Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away. Matthew 24:35

           The majority of Christian mission work has used literate means to reach oral communicators living in remote and isolated places of the world. Since a large portion of unreached people groups are oral learners it is critical that we use oral strategies to reach as many with Biblical truths that we in the West can take for granted.

             An effective way to reach oral cultures is by telling the stories of the Bible. Oral cultures love to hear stories over and over again, memorizing them and retelling them to their friends and neighbors. Since story telling is highly relational, Bible stories such as the parting of the Red Sea and David and Goliath, can spread rapidly within a people group without the aid of visuals or written materials.

             As I think how God has prepared me into full-time ministry, I am full of joy as I realize I will be able to share the Bible with men and women who long to hear the stories that have been existed for centuries. When I recall all the stories I have learned since I was a child in Sunday school, I can’t bear to think that many have never heard of the Good Samaritan or the Lord’s Prayer. This is why I long to be able to share the one single book that has made the biggest difference in my life. While I understand the need for more followers of Jesus Christ to enter into missionary service, I have to admit that there’s no other way I’d like to live out the rest of my life but to devote it to sharing the life transforming stories that have pierced my heart.

Laura
lmacias@maf.org