During my tenure with the ION leadership team, I oversaw aspects related to secondary orality, a concept discussed by Walter Ong in his seminal work, Orality and Literacy. Ong described primary orality as the communication form of communities without a written language, with little familiarity with reading and writing. In contrast, secondary orality is mediated through electronic and digital media by those who are literate. Oral communication modes like songs and stories heavily influence this latter form. However, secondary orality tends to be passive, often involving activities like watching a screen. While it might seem beneficial to create more video content for oral preference learners, it is essential to remember that oral cultures are characterized by distinct traits such as a focus on honor and shame, learning primarily through dialogue with others, and a group-focused orientation without reliance on abstract and analytical principles—just something to think about.
Decades ago, the Lord called me to serve Him through Christian resource publishing and distribution, and I’ve noticed that the vast majority of all the Christian resources available to the global church today (i.e. books, audio/visual materials, etc.) were first published in English in the West -- where Christians aren't threatened with death for their faith -- and then translated into other languages for use in other countries. Given that fact, a lot of foreign language discipleship materials distributed outside the West are void of teaching that prepares believers to lay EVERYTHING down – including our own lives in a life or death confrontation – to follow Jesus.
It is this missing element – our willingness to offer on the altar the most precious thing each of us have to give, our very physical lives – that is mentioned at the end of Rev. 12:11 – “And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even when faced with death.”
I have never seen a How To Manual on facing persecution. What I have seen, however, are multiple testimonies of believers who have courageously faced persecution, weathered it in ways that bring glory to Jesus and resulted in their forgiving their persecutors (which sometimes, through their witness of love and forgiveness, leads the persecutors to faith in Christ, too).
Voice of the Martyrs (https://www.vom.org) has created a website (https://www.vm1.tv) where all of our audio/visual resources in 60 languages are shown, which you and those you know may freely view, download and share with others. Simply go to https://www.vm1.tv, click the language box in the top right corner of our home page, find your language of interest and access what you need for the encouragement of all. Got questions? Write me at: fieldresources@vom.org
I've long seen the need to utilize more short form video, especially as we seek to mobilize and send more Gen Z gospel workers to those with the least access. Something I'm wrestling with is how mission organizations can partner with 'micro-influencers' to educate and influence younger goers. Traditionally we look to experts, and their written word, to inspire and educate. Gen Z, however, are less likely to be inspired by a written Piper quote than they are by a trusted influencer's video. How might we pivot to partner more with trusted influencers already using video content to help get our message out?
Janelle Stoops
Director Team, Frontiers USA
PS- looking forward to seeing you in Kentucky next month.
During my tenure with the ION leadership team, I oversaw aspects related to secondary orality, a concept discussed by Walter Ong in his seminal work, Orality and Literacy. Ong described primary orality as the communication form of communities without a written language, with little familiarity with reading and writing. In contrast, secondary orality is mediated through electronic and digital media by those who are literate. Oral communication modes like songs and stories heavily influence this latter form. However, secondary orality tends to be passive, often involving activities like watching a screen. While it might seem beneficial to create more video content for oral preference learners, it is essential to remember that oral cultures are characterized by distinct traits such as a focus on honor and shame, learning primarily through dialogue with others, and a group-focused orientation without reliance on abstract and analytical principles—just something to think about.
Decades ago, the Lord called me to serve Him through Christian resource publishing and distribution, and I’ve noticed that the vast majority of all the Christian resources available to the global church today (i.e. books, audio/visual materials, etc.) were first published in English in the West -- where Christians aren't threatened with death for their faith -- and then translated into other languages for use in other countries. Given that fact, a lot of foreign language discipleship materials distributed outside the West are void of teaching that prepares believers to lay EVERYTHING down – including our own lives in a life or death confrontation – to follow Jesus.
It is this missing element – our willingness to offer on the altar the most precious thing each of us have to give, our very physical lives – that is mentioned at the end of Rev. 12:11 – “And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even when faced with death.”
I have never seen a How To Manual on facing persecution. What I have seen, however, are multiple testimonies of believers who have courageously faced persecution, weathered it in ways that bring glory to Jesus and resulted in their forgiving their persecutors (which sometimes, through their witness of love and forgiveness, leads the persecutors to faith in Christ, too).
Voice of the Martyrs (https://www.vom.org) has created a website (https://www.vm1.tv) where all of our audio/visual resources in 60 languages are shown, which you and those you know may freely view, download and share with others. Simply go to https://www.vm1.tv, click the language box in the top right corner of our home page, find your language of interest and access what you need for the encouragement of all. Got questions? Write me at: fieldresources@vom.org
I've long seen the need to utilize more short form video, especially as we seek to mobilize and send more Gen Z gospel workers to those with the least access. Something I'm wrestling with is how mission organizations can partner with 'micro-influencers' to educate and influence younger goers. Traditionally we look to experts, and their written word, to inspire and educate. Gen Z, however, are less likely to be inspired by a written Piper quote than they are by a trusted influencer's video. How might we pivot to partner more with trusted influencers already using video content to help get our message out?
Janelle Stoops
Director Team, Frontiers USA
PS- looking forward to seeing you in Kentucky next month.
We're all dying to know what tool you used to create the video...
https://synthesia.io