Orality Training Workshop: An Introduction to Contextual Bible Storying

Orality is the fastest growing movement in evangelism today, and it is changing the face of missions around the world. The rapidly reproducing church planting movements are among oral cultures in Asia, Africa and Latin America. Increasing numbers of churches and ministries in North America are also recognizing the need for and value of storying and other orality methods in reaching and making disciples among oral preference learners.

According to the International Orality Network, 70% of the world’s population (4.35 billion people) are oral learners, by necessity or by preference — people who can't, don't or won't read, or prefer to learn and communicate by means other than print-based media or written instruction. Oral learners communicate through methods such as storytelling, drama, songs and proverbs. Ironically, an estimated 90% of the world’s Christian workers present the gospel using literate—not oral—communication styles. In order to reach and disciple oral learners, we must learn to use the strategies that are familiar and relevant to them.

There are still 2700 language groups that have no written script. According to recent statistics, 2252 language groups have no Scripture translated into their mother tongue or heart language.

When considering what we call our Lord’s Great Commission, to communicate the Good Story (News) to everyone, to the ends of the earth and make disciples of all people groups, it would be important to determine what message and methods are totally reproducible and transferable to the various regions and people groups. After having trained more than 6,000 people in 18 countries since 2009, Living Water International continues to receive very encouraging feedback. Many say that orality is a revolutionary development in mission strategy; it is historic and transformational.

At Living Water International, our mission is about much more than water. When we provide a cup of clean water in Jesus’ name, our hope is that those who receive it would know the grace and power of the true Living Water that alone satisfies the deepest thirst. This is why the Contextual Bible Storying method is important to us. In our Orality Training Workshop, we will invite you to interact with the stories of the Bible as an oral learner. You won’t just learn statistics and theories about oral cultures—you’ll experience Contextual Bible Storying both as a listener and a storyteller. During the workshop, you will participate in the same orality training that Living Water conducts in developing countries. Because so many of the world’s people are oral learners, anyone interested in missions or unreached people groups will greatly benefit from gaining a working knowledge of orality-based evangelism and disciple making strategies.

The terms orality, oral cultures and oral preference learners all refer to the people of the world who can’t, don’t or won’t read, or those who learn and communicate best through means other than print-based media or written instruction. Orality strategies are not intended to take the place of any other methods that are effective, but to provide additional resources for one’s ministry/missions tool box. Great attention is given to insure that the message and methods are biblical, understandable and reproducible.

Find out more about Orality

Living Water International Provides Training in ‘Orality Storytelling’ as Part of New Movement in Missions on assistnews.net

Oral Disciple Making: Changing the Face of Missions on assistnews.net

Orality-based Disciple Making: Rediscovering the Ancient Ways on assistnews.net

Workshop Content

This one-day workshop offers practical and proven principles in making disciples of oral preference learners. Topics include:

the scope of the problem
why and how oral strategies work
the power of simplicity
oral methods of personal evangelism
keys to effective disciple making
the value of using stories and questions
an overview of the Orality movement

Participants will experience Bible stories as oral learners, first listening and learning then retelling and teaching. After each story, there will be time for analysis, discussion, and questions.

Upcoming Dates

Saturday, March 10, 2012

8:30 am - 4:30 pm

Living Water International - Stafford Offices
4001 Greenbriar Ste. 200
Stafford, TX 77477

Cost is $35/Person

*Groups of five or more and Alumni will receive a discounted rate of $20/person. Fees will be collected on-site, no prepayment necessary. The cost of snacks and lunch is included in your payment. All other costs relating to travel, lodging, etc. are the responsibility of the participant. Limited scholarship funding is available if costs are prohibitive.