USA (MNN) — Orality. What is it? When it comes to missions it has to do with people of the world and their cultures who can’t, don’t or won’t read. These are oral learners and communicators. These people are divided into primary oral learners and secondary oral learners. These can even be people will college degrees. Simply put — they’re people who would rather hear a story, then read a good book.
Jerry Wiles at Orality Training.
President Emeritus with Living Water International Jerry Wiles leads orality training workshops around the world. “Roughly 70-percent of the world’s population, or about five-billion people, are oral learners overall. And, that includes the United States. There are a lot of people in the United States and the western world who would be considered secondary oral learners.”
This type of evangelism training is almost viral. “When people learn stories and a set of questions, they can go places just with what’s in their head and in their heart. We’re seeing people start sharing the Gospel and people are coming to Christ.”
According to Wiles, this isn’t rocket science. “It’s the power of simplicity and reproducibility. When we do our training we want to make sure our message and our methods are biblical, understandable and reproducible.”
That’s important since there are 2,000 languages who don’t have the Bible in their own mother tongue. Wiles says this kind of training can overcome countries opposed to the Gospel. “If we’re going to take the message of the Great Commission of taking the Gospel to the ends of the earth and making disciples of all people groups, then we have to have a method and a message that’s reproducible and transferable within those cultures.”
In Jesus day less than 12 percent of the population could read. Wiles says this isn’t a new way of communicating. “It’s the most effective way that people have learned to communicate for thousands of years. So, it’s just a rediscovery of the most ancient basic ways that people have learned and communicated.”
The movement is growing. Wiles says, “There are actually seminaries and institutions setting up orality departments, or orality study programs. There are forums and consultations taking place. So, I think this will add a lot of momentum and visibility and credibility to the movement.”
There are three workshops scheduled around the United States. Find one nearest you.
Saturday, July 27, 2013 – Houston, TX
8:30 am – 4:30 pm
Living Water International Home Office
4001 Greenbriar Ste. 200
Stafford, TX 77477
Cost is $35/Person
Register here.
Saturday, August 24, 2013 – Fort Wayne, IN
8:30 am – 4:30 pm
The Chapel
2505 West Hamilton Road South
Fort Wayne, IN 46814
Cost is $35/person
Register here: http://www.thechapel.net/index.php?pageId=563
Saturday, September 28, 2013 – Richmond, VA
8:30 am – 4:30 pm
West End Assembly of God
401 North Parham Road
Richmond, VA 23229
Cost is $35/person
Click Here to Register
(Groups of five or more may attend for $20 per person and alumni may attend free of charge).
