Did you know that over 75% of the world prefers to learn through oral storytelling methods?
I’m Jenanna Cook, a member of our e3 Oral Strategy Team with e3 Partners Ministry. Over six years ago, I participated in an e3 Story Training for Trainers workshop where I learned how to share God’s Word through Bible storytelling—a method that is powerful with people of all cultures and ages. This amazing method grabbed my heart and I joined the team.
To be clear, this doesn’t mean that all people in oral cultures are unable to read. In fact, contrary to that, many are highly educated; they simply come from community-based oral cultures in which storytelling is both a way of life and a preferred form of communication. And after all, who doesn’t love a great story?
I can certainly relate to this. Looking back on my life before I was a believer, if someone knocked on my door with a Bible in their hand it was a show stopper for me. Knowing nothing about the Bible, it immediately created a wall and I’d say, “No thank you” and shut the door. However, had they greeted me and said, “I’d like to share a short story with you,” I would have likely said, “Sure.” Little did I know that the Lord would one day bring me to faith and lead me to share His love and message in a unique way: through the power of Bible storytelling!
After coming to faith and joining Prestonwood Baptist Church in Plano, Texas, I went on a mission trip hosted by Prestonwood and led by e3 Partners to Columbia, and then on another one to Tanzania, and shortly afterward joined e3 Partners Ministry. That was twelve years ago. After serving as HR Director for over five years, I followed God’s call to move to the field-side of e3 Partners and went through an e3 Story Training for Trainers Workshop. It quickly became clear that God was calling me to serve in this essential and amazing area of ministry. That was over six years ago.
Our e3 Oral Strategy Team is blessed to work with people around the world with a focus on unreached people groups, as well as people here at home, teaching others how to share God’s Word in a simple, Biblically accurate, reproducible, and engaging way. We use unique memory-aid tools in our training to help folks learn and remember the stories, such as drama and songs. While our creative methods are certainly fun and engaging for those participating in the training, it is likewise impactful and emotional and touches people of all ages in a unique way. I’ve seen men and women laugh and even cry as they experienced the hopes, joys, and struggles of key Biblical characters.
Your support of e3 Partners allows us to continue delivering this amazing oral Bible storytelling training around the world so we can make disciples who make disciples, and plant churches in unique and innovative ways. In one of our most powerful testimonies, two orthodox priests attended our e3 Oral Bible Storytelling training in another country, and they utilized the Bible storytelling format to plant over 2,700 home churches in just three years!
If you have an interest in bringing Oral Bible Storytelling training to your church or small group, we invite you to visit our e3 Orality webpage to request more information. Also, in the fall, (November 1-5, 2021 to be exact) we’ll hold a 5-day, in-person e3 Orality Bible Storytelling Workshop in Plano, Texas at our e3 Partners Ministry headquarters and we’d welcome your participation. We hope you will support our ministry, and may God bless you as we work together to reach the unreached with the message of Jesus Christ.