Bringing the book of Acts to life

by Ianthe van der Walt | Wycliffe Today Spring 2025

All the believers met together in one place and shared everything they had… They worshipped together at the temple each day, met in homes, and shared their meals with great joy and generosity—all the while praising God. – Acts 2:44–47a (NLT)

Travelling to India with a small team to train local leaders in the art of Bible storytelling felt like stepping back into the book of Acts. The church that hosted us, founded by a humble, godly pastor now in his later years, is more than a building—it’s a living community.

People came from all over southern India, sleeping on mats, sharing simple meals cooked in massive pots, and spending hours each day in prayer and fellowship. Church here isn’t a weekly event—it is a way of life.

Over two days, we trained 20 pastors and leaders from three language groups in crafting and telling Bible stories—stories that are simple, accurate, memorable, and powerful enough to teach the Word in places where Bibles are scarce.

Then the baton was passed. Seventy others came to learn from these newly trained leaders. For four days, they worked in language groups, learning to craft, revise, tell and teach stories, and lead story-based Bible studies. The relational and discovery-based approach was quickly embraced, and many commented on how deeply it connected them to both Scripture and each other.

One group was especially remarkable. This small, nomadic, oral people group has no written language and no Bible of their own. Yet they have learned to read the Hindi Bible—despite being unable to read other Hindi texts. It is extraordinary. Their settlement of 4,000 people includes a simple church with Revelation’s foundation stones painted on the pillars and a prayer ‘Upper Room’ built on a platform.

Their passion for Christ, Scripture, and sharing their faith shines brightly. The local leaders, many trained theologians, were initially surprised by the simplicity of storytelling—but soon saw its power. As our Story the Bible handbook says:

‘Jesus got people’s attention using stories. He sent them home with a message wrapped in a story they enjoyed—a story simple enough to tell the family over the evening meal. And that’s where his stories made the greatest impact.’

We went to teach—but we came home deeply changed. These modern-day believers, living in community, enduring hardship, and loving Jesus with all their hearts, gave us a glimpse of what the early church might have been like. It was unforgettable.