Bible storying

The best way to communicate the gospel in oral societies is the spoken word.

In one such country, a translator has helped to produce a chronological series of Bible stories in his language. He did not know the Scriptures before, but now he says he is at a crossroads. People who hear these stories also understand the issues much more clearly. Some choose God’s way, so they are given stories to strengthen their faith and disciple them. Others find they can’t sit on the fence, and return to their ancestors’ faith.

Chronological Bible stories in another language are used at a story telling club. Each week, mother-tongue speakers help the audience review last week’s story and introduce new concepts, key words and names used in this week’s story. Then they tell the new story, ask questions to help

people understand and remember, and then re-tell it. Finally, they end with a cliff-hanger, so everyone returns next week!

Most people in central Chad can’t read. They only know distorted Bible stories and misunderstand basic concepts like sin, salvation and Saviour. “How can we communicate God’s word accurately and effectively, so that they become true believers?” asks Liz Williams. “How can we train Christian non-readers to make real disciples? These are the challenges we faced at a Chronological Bible Story workshop.

“We expected 40 – 50 participants but 93 turned up! These included 12 Chadian missionaries working with unreached groups, pastors, Sunday

school teachers and women’s group leaders. Why so many? Because they wanted to communicate the gospel

effectively; because they take Jesus’ command to go and make disciples seriously; because they often see people

hear, believe and yet before long give up.

"Telling Bible stories chronologically, starting with creation, and asking questions enables people to discover the truths revealed in the stories. Everyone loves stories, so this is effective for evangelism and discipling. One participant commented, "I didn’t know what to say to my Muslim friends before, but I do now!’”

People from four language groups in Tanzania were trained to use stories to teach biblical truths. Firstly, they discussed traditional beliefs about God/gods, Satan, spirits, man, sin, reconciliation and so on. To communicate biblical truths effectively, they needed to understand the listeners’ beliefs. Then the leader told a Swahili Bible

story and asked questions to make sure everyone remembered the main points. Next, they had to explain what the story teaches about God, man, Satan, sin, etc.

Only information gleaned from stories at the workshop could be used. This way they built up their own ‘oral Bible’—they knew the stories and understood the meaning.

Then each one re-told the story in their own language, while the others checked that every detail was included,

with nothing added. They kept closely to Scripture without embellishing things. They quoted what God says in direct speech— after all, it is his word! The final result

sounded more natural than it had been translated word-for-word. Finally, they practised telling stories in

their own language, with questions, discussions dramas and songs.

The following Sunday, one of the Sandawe participants took the service in his church. Instead of using the pulpit, he sat with the congregation in a circle and told them a

story from the workshop—in Swahili, the trade language used in the churches. To his surprise, they couldn’t answer his questions. So he re-told story—with the same result. Then he asked one man if he understood. “Oh yes, but I can’t remember,” he explained. “It goes in one ear and out the other!”

Finally, he told it in Sandawe. They all listened intently —and promptly answered all the questions! And the one who re-told it best was the man who couldn’t remember

before.

God’s word in the mother tongue sticks deeper!