Flannel Graphs

Flannel graphs have proven to be a very effective tool to bring the Bible to life for both children and adults, especially in remote areas where the illiteracy rate is high. As the story is told, the large 12”, brilliantly colored felt pieces can be arranged and moved around giving them a visual picture. These stories help pastors, evangelists, Christian workers in orphanages and schools to reach and teach God’s Word and Christian values that last a lifetime.

Over the past seven years, Vision Beyond Borders has purchased and distributed over 3,000 “Story of Jesus” sets and 600 “Complete Bible” sets for use in more than 20 countries. The flannel graphs are quite often cut out by many local volunteers in the U.S. as a way to show their love and concern for new Christians to receive God’s Word.

The “Story of Jesus” uses 185 of the 12” figures to illustrate the life of Jesus from being born in the manger until his resurrection and ascension. The “Complete Bible” set uses 600 figures and objects plus several backgrounds to give visual impact of the Old and New Testaments.

The flannel project started as a challenge by a friend who had requested 500 “Story of Jesus” flannels for use in Vietnam eight years ago. She challenged the ministry to find sponsors for this project and since that time we have provided over 3,000 “Story of Jesus” sets. When our contacts started distributing these flannels, they had pastors coming from 500 miles away to receive a set. This contact has since trained over 1,500 children’s workers in Vietnam and has been very grateful to receive the sets. Many of the trained workers use these tools to reach children with the Gospel. In one area of Vietnam there are over 88,000 kids who are Christians and the flannels are being used to help instruct them.

Some of the testimonies we have received include:
Mrs. My works with the Evangelical Church in VN, but her work in the Central Highlands is done in secret as all Christian work there is essentially illegal and there has been severe persecution. When she goes there, she must do it in one to two days in any given church and then move on. She also teaches at Gia Nghia which has joint worship services for numerous Christians of different ethnic backgrounds. She has also been working with Hmong Christians who have migrated down from N. Vietnam where persecution is very severe. There are now over 300,000 Hmong Christians who have been converted since about 1990. The Hmong, along with several tribal groups, are able to learn with flannels and use them for Christian education. Flannels are ideal since many of the Hmong and ethnic minorities cannot read.

Pastor Nghia and his wife, Hong Suong, also a pastor, teach with flannels to a group of street children who gather in a house regularly to study the Bibles. Numbers of children, some of whom still live in the streets, have become dedicated Christians. Flannels are ideal for teaching them. These pastors work with several hundred children in Saigon. All of their work is done underground, but local officials have been so impressed with them, that they quietly allow them to continue helping the street children. They have opened several homes where the children can live and be cared for by Christians.

We want to tell you that we received a very beautiful material with flannel graphs and beautiful figures that you sent with brother Ben and sister June. More than a year ago, I saw the advertisement for this beautiful material in a Christian magazine and asked the Lord to provide me this in order to make the work with the children to whom we are ministering even more beautiful. And I really want to tell you that God used you to answer our desires to serve Him more. In addition, we received the best flannel graphs, that is the largest, that we are needing in order to minister to a church with a congregation of approximately 150 to 200 children each Sunday.