Beginning with the significance of employing orality for discipleship, Jay Moon illustrated its effectiveness by providing an example involving a Native American.
He elaborated on the significance of rituals in addressing the issues related to Paul Hiebert’s concept of the Excluded Middle. Emphasizing their importance, he highlighted how rituals guide individuals through what Viktor Turner termed the liminal experience, marking a transformative and transitional phase in their journey.
Moon provided numerous compelling examples, emphasizing stories, dance, and symbols as crucial elements in oral discipleship. He also included in his presentation the impactful illustration of African Chicken Theology.
Read the related journal article.
Temna Meren, a student of Moon, highlighted the importance of oral discipleship in his ministry and effectively complemented Moon’s presentation with real-life examples.
Discover more about Rituals through our training materials on the I-OS website!
More resources about Rituals on GOMAP.
Check out the recordings and engage in the conversation in the comments.
Jay Moon, PHD, MBA served 13 years as a SIM missionary, largely in Ghana among the Builsa people doing church planting and water development. He is presently a Professor of Evangelism & Church Planting and directs the Office of Faith, Work, and Economics at Asbury Theological Seminary. He authored six books, including Intercultural Discipleship, and edited five books. He is a frequent speaker on church planting, evangelism, discipleship, and marketplace mission. In addition to his role as a teaching pastor in a local church, Jay is a Professional Engineer. His hobbies include tree houses, axe throwing, and small business incubation.
Temna Meren, a PhD student in Intercultural Studies at Asbury Theological Seminary, Wilmore, KY, USA, was born and raised in Nagaland, India Northeast, as an ethnic Naga Christian surrounded by the opportunities and challenges of India’s cultural and religious diversity. He also served as a youth pastor in Nagaland for about seven years. Temna says, ‘Naga culture will give you a glimpse of what an oral community would look like.’ Being a Naga, Temna asks questions about the effective ways of Christian discipleship and spiritual formation in the oral preference cultural context.
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