Documentation

How an AI agent uses these tools

How to use OBS-TF MCP tools in an agent: fetch one session slice at a time, use the exact questions returned, and never invent replacements.

Content is Open Bible Stories + Theological Formation (Five Movements) for locally-led formation: Scripture forms the church; it does not merely inform it. Fifty stories survey Creation to New Creation; each moves through observe → discuss → reflect → serve → share (with drafting and checking woven in).

Part of the BT Servant ecosystem. For scripture notes, words, Academy, and classic OBS helps, use sibling Translation Helps MCP — this server covers OBS Theological Formation / Five Movements study manuals.

Framing: Formation Stories (CC BY-SA 4.0; unfoldingWord OBS).

Pace the room. One part, then facilitate. Advance only when the team is ready. Recommended agent posture

Value

Why this helps users

Facilitators should never need to dig through PDFs or resolve ![[transclusion]] links by hand.

Facilitated sessions without hunting PDFs.

Translators ask in natural language; the agent pulls the right movement, drafting checklist, or checking questions for that story and language.

Same workflow in English and Indonesian.

Packaging (shared templates vs story-unique text) is resolved for the agent.

Paced facilitation.

Walking sessionFlow keeps the team on one activity instead of dumping the whole manual.

Trustworthy source text.

Questions come from Door43 en_obs_tf or converted Indonesian OBS-TF markdown, not model memory.

Process

Recommended agent loop

Confirm language and story, load the framework once, then pace with part.

  1. Discover what is available list_languages / list_resources — confirm the language has OBS-TF content.
  2. Choose the story list_collections / list_stories — pick story 1–50 (optionally by collection).
  3. Load the map get_framework — Five Movements definitions and sessionFlow.
  4. Facilitate one slice fetch_obs_study_manual with part=… — present, discuss, then advance.
  5. Reach for helpers only when needed get_story, get_devotional, get_movement, search_content.
  6. PDF last get_pdf — only if the user wants the Indonesian PDF download.
Default tool.

Prefer fetch_obs_study_manual with a specific part during live sessions. Use part: "full" sparingly — usually for overview, not facilitation.

Session flow (pace with part)

partWhat the agent presentsUser activity
introKey idea, creedal verse, metanarrativeOrient the team
framesStory panel text (optionally one frame via 1:3)Read / retell the story
communityCommunity Study / devotionWorship / formation practice
movement1Observation + translation-term Q&AObserve details; discuss terms
movement2Discourse + theological questionsDiscuss meaning
draftingTranslation draft instructionsDraft panels; note decisions
movement3Journal reflectionPersonal response
checkingTeam quality-check questionsCheck draft (clear / accurate / natural)
movement4Ministry practice frameworkServe the church with the story
movement5Missional outreach frameworkShare beyond the church
conclusionClosing wrap-upCelebrate; hand off revised draft

Examples

Example tool calls

Primary call for BT Servant / translation sessions — team checking on Indonesian story 1:

{
  "tool": "fetch_obs_study_manual",
  "arguments": {
    "reference": "1",
    "language": "id",
    "part": "checking",
    "format": "md"
  }
}

Frame-scoped observation (story 1, frame 3):

{
  "tool": "fetch_obs_study_manual",
  "arguments": {
    "reference": "1:3",
    "language": "en",
    "part": "movement1",
    "format": "json"
  }
}

Whole story when the user wants an overview (use sparingly in live facilitation):

{
  "tool": "fetch_obs_study_manual",
  "arguments": {
    "reference": "7",
    "language": "en",
    "part": "full",
    "format": "json"
  }
}

Dialogue

Conversation beats

Good facilitation sounds like this — tool call first, then the manual’s questions, then an offer to advance.

Beat: Observation on one frame

User

“Lead movement 1 for Indonesian OBS story 2 — observation questions only for frame 1.”

Agent

Calls fetch_obs_study_manual with reference: "2:1", language: "id", part: "movement1". Reads the returned observation Q&A, facilitates those questions, then offers translation terms or drafting when ready.

Beat: Ready to draft

User

“We finished discussing meaning. Help us draft the story.”

Agent

Calls part: "drafting" — not a free-form drafting prompt. Walks draft / discuss / summary steps from the tool output, then suggests part: "checking".

Beat: Missing content

User

“Open checking for this story in a language that has no OBS-TF pack.”

Agent

Treats available: false / RESOURCE_NOT_AVAILABLE as a clear answer — tell the user what is missing; do not invent checking questions.

Reference

Tool map

Reach for the default first. Helpers fill gaps; they should not replace paced facilitation.

ToolWhen to use
fetch_obs_study_manualDefault. Story:frame keyed study content + part filter
get_frameworkExplain the five movements / show sessionFlow
list_stories / list_collectionsChoose what to study next
get_storyIntro + frames only
get_devotionalCommunity Study only
get_movementOne movement blob (includes drafting/checking fields when present)
get_study_guideFull session dump; prefer paced fetch_obs_study_manual
search_contentFind stories by keyword
get_pdfIndonesian PDF URL (not for study Q&A)

Guardrails

Agent rules of thumb

Do not invent theology or checking criteria.

Use exact questions from the tool. Classic OBS translation notes / word links belong on Translation Helps MCP, not this server.

Next

Try it

Try the chat Run a tool (X-ray) View tool manifest