posted
Why is storytelling so important for world mission? Here are some reasons, collected by Jim Bowman, Director of 'Scriptures in Use':
1. Over two thirds of the world population receive most of their information orally;
2. For over one third of the world's population (more than 2 billion people), oral communication is the only source of information;
3. Ninety-five percent of women in the Islamic world can only be reached through oral communication;
4. Over 75% of the Bible consists of stories. Adding poetry and proverbs leaves probably less than 10% abstract, intellectual content;
5. Traditional Western forms of communication only reach the 10% intellectual elite in unreached people groups, storytelling the rest;
6. Storytelling turns discouraged, marginalised, semi-literate believers into powerful evangelists and disciplers with great impact, a sense of fulfillment, personal value and new hope.
Here's a comparison of the most important differences between typically Western book cultures and typically non-Western,oral cultures increasingly influencing the West, in which the story is of major importance. Note, for a side by side comparison, take a look at http://www.peopleteams.org/miao/storying.htm
Book Cultures: 1. Learn by reading, studying, examining, classifying, comparing, and analyzing 2. Think and talk about concepts and principles. 3. Manage knowledge in abstract, complicated, scientific categories. 4. Seek to discover new information. 5. Value innovative solutions. 6. Understand things abstractly like the pieces of a puzzle. 7. See things in parts. 8. Ask and answer direct questions. 9. Feel the need to define words and concepts. 10. Do not like repetition since material missed can be reread. 11. Like brevity (few words can say much) 12. Use charts, diagrams, and lists to explain the message. 13. Learn and retain knowledge as general principles. 14. Make lists but recite few genealogies. 15. Speak and write about their own feelings. 16. Arrive at conclusions by logic. 17. Organize the sermon or oratory with a logical progression of thoughts. 18. Tend to communicate one-to-one. 19. Learn mostly alone. 20. Can think about something for a long time while making notes about it. 21. Tend to use a subtle verbal style. 22. Prefer realistic characters and the struggle to reach a goal. 23. Use their hands little since gestures are not written or read. 24. Use informal, casual, or spontaneous verbal exchange. 25. Value style and clarity of reasoning. 26. Are affected by the content of what they read. 27. Have talents in written forms of language and literature. 28. Do not participate in verbal contests but perhaps write well-worded letters to the newspaper or a politician.
Oral Cultures: 1. Learn by observing, imitating, listening, repeating and memorizing. They learn through proverbs, saying, stories, songs and expressions. 2. Think and talk about events. 3. Use stories of human action to store, organize and communicate information. 4. Value and learn information handed down from the past. 5. Value traditional solutions. 6. Understand things in their context and according to the people involved. 7. See things as a whole, in their totality. 8. Avoid asking and answering direct questions. 9. Are uninterested in definitions since the context brings the meaning. 10. Appreciate repetition in case something was missed the first time. 11. Like to use lots of words (many words to say little). 12. Use symbols and stories to explain a message. 13. Learn and retain knowledge in relation to real and imagined events of life. 14. May recite genealogies but make few lists. 15. Think and talk about people and events they know. 16. Make decisions base on experience. 17. Illustrate sermons, exhortations and oratory with events. 18. Tend to communicate in groups. 19. Learn mostly in interaction with other people. 20. Cannot think about something very long without dialogue. 21. Have a verbal style that can be dramatic and exaggerated. 22. Tend to use strong or heavy characters and tend to emphasize a struggle against an enemy. 23. Express themselves with their hands. 24. Use ritual and formal verbal exchange. 25. Value the style of speech, clarity, and poetic forms of language. 26. Are affected by the sound of what they hear. 27. Are talented in oral art for example song and poetry. 28. Participate in verbal contests excelling in praise, insults, riddles, jokes and flowery language.
Email this page to someone.
