Report on the Effectiveness of Orality Core Beliefs Training

In collaboration with Spoken Worldwide, Petros Network conducted a three-day orality training course for indigenous East African church planters in South Sudan and Uganda.

This innovative approach aimed to teach the seven key doctrines of the World Evangelical Alliance (WEA) using storytelling, repetition, and discussion tailored to oral learners. The following includes our findings and testimonials from participants.

Introduction

In East Africa, Petros Network’s indigenous church planter strategy is crucial to spreading the Gospel and establishing new congregations. Many of these dedicated individuals come from oral cultures, where learning and communication primarily occur through spoken word rather than written text. This presents a unique challenge in theological education, particularly in conveying complex doctrinal concepts that form the foundation of evangelical faith.

The traditional Western model of theological education, heavily reliant on written texts and abstract concepts, often fails to resonate with oral learners. This could lead to a disconnect between theological understanding and practical application.

The urgency of addressing this challenge cannot be overstated. With an estimated 5 billion oral learners worldwide, representing two-thirds of the global population, effective oral- based theological education is critical. In East Africa, where oral traditions remain strong, failing to adapt our teaching methods could result in a generation of church planters ill-equipped to articulate and defend core doctrinal truths in their cultural context.

Moreover, the implications extend beyond individual church planters to East African Christianity. A robust, contextually appropriate theological foundation is essential for the long- term health and orthodoxy of newly established churches. Without it, these congregations may be vulnerable to doctrinal drift or syncretism, potentially compromising the integrity of the Gospel message.

Therefore, it is important that Petros Network develop and use innovative, culturally sensitive approaches to theological education that leverage oral communication techniques while maintaining doctrinal accuracy. By doing so, we can empower indigenous church planters better understand complex theological concepts through their oral learning preferences, ensuring the continued growth of East African Christianity without the vulnerability of doctrinal drift.

The Core Beliefs

Petros Network works across multiple denominations and has adopted the World Evangelical Alliance (WEA) Statement of Faith. The WEA, a global organization representing more than 600 million evangelical Christians, has outlined seven key doctrines that constitute the core of evangelical belief.

These doctrines include:

1. The Holy Scriptures
2. The Trinity (One God, eternally existent in three persons)
3. The Lord Jesus Christ
4. Salvation
5. The Holy Spirit
6. The Unity of the Spirit
7. The Resurrection

Traditionally, these doctrines have been taught through text-based methods, which can be challenging for oral learners in the rural areas Petros Network serves. To address this gap, Petros Network partnered with Spoken Worldwide to present a three-day orality training course on doctrine that was developed specifically for Indigenous East African church planters who are primarily oral learners.

Orality Training

Orality training, also known as oral Bible storying, has gained significant traction in recent years as an effective method for teaching biblical concepts to oral preference learners. This approach leverages storytelling, repetition, and discussion to convey complex ideas in a culturally relevant and memorable way.

Traditional theological education has often relied heavily on literate methods, which can be problematic when training individuals from oral cultures. Research indicates that over 80% of the global population relies heavily on oral communication. This statistic underscores the urgency of developing effective orality-based training methods, especially in regions like East Africa where oral traditions remain strong.

Moreover, the use of orality in theological education has a historical precedent. Jesus himself frequently employed parables and stories to convey profound spiritual truths. In the context of East Africa, where oral traditions have long served as a primary means of transmitting knowledge and culture, this method carries particular promise.

Purpose of the Report

While this project was not a research study, Petros Network employed some research strategies to evaluate the effectiveness of the training. The purpose of this report is to share the outcomes of our three-day orality training course in teaching the seven key doctrines of the WEA to our indigenous East African church planters in South Sudan. By assessing the understanding of the content, our goal was to determine whether this innovative approach to theological education could effectively assist our church planters in grasping these complex doctrinal concepts through their traditional oral learning preference. The course was developed and delivered by a trainer from Spoken Worldwide.

Evaluation Framework

To determine the effectiveness of this orality training course, we employed the first two levels of Kirkpatrick’s Four-Level Training Evaluation Model. This widely recognized framework provided a structured approach to evaluating this training program:

Level 1: Reaction

The first level of Kirkpatrick’s model focuses on participants’ immediate reactions to the training experience. In the context of our study, this involves gauging how the church planters felt about the orality-based approach to learning doctrine.

Key questions at this level include:

• Did the participants find the training engaging and relevant to their roles as church planters?
• How did they perceive the effectiveness of storytelling and oral methods in conveying doctrinal concepts?
• Did they feel the training was culturally appropriate and respectful of their oral traditions?

Evaluating reactions is crucial as it provides insight into the participants’ satisfaction with the training and their likelihood of applying what they’ve learned.

Level 2: Learning

The second level of Kirkpatrick’s model assesses the extent to which participants acquired the intended knowledge, skills, and attitudes. This involved measuring the church planters’ understanding of the seven key doctrines after the training.

We will explore:

• Can participants accurately recall and explain the seven doctrines using the oral methods taught?
• How does their understanding of these doctrines compare to their knowledge before the training?
• Are they able to apply these doctrinal concepts to real-world scenarios they might encounter in their church planting efforts?

This level of evaluation is critical in determining whether the orality training effectively conveyed the intended theological content.

Significance of this Report

While this evaluation focuses on a single training session in one region of East Africa, the report still has implications for theological education in oral cultures. Our findings indicate that this orality-based approach to teaching doctrine can effectively assist mission organizations in preparing indigenous church planters, ensuring they possess a solid theological foundation while honoring their cultural learning styles.

Moreover, this report adds to the broader ongoing discussion about contextualization in missions and theological education. As the center of Christianity continues to shift toward the Global South, where oral cultures are prevalent, innovative approaches like this are becoming increasingly important.

Evaluation

To conduct this evaluation, we used:

1. An informal oral survey to gauge participants’ reactions to the training
2. Pre- and post-training assessments to measure changes in doctrinal understanding
3. Observations of participants as they practiced retelling doctrinal stories

This provided a nuanced understanding of the training’s immediate impact and potential long- term effectiveness in equipping church planters.

Challenges and Limitations

It’s important to recognize the potential challenges in evaluating an orality-based training program using traditional assessment methods. We aimed to ensure that evaluation techniques were culturally appropriate and did not unintentionally favor literate learning styles. However, as literate learners ourselves, it is difficult to completely eliminate this bias. The questions for the pre- and post-test were written in English, but a local leader read them aloud and translated them. After each question was read aloud, participants were given time to select the correct answer, which helped ensure their understanding. Additionally, our church planter participants had varying levels of education. We acknowledge this and understand that it may have influenced their learning. We also recognize that the short-term nature of this evaluation—taking place immediately after the three-day course—may not fully capture the training’s impact, which could become clearer as church planters apply their learning in the field. By evaluating this innovative approach to doctrinal training and sharing this report, we hope to contribute our insights to the field of theological education in oral cultures and shape future training strategies for indigenous church planters, ultimately supporting the growth of theologically sound and culturally relevant churches across East Africa and beyond.

Results

The results of our evaluation, conducted using Kirkpatrick’s model, provide compelling evidence of the effectiveness of the orality-based doctrinal training for East African church planters. At Level 1 (Reaction), an informal oral survey conducted by Petros Network staff revealed overwhelmingly positive responses from participants. This positive reaction was further corroborated by observational data; despite challenging conditions, including extreme heat and lack of air conditioning, participants remained fully engaged throughout the training. Their active participation and evident enjoyment of the interactive elements suggest a high level of satisfaction with the training approach and content.

At Level 2 (Learning), the pre- and post-training assessments produced statistically significant results, showing a notable improvement in participants’ doctrinal understanding. The analysis indicated a substantial decrease in incorrect answers from the pre-test (202) to the post- test (98), reflecting a 51.5% reduction in errors. The paired t-test demonstrated a t-statistic of 8.62 x 10^16 and a p-value of 0.0, offering strong statistical evidence of significant learning gains. On average, participants lowered their incorrect answers from 1.73 to 0.84 per test, signifying a considerable enhancement in their understanding of the key doctrines. The statistical analysis strongly supports the effectiveness of the course in improving participants’ knowledge and skills. Based on the statistical analysis and interpretation of the pre- test and post-test results, we can conclude that the course has been highly effective:

1. Significant Learning Gains: The substantial decrease in wrong answers demonstrates that participants have acquired new knowledge and skills during the course.
2. Consistent Improvement: The statistical significance of the results suggests that the improvement was consistent across the participant group and not limited to a few individuals.
3. Quantifiable Success: The 51.5% reduction in errors provides a clear, quantifiable measure of the course’s success in improving participants’ understanding of the subject matter.
4. Strong Evidence of Impact: The extremely low p-value provides strong statistical evidence that the course had a genuine impact on participants’ performance.
5. Room for Further Improvement: While the improvement is significant, there is still room for enhancement, as participants still make some errors in the post-test.

This statistical analysis strongly supports the course’s effectiveness in improving participants’ knowledge and skills. The significant reduction in errors, coupled with the strong statistical evidence, indicates that the course has successfully achieved its learning objectives. However, to further optimize the course, it may be beneficial to analyze the remaining errors in the post-test to identify any persistent areas of difficulty for participants.

Observations of participants practicing the retelling of doctrinal stories further supported these quantitative findings. Trainers noted high levels of engagement during these practice sessions, with participants showing a remarkable ability to accurately recall and articulate the doctrinal narratives. This observational data indicates that the orality-based approach not only improved participants’ factual knowledge but also enhanced their capacity to internalize and communicate complex theological concepts in a culturally relevant way.

These multifaceted results, which include both quantitative and qualitative data, strongly indicate that the orality-based training was highly effective in achieving its learning objectives. The combination of positive participant feedback, statistically significant improvements in doctrinal understanding, and demonstrated proficiency in story retelling provides a comprehensive view of the training’s success in equipping East African church planters with essential theological knowledge.

Summary of Findings

1. Participant Reactions (Kirkpatrick’s Level 1):
The informal oral survey conducted by Petros Network staff revealed overwhelmingly positive reactions to the training. Participants demonstrated high levels of engagement throughout the course, even in challenging physical conditions. Their active involvement and evident enjoyment of the interactive elements suggest a strong resonance with the orality-based teaching methods.
2. Learning Outcomes (Kirkpatrick’s Level 2): 
The pre and post-training assessments showed statistically significant improvements in participants’ doctrinal understanding. Key findings include:
   1. A 51.5% reduction in wrong answers from pre-test to post-test.
   2. A decrease in average wrong answers per participant from 1.73 to 0.84.
   3. A t-statistic of 8.62 x 10^16 and a p-value of 0.0, indicating strong statistical significance.
3. Observational Data: 
Trainers observed high levels of engagement during story retelling practice sessions, with participants demonstrating an impressive ability to recall and articulate doctrinal narratives accurately.

Implications

The results of Petros Network’s study has significant implications for theological education in oral cultures:

1. Effectiveness of Orality-Based Approaches: The substantial improvement in doctrinal understanding demonstrates that orality-based methods can effectively convey complex theological concepts to oral learners. This finding challenges in traditional text-based approaches to theological education and suggests a need for more culturally appropriate teaching methods in oral contexts.
2. Cultural Relevance: The positive reactions from participants indicate that this approach resonates with their cultural learning preferences. This alignment between teaching method and cultural context likely contributed to the significant learning gains observed.
3. Potential for Wider Application: Given the prevalence of oral cultures globally, particularly in the Global South where Christianity is rapidly growing, the success of this approach suggests potential for wider application in other regions and contexts.
4. Bridging the Theological Gap: The improvement in participants’ ability to articulate doctrinal concepts suggests that this approach can effectively bridge the gap between complex theological ideas and the practical needs of church planters in oral cultures

Recommendations

Based on these findings, we recommend the following:

1. Expansion of Orality-Based Training: Consider expanding this training model to other regions with predominantly oral cultures.
2. Long-Term Follow-Up: Conduct follow-up evaluations to assess the long-term retention and application of doctrinal knowledge in church planting contexts (Kirkpatrick’s Levels 3 and 4).
3. Curriculum Development: Invest in developing a comprehensive, orality-based curriculum for theological education that covers a broader range of topics beyond the seven key doctrines.
4. Training of Trainers: Develop programs to equip more trainers in orality-based teaching methods to scale up this approach.
5. Integration with Existing Programs: Explore ways to integrate orality-based methods into existing theological education programs to create more holistic and culturally relevant training experiences.

Limitations and Future Research

While this study provides compelling evidence for the effectiveness of orality-based doctrinal training, it is important to acknowledge its limitations. The evaluation was conducted immediately after the training, and long-term retention and application were not assessed. Future research should focus on:

1. Long-term impact studies to evaluate how this training affects church planting practices over time.
2. Comparative studies between orality-based and traditional text-based approaches in similar contexts.
3. Investigation into how this approach can be adapted for different cultural contexts within and beyond East Africa.

In conclusion, this research demonstrates the significant potential of orality-based approaches in theological education for oral cultures. By effectively conveying complex doctrinal concepts in a culturally relevant manner, this method promises to equip indigenous church planters with the theological foundation necessary for establishing and nurturing healthy, doctrinally sound churches in East Africa and potentially beyond.

Testimonies

These stories highlight the tangible changes in individuals and communities, illustrating the far-reaching impact of this initiative.

Changing the Way We DISCIPLE

“This has become our model. Every Tuesday in our church, we do discipleship. We come together to study the Bible and this method has changed the way we now study it. Because everyone has an opportunity to speak, their knowledge of the Bible has increased, and because this method is so friendly, the number of people who attend this discipleship class has increased. People want to come and learn and talk about the Bible. Right now, I don’t conduct these sessions myself; people have learned how to do it. I have trained them on how to do it. This method of Bible sharing has increased their Bible knowledge, and now some of them also preach in the mid-week service and sometimes even on Sunday! We are training more and more people. This has changed the way we do discipleship in our church and in the other churches I oversee. I have trained many pastors who are now using it in their churches. The impact of this training is multiplying!”
—Petros Network Pastor and Country Leader in Uganda

“We are training the missionaries in our church with this technique. We are making it a subject for their leadership training, and it is helpful and effective. It is a skill that will make somebody not to sleep—the signs keep people attentive, and the teaching goes well. I also use this on Sunday during our devotions. It causes our church members to understand more of the Bible because they must answer the questions and think about the Bible stories they have heard. It is very effective. Also, we are training many pastors, and they are training others. I have developed three centers and trained them with this system, all parts of it— the stories, the questions, and the hand signs. It has changed the way we train and disciple.”
— Pastor and Country Leader in South Sudan

“Our discipleship style has changed! We are using the storytelling method, and it’s fun, interesting, and joyful. I have trained 12+ pastors who use gestures and storytelling, and they are even training the children in our school. When we use this in church class, it makes my people mature very fast! We teach them, and then they teach others. It is multiplying. Even people who aren’t in my church are coming and learning this.”
— Petros Network Pastor and Area Director in Uganda

Changing the Way We EVANGELIZE

“We are using this method effectively for evangelism. We have gone to many villages and are reaching them with these techniques. We are empowering our local church leaders and teaching them how to use this to share the Gospel. God is transforming lives in these villages because of this method. The villagers love the stories and are coming to the church because of their interest in them. It has caused us to be effective more than ever. The stories are very important because many of our people cannot read the Bible and the stories cause them to understand much more of the Bible. Many are coming to Christ because of these stories.”
— Petros Network Pastor and Area Director in Uganda

“It is very effective because it takes all kinds of learners and teaches them in a way they can all learn. The story method makes all people be attentive because they want to hear it to the end. It helps those who have never heard the Bible and God’s story better understand it. When we teach them about the challenges in the Bible, it helps them with their challenges. Many people’s lives are changing.”
— Petros Network Pastor and Country Leader in South Sudan

“This has been amazingly effective. We have used other methods, but this one has been very effective. It opens many people’s understandings of the Bible. It is really helping a lot, because as our church members learn the stories, they are sharing them with their friends who are not believers. They are taking it boldly and using it well.”
— Petros Network Pastor and Program Leader in Ethiopia

“The reading culture in Uganda is quite poor; the number of people who genuinely desire to read is very small. This has consistently affected the discipleship and growth of our Christian life. I’m grateful to the brother whom God inspired with the Orality method; it’s easy and enjoyable. It’s the simplest approach I have encountered for helping people understand the Word of God.

I have adapted storytelling in every opportunity I’ve had to speak in public, whether at a crusade or elsewhere. Orality has made me a very good speaker; people enjoy listening to me because of how I introduce my message with a story. It has helped me learn the Bible stories every day. It takes just minutes, so I can teach any book in its context.

The Orality program has ignited Bible study among my team. My church planters are eager to create more stories. I have visited many of them in their churches, and they have been teaching their Sunday schools and youth using Orality. The five-question system is applied to everything they teach and learn in their church. Learning together is fostering UNITY IN OUR CHURCH, which has posed a challenge for many years. Orality is helping to unite people.

Orality has elevated the level of people’s thinking, which is evident in how they respond to my questions, even when I am teaching other subjects like food security and the F.A.I.T.H. garden. Everywhere I go, I see people thinking first before answering me; it wasn’t like this at the beginning.”
— Petros Network Pastor and Area Director in Uganda

Quotes From the Field

“The program made preaching the Gospel simpler and taught us effective ways to spread the Gospel to our people. The orality training, especially storytelling, has been incredibly helpful, it works better in my local village.”

“The orality training taught us how to teach people about the Bible without needing them to read it. This method has been incredibly effective in my community.”

“The lessons on Orality and using the Bible hand signs were particularly impactful. I started using these in my teaching, and many others now do the same. People are learning the Bible better.”

“I’ve learned a lot about love and how to demonstrate it in my ministry. This approach helps strengthen my community bonds as the people engage together through stories, songs, and dramas because of Orality.”

“By using storytelling and the hand signs, the Orality training has helped make the Biblical teachings more memorable and easily shared with others in my community. This approach is helping with long-term spiritual growth for so many.”

“Thank you to God! I now have a system of teaching the Gospel to people who cannot read or write. The Orality training is such a gift to my people. This method has allowed me to reach more individuals effectively. This approach made the message more accessible and led to many conversions.”