Here are some takeaways summarized by one participant:

• Digital technology is not just a tool. It has become an extension of the self.
• Technological platforms, especially social media, are not merely channels for communicating information. They are powerful cultural forces that shape how we think, relate to others, and ultimately form our identity.
• The church needs to understand how digital technology and digital spaces reshape human identity and how these influences can challenge the identity of believers, whose true identity is rooted in Christ.
• As followers of Christ, we are called not only to use technology wisely but also to discern how it shapes our hearts, minds, and understanding of who we are in Christ.

Translator: Hitielly Correia

Tony told us how storytelling opened doors among the Tibetans during the 14 years he lived among them. You can also read his article.

Larry Dinkins took us deeper into the subject, showing that storytelling is not optional to engage these people with God’s Word.

Greeto Racharia took us from the beginning of Hinduism to the modern time, highlighting the oral origins that are still practiced today.

Bala and Caleb, after hearing the story of a Hindu who began following Jesus and the struggles she faced because of it, we heard how personal stories can bridge the gap with these people.

Jojo Manzano offered a global perspective, highlighting the urgent need for rapidly multiplying disciples to reach the unreached.

Todd Kerns from StoryRunners emphasized the crucial role of storytelling in disciple-making movements. He shared an example from rural Africa where people empowered by stories began planting and multiplying churches.

Sonny and Bel Lapada, serving among the Tagbanwa people in the Philippines, demonstrated how Bible Story Dialoguing can establish house church networks. They have been applying oral methods and principles since the late 1970s, even before they knew the term.

Neil and Doreen Benavidez recounted their experience in Mindoro, Philippines, where they started a Bible school among the Mangyan. They train church planters, most without a high school degree, and require each graduate to have planted at least one church.

Read the related journal article.

Check out further resources about narrative theology and download the slides used in the presentation at OralityResources.International.

Resources

She emphasized four key points that are important when using a story for preaching, Bible study, or discussion groups:

1. Let the story speak for itself. Allow the story to make its own point. There is no need to break it up into sections or points.
2. Build a bridge to the world of the story. Help listeners understand the original context and culture.
3. Bridge the story to the listener’s world. Make meaningful connections to the audience’s own experiences and challenges.
4. Place the story within the Bible’s metanarrative and show how it fits into the overarching narrative of God’s redemptive plan.

Havilah’s approach reminds us that the power of biblical storytelling lies not in dissecting the text, but in inviting people to encounter God through the story as a whole.

Read the related article.

Check out further resources about orality in holistic hermeneutics at OralityResources.International.

Resources

Check out Larry’s article and Laurence’s article.

Check out further resources about orality in theological education at OralityResources.International.

Resources

Read the related journal article.

Check out further resources about orality and digital media at OralityResources.International.

Resources

Read the related journal article.

Check out further resources about this topic at OralityResources.International.

Resources

More research on Arts on GOMAP and corresponding training materials at Orality.Academy.