Webinar – OralityTalks

Reaching Indigenous Communities Through Orality

Cleonice Barbosa Larsson — Wed, 13 May 2026 13:16:50 +0000

During our May 2026 webinar, Cleo showcased how orality, specifically oral Bible translations, has a deep impact among indigenous people in northern Brazil. She pointed out that relationships are not optional but central to discipleship.

Translator: Hitielly Correia

The Power of Storytelling among Buddhists

Tony and Larry Dinkins — Wed, 11 Mar 2026 11:24:54 +0000

During our March 2026 webinar, two experienced presenters discussed how storytelling presents unique opportunities to share the good news among Buddhists.

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.

The Power of Orality among Hindus

Greeto Racharia and Bala and Caleb — Tue, 20 Jan 2026 00:17:03 +0000

During our January 2026 webinar, three presenters shared unique perspectives on church planting movements.

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.

Multiplying Disciples: Making Movements

Fri, 12 Sep 2025 00:49:11 +0000

During our September 2025 webinar, four presenters shared unique perspectives on church planting movements.

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.

Discover the Power of Narrative Preaching

Ezekiel A. Ajibade — Thu, 10 Jul 2025 01:52:48 +0000

In this inspiring talk, Dr. Ezekiel Ajibade discusses why storytelling is central to African communication and biblical teaching. First, he lays the foundation for narrative preaching, then unpacks how narrative preaching moves hearts, engages imagination, and reflects God’s purposeful action in history. Drawing from both theology and experience, Ezekiel challenges us to preach with vivid, relatable stories that show, rather than tell, the truth of Scripture and challenges the listener to take action.

Read the related journal article.

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

Resources

Transformative Storytelling Strategies

Havilah Dharamraj — Thu, 15 May 2025 02:56:25 +0000

Using the story of Jacob and Laban as an example, Havilah demonstrates how engage people with Biblical stories—ultimately leading to personal transformation.

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

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.
Build a bridge to the world of the story. Help listeners understand the original context and culture.
Bridge the story to the listener’s world. Make meaningful connections to the audience’s own experiences and challenges.
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.

Mission Publishing Frontiers

Malele Ngalu and Romerlito Macalinao — Fri, 14 Mar 2025 07:54:19 +0000

In this webinar, Dr. Malele Ngalu and Dr. Romerlito Macalinao discuss some of the challenges and opportunities for publishers in the digital age. This age requires and enables us to upgrade our strategies and platforms to maintain relevance and increase our reach.

Check out further resources about orality in publishing at OralityResources.International.

Resources

Holistic Hermeneutics: Interpreting Scripture in Light of Oral Tradition

Joshua C. Frost — Thu, 09 Jan 2025 01:51:12 +0000

Joshua emphasized the significance of understanding the role of emotions in Bible interpretation. He discussed the emotional aspects of a biblical passage, the importance of understanding character emotions, and the challenges of interpreting emotions across different cultures.

Read the related article.

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

Resources

Orality in Theological Education: Addressing 21st-Century Challenges

Laurence Gatawa and Larry W. Caldwell — Thu, 14 Nov 2024 02:56:43 +0000

Our speakers, Larry Caldwell and Laurence Gatawa, made a compelling case for the use of orality in theological education. Laurence focused on the need to teach oral hermeneutics, while Larry emphasized the need for Bible schools and seminaries to adopt competency-based curricula that focus on transforming lives and serving the church.

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

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

Resources

Engaging Oral People with Digital Media

William Snider and Jonah Jala — Wed, 11 Sep 2024 11:16:41 +0000

Digital media and orality go hand in hand. In this talk, Bill Snider explains how social media affects orality, using two interesting examples. Jonah Jala, in her presentation, shows how disciple-making can happen in a digital world, offering practical insights on how it works today.

Read the related journal article.

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

Resources

More Local Ways for Praise: Arts for Mission & Ministry

Younhee Deborah Kim and Oluseyi David Ige — Wed, 10 Jul 2024 04:13:57 +0000

What are local arts? Why should we consider them for praise and mission? How does one effectively utilize them to proclaim God’s truth and communicate His love to others? Deborah and David, artists and ethnodoxologists, share their stories and insights of how they weave music and songs, movement and dances, color and fabric, and other artistic forms in their ministry and worship. The discussion of this webinar demonstrates that using our God-given creativity through the arts multiplies the impact of the kingdom message.

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.

Narrative Theology: Discovering God’s Great Story

Tom Steffen — Thu, 09 May 2024 05:41:34 +0000

Tom Steffen discussed Narrative Theology, emphasizing the importance of viewing Scripture as a collection of stories that shape our understanding of God. He explored different theological perspectives and the impact of oral and written mediums on interpreting Scripture. The narrative approach aims to provide a holistic understanding of God’s message, challenging traditional views of Scripture.

Steffen also touched on the evolution of theological movements and the significance of incorporating storytelling in theological studies. Ultimately, he advocated for embracing the narrative elements of the Bible to gain a deeper insight into God’s intentions and teachings.

Daniel, Jay, and Joshua followed up with a discussion of Paul’s approach to narrative theology in the letter to the church in Rome. Charles Madinger brought it all together and challenged the participants to apply it in their respective ministries.

Read the related journal article and Tom’s book, Narrative Theology, and its accompanying review.

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

Resources

Check out more resources on Narrative on GOMAP and corresponding training materials at Orality.Academy.