“No one was killed.”
That was the answer e3’s national partners in Africa gave when Tim* from the e3 Orality Team asked, “What was a praise or success from the Bible Story Training?”
It may sound like a small thing—until you understand the context.
The “Arthas” people of Africa, a primarily oral culture, live under the shadow of a powerful terrorist group. It is so embedded in the community that its operations run from the center of town. It was here, in this volatile and heavily Muslim region, that a small group of new believers gathered to attend a Bible Story Training put on by members of e3 Partners’ Orality Team. For their safety, e3’s team coached local trainers remotely, equipping them to lead the sessions on the ground. The goal? To help Arthas believers craft and share Bible stories in their own language, using a strategy designed for church planting.
Despite the danger, these believers stepped out in bold, obedient faith. They began developing biblical stories and courageously sharing them with Muslim friends and family. And what happened next was nothing short of miraculous.
One night during the training, a young man and training participant named Ahmed* was invited to a friend’s home for a Muslim festival. As they prepared to eat, he asked if he could pray over the meal. The prayer was unlike anything his friends had heard before. Curious, they asked him to share more. Ahmed told them a story he had been working on in the training – the story of Stephen, the first Christian martyr. His friends were captivated. By the end of the night, they asked if they could meet regularly to hear more stories like it.
Another participant, Alia*, met a woman who had been sick for a long time. She’d seen doctors, prayed to Allah, tried everything, yet nothing helped. After listening to her, Alia gently shared the story of blind Bartimaeus and how Jesus healed him. Moved, the woman asked Alia to pray for her. Alia did. Immediately, the woman was healed—and right there on that sick bed, she gave her life to Jesus.
In just four weeks, the Arthas believers developed 37 Bible stories and shared them with more than 250 people. Six Arthas Muslims chose to follow Jesus.
Yes, there were terrorist attacks during the training—including a bombing just two miles away. But by God’s grace, no one from the training was harmed. And even more incredible: instead of shrinking back in fear, these new believers pressed forward in faith. They saw hearts open and lives transformed through the simple power of storytelling.
In a place marked by fear and violence, Jesus is building His Church—one story at a time.
* Names and images have been changed for safety and anonymity