villages around Punta de Palma between 2007 and 2009.  They responded well to oral strategies during workshops and told us that their people enjoyed learning with stories.
During 2009 and 2010, we began training leaders from a Guatemala City church, who have planted a church in the poor community of Los Dolores.