The use of orality, or storying (sharing God’s word in story form) is not new. This means of sharing the gospel has been used by missionaries for years and is finding increased responsiveness in our culture. Changing technology in visual media, the internet, and cell phones only accelerates this phenomenon. Consequently, there has been a rapid decline in reading print as a primary means of literacy, and a major shift in learning style preference. In addition, there is a sharp increase in relational-oriented learning. Technology continues to create multiple venues for communicating that enhance relational learning.

Some of the reasons churches should seriously consider using storying:

1.       because Jesus modeled storytelling (“Jesus spoke all these things to the crowd in parables; he did not say anything to them without using a parable.” Matt 13:34). If Jesus knew this was an effective means of communicating shouldn’t we give more consideration to it?

2.       because an increasing segment of our population do not want to read

3.       because a large segment of our population are either illiterate (cannot read or write) or functional illiterate (minimum literate skills). It has been estimated that at least 50% of the US population fall into one of these 2 categories. This means that we cannot effectively communicate with ½ of the population because they either lack the skills to understand or they have a different learning style.

4.       because people can remember a story better, making it easier to share with others.

The disciple making process being introduced to SC churches, in partnership with Real Life Ministries (RLM) includes the use of storying as the primary means of sharing the gospel. This is being done within the context of relational small groups that meet weekly in over 600 homes at RLM. Their effectiveness in multiplying disciples, as we must learn, goes beyond the use of storying – there’s an intentional process in place so that storying, as a means of communicating the gospel, is a means to an end – making disciples who can become disciple makers.

Some resources:

1. How Your Church can Start a Storying Project
   1. In an unreached people group - www.finishingthetask.com
   2. in a Bibless people group - www.onestory.org
2. How to Bible Storying
   1. Video of Grant Lovejoy "Introduction to Orality" - http://www.oralbible.com/video.htm
   2. Storying Workshops - www.swbts.edu/index.cfm?pageid=1082 or www.onestory.org
   3. www.chronologicalbiblestorying.com
   4. www.oralstrategies.com
   5. www.averywillis.org
3. Orality Ministries
   1. www.internationalorgalitynetwork.com
   2. www.onestory.org
   3. www.go2southasia.org
   4. www.gods-story/bibleatlast.htm
   5. www.siutraining.org
   6. www.storyrunners.com
   7. www.wycliffeonestory.info
   8. www.ywamonestory.org
   9. www.oralstrategies.com
4. Available from Discipleship Office at SCBC, click the following to order.
   1. Following Jesus Together, teaching material and 5 disc DVD set included.  $10
   2. Making Disciples of Oral Learners
   3. Church is a Team Sport, by Jim Putman
   4. 401 Biblical Story Telling: What it is and How we do it, DVD