Thursday, May 14, 2015

Introducing... True Story: What God Wants Us To Do About Poverty

  
It's for real for real in my hands!

I joke that at one moment, a wonderful member of Compassion Canada's creative team was emailing me about getting my feedback on a youth curriculum they were producing, and the next moment, I was on a plane to film it.

But this whirlwind has kind of felt like that.

"Did that happen? Did we really produce a youth curriculum?" That's the question the team leader and I laugh over last Saturday.

It happened... and by no fault of our own, really. 

Only God could do something like this.

It is with great joy that I blog-introduce you to...
True Story: What God Wants Us To Do About Poverty.

Here are 7 quick facts about True Story:

1. It is six sessions, including a serving-together opportunity for Week 5.

2. It was filmed over 11 days in 2 countries - Canada and the Philippines.

A photo posted by Allan Spiers (@allanspiers) on

A photo posted by Allan Spiers (@allanspiers) on

3. Over that period, I delivered 6 scripts.

4. The Week 5 script was done in partnership with our recently-graduated LDP student - Rechelle!

A photo posted by @iamcurtanderson on

5. True Story is way, way, WAY more than just videos - that leaders' guide pictured above includes activity ideas, teaching notes, Bible readings, small group questions, Identify with Poverty challenges for students and leaders to engage in at home each week, prayer guides, and lots of tips and support for youth pastors, facilitators, and leaders.

6. True Story is entirely FREE. Compassion truly has a heart for reaching youth through the local church, both in the developing world and here at home, which is why True Story is Compassion's gift to the Church.

7. True Story is all available online, and hard copies can be requested off the website, too... www.compassion.ca/truestory.

I personally learned so much about poverty from hosting this curriculum, and my prayer is that youth across the country and across the globe will be impacted by the message of True Story


Thinking about poverty and seeing it through God's eyes changes your perspective.

- True Story - Week 6

My generation is one that is going to deeply impact this world - I have no doubt about that. But it's so easy for us to start with a burning passion that quickly goes out when we realize how overwhelming the brokenness of this world is.

True Story's message speaks to that superhero tendency of my generation and reminds us that our Saviour has already overcome this world... It is a blessing that we get to be a part of that. 

Brokenness seems a lot less overwhelming when we realize that we serve a God that has had a redeeming restoration plan going long before we were ever involved - and that is the Gospel.


Our world is broken... Things are not the way they should be. But we have a God that loves us. One who made a way to fix this mess and make things right again.
- True Story - Promo


When you address poverty from that perspective, it becomes a lot easier to join in and partner with this loving God who simply invites us to trust him enough to say yes to our part in this bigger story of redemption. 


How can we use what God has given us to serve our communities?
- True Story - Week 4

As a Canadian teen, I am so excited about True Story. I hope you'll join me in praying as this curriculum begins to land in youth groups - that the Holy Spirit would move in powerful ways, and that youth everywhere would begin to say yes to God's invitation to serve the least of these...

...until all those daily yeses become a lifestyle of compassion and justice. 




#TrueStorySeries
www.compassion.ca/TrueStory

6 comments:

  1. Very exciting! Do you know if this is available in the United States?

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    Replies
    1. Hi Yvonne... it will be, but there is no time line yet. Everything is available online though so you can download it all and use it now in the U.S.! The Internet transcends borders. :)

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  2. This is so neat!! I'm looking forward to downloading the online version.

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  3. What a fantastic experience! I hope this curriculum goes far and wide!

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    Replies
    1. It truly was, Crystal. :) Thanks so much! Prayers are so greatly appreciated!

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