Trans World Radio seeks to present the Gospel in ways to reach the world’s four billion oral learners.

World (MNN) — About two-thirds of the world’s population are oral learners, a multitude numbering four billion people.

These people communicate, learn, perceive reality and embrace core beliefs through orally expressed stories, naratives, songs and proverbs. Books and other forms of linear thinking preferred by literate cultures (and churches) do not communicate with these people.

Some oral learners are illiterate because of lack of education. Others belong to the thousands of oral cultures around the globe. And some may even read a written language but it isn’t the way they prefer to interact with the world, or with the Word of God. The latter group also includes milions of postmoderns in “literate” societies.

This is a huge challenge to world evangelization, as the Gospel is often conveyed in literate ways.

Trans World Radio is tackling this global issue, providing a dramatized version of the Bible for oral learners in parts of Africa and Asia. Radio provides an excellent opportunity to reach people across the globe with God’s Word.

The Radio Bible project consists of 365 15-minute broadcasts from both the Old and New Testaments. Most of it is a dramatized Scripture presentation, but it also includes background material so listeners can understand and apply the text to their daily lives.

TWR desires to initiate programs for oral-speaking societies in 40 languages by 2009, in partnership with other mission groups including Hosanna/Faith Comes by Hearing, International Bible Society, and the United Bible Society.
(Trans World Radio/Baptist Press News)