Telling Bible stories and hands-on participation are proving keys to youth ministry for Pete and Kara Schaffler in Madagascar. Pete and Kara, with their boys Luke, Jojo and Micah are ministering near Tulear on the Madagascar coast.
Pete and Kara Schaffler are using Bible story-telling and practical illustrations to train youth and trainers in the Theological Education by Extension (TEE) program so these story-telling methods can be used to impact youth all around Madagascar.
The Schafflers are from Sydney, NSW, and were commissioned by St Michael’s and All Angels’ Anglican Church. They are also supported by Springwood Baptist Church and other friends and churches.
Kara said Pete was recently asked by their Malagasy pastor to lead a local youth group. “It is amazing how things have fallen into place. God has provided a youth leader to work with Pete and plan and run each week.”
“While it isn’t about numbers, it has been encouraging to see the usual five grow into a consistent 20-30 each week. There is now a group of teenagers who come along each week and engage with the teaching and each other. This has been a huge step for them.”
A Parable Of The Broken Pot
“Pete encourages active participation from each person and delegates responsibilities so that the young people have a sense of ownership. His first teaching was on the gifts that God has given each one of us to be able to function together as a group and build each other up.”
“Pete smashed a large clay pot and gave each person a piece. They then painted their own design on it — something that was unique about them. The pot is now being reconstructed as a metaphor of them being part of a group with unique gifts and abilities to help each other and work together as a whole to glorify God.”
“Pete has also tried a new approach with the youth group and runs a beginner’s English lesson before youth group each Wednesday afternoon in order to try and encourage unchurched kids to come along. The kids have been very grateful to have someone take the time to teach them right from the basics and are keen to come to both events every Wednesday.”
Bible Storying — Making The Message Clear
“We have been wrestling with the fact that those with little or no education have a difficult time grasping God’s word and growing in spiritual understanding and maturity. Imagine studying or preaching from the King James version of the Bible with people who do not speak English very well, nor can they read or write beyond a Year 2 level(seven- year old), if at all.”
“The Malagasy Bible is written in the official Malagasy language, spoken by the Merina and Betsileo tribes in the central highlands, and is the equivalent of the old-style King James language.”
“Here in Tulear, the largest town in the southern region of Madagascar, there are many tribes represented and several dialects with the predominant one being Vezo, the language of the coastal people. Many do not understand Merina or Betsileo.”
Kara said there were many who do not grasp the message of the sermons or the Bible. So many miss a growing, vibrant relationship with God. “Since last year we have been looking into this method (story-telling) of teaching the Bible and thinking about how to best use it in a youth context in cities, towns and country villages.”
“There are many cases where storying is being used successfully in Aboriginal cultures in Australia who have an oral-based method of passing on history and information. Stories are used to teach the Bible by taking the main points and using everyday language that can be remembered and retold accurately. They are told in the language of the people.”
“We would probably think of them as the equivalent of a Sunday School story, yet the listeners are required to engage with the story at a deeper level through a series of questions.”
“Pete met a woman who cannot read or write but is so overwhelmed by the fact that not only can she now understand God’s Word, but she can also now share it with others through Bible stories.”
“In March Pete attended a two-week training workshop for people from unreached people groups in Madagascar. This was a follow-up from the seminar he went to last year run by the same guys who have done a lot of research and published several books on the topic of Bible storying.”
“Since November last year we have been trialling the Bible stories with the English class at the Anglican church. We have been using an academic approach with them, as it is also an English study class.”
“We began in Genesis and have just finished up to the tabernacle and the sacrificial system required by God as He told the Israelites through Moses.”
“There are many accounts of people who hear these stories in their language or dialect for the first time and shed tears because understanding suddenly dawns on them.”
“In May we continued with Judges, Kings and the Prophets of the Old Testament and will go through to the Acts of the Apostles. We have seen where their understanding of God is at and how they view God’s Word, and also how they have grown in their understanding of God and His story over the past few months.”
Kara said a recent highlight was sharing a Passover meal with the class and having a Jewish seder plate with foods to remind them of the Israelites’ time in slavery and God’s deliverance.
Training Others To Tell The Story
“The people in this class are teachers, Bible translators, university students, politicians, a student evangelist, some unemployed and in search of a job, or owners of a business.”
“Each week they are bringing new friends along. They do an activity or game beforehand to get their minds working and then all sit on straw mats to listen to the story and contribute to the discussion afterwards.”
“They are thrilled to hear it in their own language rather than official Malagasy. As this group is taught and grow spiritually, the aim is for them to use their ministry gifts to take Bible storytelling to youth groups in other churches.”
Kara said that after each lesson, Pete hones the story and the questions ready for them to be made into a book. This book will be available to churches across Madagascar. “Our hope is to have these stories and youth group sessions running in the churches involved in TEE, all across Madagascar.”
“We are praying for translators to be available to help translate these into appropriate dialects for all churches.”
