Entries by Kent Kiefer

Seeking Peace?

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…

Watching and Waiting

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

An Opportunity to experience Storytelling training

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.

Expecting the Miraculous! Join Us in Reaching the Unreached

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.

You Can Make a Difference with the Unreached!

This month we are featuring three of the seven unreached people groups who, by the Lord’s providential timing, our partners have shared unique opportunities to minister among. You can help in this effort through your prayers and your financial support for Bridges training events. Here is an incredible year-end giving opportunity for those with significant Kingdom growth and effective ministry stewardship mindsets.

Unreached People Groups: Join Us!

Recently a handful of our active, proven SIU partners in Africa and Asia have shared some incredible opportunities and their vision to reach more unreached oral culture people groups living in their regions. Over the next few months, we will introduce you to seven of these people groups as we share a special year-end giving opportunity, inviting you to join SIU and our international partners as we follow the Lord’s leading in reaching the unreached.

A Gathering of Believers; Ekklesia

When our team members travel to spend time with our Indigenous SIU partners, quite often we are shown some incredible ways that “gatherings of believers” happen without having to meet in a physical building. We like to refer to it as “church at the water well,” “church under a tree,” “church on the back of a camel” (that’s a fun image to picture 😊) or “house church.” The Greek word “ekklesia” is the word often translated as “church” in our modern, English Bibles. In the language of today, the word “church” often means a building where Christians meet for their regular services. The original meaning of the word “ekklesia” refers to an assembly or gathering of believers, not a building where people gather. A basic definition of the New Testament word “ekklesia,” is “those who are called out and assembled together.”

The Word of God and Resting in the Psalms

Do you feel like this world, this earthly realm, is spinning out of control more and more each day? The more I talk to people about this, the more I find my feelings are shared by many. This trend is no surprise to our Lord as He has prepared us for these times through His living Word with many of His promises and prophecies being fulfilled right now. Despite the chaos, conflict, and calamities we see daily, God is working mightily around the world. We continue to hear from our Bridges training partners of how God is using the stories of the Bible to bring people into His Kingdom. Since many of our partners are in places that are dangerous, we must be careful with how we relay the stories to you, but we will do our best to share them when we can.

The Poetry of the Bible and Oral Cultures

This month’s blog post is part of a series of distinctive applications of SIU’s Oral Bible Strategies as defined by our founders, Jim and Carla Bowman.

“April blossoms of lilacs and apricot trees highlight the landscape in rural Kyrgyzstan. On this third day of class, drama practice of the story of Deborah has just ended as Damira steps forward for biblical poetry recitation. Her round eyes glow as she begins to recite Deborah’s song from Judges:

‘Most blessed of women be Jael,
the wife of Heber the Kenite,
of yurt-dwelling women most blessed…’

In the large room her voice resonates beautifully. Listeners smile as they hear the Bible verses take on the flavor of their beautiful tent dwelling, nomadic culture….”

HE is Faithful…Returning to the Harvest Fields!

With the Covid pandemic easing in most areas across the globe, two of our U.S. based Bridges trainers were able to return to the field recently, visiting Africa and Asia to spend time and train with our indigenous partners. After two years of no international travel, these SIU leaders were excited to get back to spending time with our beloved partners; building relationship, coaching, and training together! There were some amazing adventures during their travels, and our God showed up in mighty ways.