Adapted from an update by Dr. Deanna Harrison, a professor at West Africa Alliance Seminary (FATEAC) in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, West Africa
Have you heard of “orality?” If not, the idea is that 4.35 billion people—more than two-thirds of the world’s population—prefer to acquire knowledge through means other than “book-learning,” such as
- A friend showing them how to make something;
- Listening to the radio;
- Watching a YouTube video; or
- Chatting with the neighbors about world events.
Keep on Doing That!
Since most Africans are oral learners, one of the great ways to share the good news on this continent is through telling stories. A Bible story is often more effective than a sermon, debate, or theological treatise.
Recently, Craig and Marilyn Hanscome, our Alliance missionary colleagues who oversee orality training in Africa, shared an example of the power of story. They described how a Bible school student followed through on his orality assignment by telling a story to an elderly man of the region’s predominant faith.
When the student returned to class, he recalled the elderly man’s response to the biblical account. “You Christians usually just preach at us. But you have told me a story; this is the way we share truth in our culture—keep on doing that!”
Heart-to-Heart Communication
We in Alliance International Ministries are convinced of the great importance in communicating with people in a way that really speaks to their hearts.
Earlier this year we arranged for the Hanscomes and two West African pastors to present an orality/storytelling training for our West Africa Alliance Seminary (FATEAC) personnel. (We thank Great Commission Women for providing the finances to make this training possible!)
Although it will be a challenging undertaking, we are excited about teaching orality and storytelling principles to all of our FATEAC students during the 2016–2017 academic year. As our seminarians return to their home countries, denominations, and churches, they can train others who will in turn train still others in storytelling.
Imagine the impact we will see as the Lord uses this method across Africa!
Learn More
Check out “Tell Me a Story,” an article about how The Alliance is spreading “orality fever” through partnerships with other missions organizations.
Read about reaching oral learners in Kosovo through developing redemptive story sets.
A Storytelling Revolution
You Christians usually just preach at us. But this is how we share truth—keep it up!
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