TruthAction's Story
We founded TruthAction as a teaching ministry in 2003. For our first 3 months, we were asked to partner with a large Christian organization as part of their creative team for an evangelism kit being developed. Our first task was to review Gospel booklets from various publishers in order to select the one that would be used as the Gospel sharing tool in the kit. This is where God showed us the need for culturally relevant materials for unique people-groups. During this research phase, we saw that Christian publishers either focused on the major language groups with universal clip art illustrations and symbols, or they tried to create illustrations with physical features from several races all rolled into one person for their retail markets. This really got us thinking. What about those in third-world countries who could not relate to or afford these Gospel resources, not to mention the smallest people-groups in the most remote areas of the world with nothing available in their language or culture? Native pastors and missionaries confirmed that either they had nothing culturally relevant- or no Gospel materials at all- to help them reach their people. We saw a gap and real need in world missions not being met!
So, we decided to do something.
We wrote The Greatest Story Ever in 2008. Anne used our sons’ school supplies to draw child-friendly illustrations that looked like the people and their surroundings with cutural details specific to each people-group, so they would know that the Gospel is for them and their people. Brian taught himself graphic design, and we made sure that the booklets and matching teaching kits were biblically sound, accurately translated, and durable & waterproof for remote conditions.
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We also designed these materials not dependent upon electricity or intimidating to those unfamiliar with technology, so that those receiving them would feel comfortable and be excited to use these resources to share the Gospel with their own people. We organized "TruthAction Assembly Parties" at churches with volunteers to help us cut out the hundreds of laminated pages and assemble them into the Gospel booklets. We didn't realize all the wonderful friendships we would build, or the sense of joy and purpose it gives when the Body of Christ all works together with love & unity to help fulfill The Great Commission. We are grateful for our volunteers, and there truly is no way we could do this ministry without their help!
Brian took our 1st booklet to the Maya of Guatemala, and he hiked our 2nd booklet by foot into the lower Himalayas (10,000 ft. elevation!) of Nepal to reach a village where they had never heard of the cross. Their amazed responses as they recognized the specific cultural details we depicted in the materials let us know we were on the right track, and we also learned that these Gospel booklets appealed to the adults, too! We loaded our 4 sons and 4 dogs into an old fixer-upper R.V. that we bought off of eBay, and we traveled for weeks at a time doing assembly parties along the way. Our list of people-groups reached with the Gospel grew, and wonderful comments like, "How do you know us so well?!" and reports of those accepting Christ as their Savior kept us going through the hard times. We have some amazing stories of how God has provided for us over the years! Since these materials are made to last, both the booklets and the teaching kits can be used to share the Gospel over and over again for many years to come. We now have 21,000 handmade culturally relevant Gospel booklets with matching teaching kits around the world…
and counting!
A bit more about us...
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Brian* is the President and Co-founder of TruthAction. He grew up in a home for prisoners' children where his father was the director. He also grew deep in compassion as he learned about the poverty & tragedy most of his friends experienced before coming to the children's home, as well as his own father's childhood filled with abuse & trauma as an orphan. His father was a real-life example to him of how to overcome life's challenges by trusting God and walking by faith. Brian holds a Bible Certificate of Completion from Capernwray Bible School in England, B.A. in Organizational Behavior from Covenant College, M.A. in Marriage & Family Counseling from Talbot School of Theology, Biola University, and a ThM in Global Studies from Rawlings School of Divinity, Liberty University. He is currently studying missions & biblical Leadership in the DMin program at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary.
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Anne* is married to Brian, and is the Co-founder of TruthAction. She enjoys working with the native pastors & missionaries gathering pictures and cultural details specific to their people-group, and also helps create ceative content & design for the teaching kits. She draws the child-friendly illustrations for all of TruthAction's Gospel materials, and is also in charge of communications & social media for TruthAction. She has a B.S. in Education from Bryan College and has taught a variety of grades in both private and public schools, which helped prepare her to assist in the development of a user-friendly and visual Gospel presentation for other cultures. While serving at TruthAction, she has also homeschooled all four of their sons through high school. Currently, the two oldest are college graduates, one is still in college, and the youngest is a junior in high school.
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TruthAction Board Members* have all been with TruthAction since its founding in 2003. They provide support, accountability, and wisdom for the ministry with their expertise & perspectives from various backgrounds in America and overseas. We are very thankful for their service and dedication to this ministry! Without them, TruthAction could not have attained its certified 501(c)3 non-profit status or accomplished reaching thousands of souls with the Gospel of Jesus Christ!
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*Full names are withheld on the internet for security reasons.