For church planters like Malika*, literate church planting methods limited her effectiveness.
“I work with many women in my church and many of them do not read and write,” she says. “It is very difficult to help them share the gospel because the methods we have are written.”
In a West African training hosted in partnership between StoryRunners and Cru’s Global Church Movements, Malika learned to launch church-planting movements using oral Bible storytelling. Now Malika can foster spiritual growth among the women in her church who do not read or
write. These women, in turn, can plant churches just by telling Bible stories! In small groups, they will lead others to engage with, discuss and internalize oral Bible stories. Over time, these groups will grow into house churches that will use Bible stories to help new believers both grow in their faith and reach the lost people around them.
“I see how using stories is going to be the key for [these women], not only in sharing the gospel but in making disciples of others,” Malika says.
In a six month period, two other church planters like Malika used this oral church planting storytelling training to launch 12 new church plants!
*Name changed for security
“This [oral Bible story training] is fulfilling a dream. I have struggled to train those who cannot read and this is going to accomplish that,” says Averin Awele, a national director for Cru in West Africa.
If you are a church planter from an oral culture or if you prefer to learn using oral methods, StoryRunners would like to come alongside you and help your ministry grow in effectiveness. Contact us to discuss how we can work in partnership together.
StoryRunners and Cru’s Global Church Movements (GCM) have linked arms to develop church-planting training based on oral Bible storytelling. If you currently use MC² or even if you don’t, contact us to learn how MC² Story will help you use the Launch, Multiply and Develop training through oral Bible stories.
Highlights of MC² Story
- StoryRunners can help train local storytellers to produce and use the 40 stories needed for Launch and Multiply
- Eight topics of Launch help start groups of new believers
- Prayer, Care, Share skills are learned in Launch
- 40 stories of Multiply help the new groups walk with Jesus, understand God’s story in chronological order, learn ministry skills and practice Acts 2 characteristics
- 3/3 discipleship meetings are used in Multiply
- 24 topics of Develop help to develop leaders for the new groups, increase their biblical knowledge, grow in skills and character
- Evaluations of walk with God, ministry and leadership are used for Develop