Last March I launched my first conversational blog on Oral Bible Storying by asking the question, “Why this and why now?” I finished the article by saying that I could think of some reasons, but I wanted to hear from you first. You gave some good responses. Here is my reasoning:

• When I was translating Scripture in a language of southeast Asia, the first thing the indigenous users did with the written text was to transfer it into song, verbatim. Then they would sing the songs while working in their gardens, while walking to town, and especially in the dark of night when they were afraid. They were learning, meditating and retaining Scripture in a way that was best suited for them. And many of them had pretty good reading skills.
• In Papua New Guinea, one group recently performed a portion of Scripture, communicating it in dramatic fashion. Many of the people watching understood the story for the first time, even though they had read it in their Bibles before.
• With one group in Eurasia, important teachings are put into poetry. Believing that Scripture is important, they are learning and communicating pure Scripture purely through poetry. It has the peoples’ attention.
• In north eastern Africa, a group of women are learning Scripture and are re-telling it in ways that only women can, and their listening circle is growing.

These methods for communicating pure Scripture may come as a surprise to a western literary culture where most learning is done through reading or sometimes dry academic lectures. The western believers might even suggest that these other methods for communicating Scripture are due to illiteracy. But that is not necessarily so. These other methods are practiced by literate people, as well. This is because simply reading a written text out loud does not adequately convey the drama and imagination that Scripture performance brings out. Having a high view of Scripture does not necessarily mean that it can only be communicated through reading. The reading of Scripture is certainly important, especially in liturgical churches. But should it be the only medium? Now, with the decline of global Western mission in the 21st century, we are beginning to see the rise of multi-media approaches to translating and communicating Scripture. It is simply a sign of the times.

How have you seen Scripture performed where you live? How did that performance affect the people who were watching and listening?