While the confused disciples on the road to Emmaus puzzled about Jesus' death on the cross, the risen Savior himself, Jesus Christ, came alongside scolding, "O slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken!" Then, starting in Genesis, Jesus used the Old Testament Scripture to "explain things concerning himself."
Today, missionaries world-wide are rediscovering the effectiveness of sharing the Gospel by utilizing the same chronological presentation used by Jesus. In fact, no matter how primitive or sophisticated a society may be, the best way to communicate ideas is still through the avenue of storytelling.
New
Tribes Missions moved from the traditional missionary approach of topical
teaching to chronological storytelling. They now deliver the Gospel beginning
with the foundational stories that present: The Creator God, humankind's
creation and fall, and people's need to trust God's provision of a
substitutionary sacrifice.
Teachers begin in the Old Testament using Bible stories that point to the lost condition of all people, and of God's promise that one day, a Savior would come to provide salvation for all humankind. After several months, the teaching of the New Testament stories of Jesus begin. At that point, even previously unreached people-groups easily recognize Jesus as the promised Savior.
Missionaries who use this chronological teaching report that instead of waiting 20 years for their first convert, they now see an 80% conversion rate in only a few months—with evidence of changed lives! Already the response to showings of God's Story are producing these same kinds of phenomenal results.