Reformation
“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” Romans 12:2
The Reformation changed many things that were a part of the church structure. It gave people access to God’s Word, an understanding of scripture, and initiated a new spiritual awakening. The Orality Institute seems to be offering people a similar reformation.
Oral education gives all people access to God’s Word regardless of their education, their language, or their background. That access means that they can know God. They can know His presence and His promises. Students have said, “I have the Bible just in my head” and “I can be confident because I know the Bible.” That becomes even more important when we are working in areas with heavy persecution of Christians because what is memorized cannot be taken away.
Understanding God’s Word is another reform using an oral strategy. The narratives of God’s Word help the characters in the Bible seem relevant to our lives. Discussing the story allows us to see the struggles of Abraham, David, Daniel, or the disciples as our struggles. Their difficulties are not that different from ours, and God’s Word to them is what we also need to hear. The lives that are changed is where the greatest affect is noticed because it is the evidence of the Holy Spirit at work. We can make outward reforms in our lives, but the inner transformation is the work of God. Several students have described the change in their marriages and their family. Regular Bible studies engage our intellect. It is helpful to understand the setting, definitions, and meaning of God’s Word, but oral stories encourage a spiritual awakening with the living God. The Lord wants to renew you and reform you.
Recreation
“While bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.”
1 Timothy 4:8
Twenty people joined us for our fourth annual Orality Institute Awareness Bike Ride at Elm Creek Park. Ten of the attendees have been at all of our rides. We raised $4000 from the bike ride; and the Grand Canyon hike is on October 12th. These funds go to help with the following:
On October 27th, Paul Kneeland and George Lautner will be leaving for a two-week exploratory trip to Kenya. They will be presenting the orality method in Nairobi and a rural area and meeting with two people that have interest in this training.
On October 28th, Kevin Olson and Mufumbiro David will be going to Malawi for three weeks. That trip will celebrate four graduations with 103 students. Ernest Chigawa is the leader for 28 in the north, Moses Nkhata is the leader of 16, Watson N’gomba has 18 both from the center, 13 are chaplains at various prisons, and 28 are from IRIS Africa Bible College in the south.
Nate Jore is actively training oral classes in several churches. Our Savior’s in Zumbrota completed 6-weeks of training and they are using oral stories as the curriculum for their youth program this year. Emmaus in Bloomington and Sunny Side in Stacy both have classes on Wednesday each week. Several other churches have had an introduction or are inquiring about how oral training could benefit their church.
Thank you for your partnership with us in this kingdom expansion.
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