SPREADING THE GOSPEL | OUR MISSION

We want every person in the world to have access to God’s story. People come to faith as they hear the gospel story, whether it is coming from the lips of a pastor, neighbor, or family member. Faith comes by hearing. If we want to see people transformed by the gospel, we need ways to share the gospel using oral methods.

80% of the people in the world today would rather communicate the gospel through speaking or signing rather than written words. We know because they live in cultures which are oriented around oral learning rather than text-based learning.

There are 7,388 living languages in the world today. Only 724 have a whole Bible. God wants his Word in every language, and oral people need to understand the Scriptures in their hearts, so they can spread the saving message of Jesus Christ. Orality is an efficient and effective way to spread the gospel. It enables Christian leaders to bring God’s Word to people in their local language and spread hope to the communities who need Christ.

Our vision is simple: we believe everyone should be able to tell God’s stories in their heart language, bringing hope to every community in the world.

What We Do

We train local leaders to share the truth of the Bible among oral people: the Bibleless, the unreached, and the vulnerable.

Step 1: Healthy Partnership

We serve local leaders and networks in oral cultures who invite us to partner with them to implement oral strategies.

Step 2: Introduction to Strategy

We begin training local leaders to share God’s Word using trauma-informed oral methods to address their greatest spiritual, emotional, and physical needs.

Step 3: Leadership Training

We provide a series of in-depth trainings for leaders to grow and access all of God’s Word, giving them ways to teach others, tell Bible stories, and live out God’s Word in a way that leads to redemption and healing in their communities.

Step 4: Multiplication

Our long-term partnership continues as we equip local leaders to multiply churches and serve the God-given vision of the local church.

Walking alongside our partners, we understand that the world is hurting and many people have experienced trauma. Unaddressed trauma creates barriers to spiritual growth and understanding. SRV’s trauma healing ministry, Multiplying Hope, meets the needs of those who have encountered pain that affects them emotionally and spiritually. Multiplying Hope equips people with essential tools to address trauma safely and effectively. This program provides a comprehensive framework that supports people and organizations wanting to integrate a traumainformed approach into their discipleship and church-planting strategy and who seek to multiply God’s healing in their unique context.

This year we faced many challenges, but God added growth and multiplication in our trauma healing ministry. As crises around the world unfolded, he opened doors to share his hope and healing in new areas, including Afghanistan, Ukraine, and Syria. As Multiplying Hope addressed these needs, partners were trained, groups were started, and new Bible story sets were created.

Impact

We share God’s Story

SRV shares God’s Stories among oral people groups all over the world in some of the most unreached and vulnerable communities.

God’s Story transforms communities

The power of His Story transforms communities and gives hope to those who are hurting and need the gospel.

Communities create impact

We partner long-term with local leaders to multiply churches and advance the gospel.

In the last year, SRV trained 5,400 church leaders in 68 languages. As a result, 385 new groups and churches were planted, with 341 new believers and 100 baptisms.

Europe

2 in-person healing groups

2 online healing groups

Trauma healing focus for Ukrainian groups

United Kingdom

76 people have been trained in either trauma healing or Bible storying at Christ Central Church. Beyond regional programs, SRV has executed a number of global ministries in 2021.

Mexico

SRV has trained 227 people in Bible storying resulting in 20 new believers. There are now plans to run a 17-week Global Focus storytelling set with leaders from all the churches in the Agape Network.

Ethiopia

SRV has trained 736 leaders and completed a set of Bible stories in 13 Bibleless languages. There are now 24 new house churches and 76 new groups.

Latin America

10 Countries

2 Primary Languages

87 reported healing groups

20 new believers

1,000+ trained facilitators

6 new churches reported

Africa

2 Countries

11 Languages

Groups are reproducing

Middle East

4 Countries

4 Primary languages

45 groups

225+ participants

Expansion to Jordan and Cyprus

Lebanon

The leaders from 2021 have continued to form new healing groups; since last year’s report, the ministry has expanded from eight third generation groups to 19.

ASIA

134 Local trainers

18 Languages

143 Active groups

275 New believers

1,261 Leaders trained

5 Baptisms

Thailand

SRV partnered with people in local communities and trained 76 leaders, resulting in 16 active groups and 5 baptisms.

Cambodia

A new project began in January 2023 offering training in Introduction to Orality.

Philippines

SRV is working with 7 language groups throughout the country, which has resulted in 562 leaders trained and 270 new believers in just over a year.

PAPUA NEW GUINEA

There are now 68 leaders training with 30 of these leading listening groups, serving 20 languages.