Orality Success Story

Created: Wednesday, 18 October 2017 18:53

Before I was exposed to orality, I was like any other pastor preaching according to seminary knowledge. In 2014 September, I was one of the first 10 Zimbabwean pastors to be trained as a trainer by Professor Jerry Wiles. I came back to Murehwa district and mobilized 16 local pastors whom for 2 days I trained the 5 story set. I released them expecting a quick feedback which they brought back 3 months later. Surprisingly it seems in all their home cell groups, orality had boosted midweek attendance by over 150% which to me was overwhelming.

Sunday school teachers were enjoying the orality methodology and most children could retell the stories anywhere and anytime. In their reports, they indicated that orality was more engaging and it promotes open platform for conversations and in-depth bible study. Unlike preaching, they said bible story backgrounds could be understood and a lot of relevance could be unraveled.

I enjoy telling the true stories from the word of God. I personally was invited to preach at about 7 funeral platforms using orality and surprisingly the responses from people who accepted Christ was a notable testimony. Later on this 2016, we organised a 2 days’ workshop on Orality without support from the EFZ secretariat. This time we mobilized leaders including those 16 pastors I trained and other 55 people were trained on the 5 story set. These leaders were from the whole district and some from other non-bible reading churches like the apostolic white garment churches.

Orality has transformed me personally. I am now more of a teacher of the word than an evangelist, more grounded in the word. I use it everywhere and anywhere freely. Of the 17 rehabilitated water points in Murewa, I preached on 11 of them using orality. I saw many giving their lives to Christ. That has enhanced the way I do ministry work. I noted also that the young generation that is the youth and Sunday school are very receptive to orality concepts of art, drama and poetry. I love Orality, I love the true stories from the word of God, and I will tell the true stories from the word of God, the undiluted gospel and the untainted truth!