• Directories
    • Business Directory
    • Church Directory
    • Organization Directory
  • Advertise
  • Donate
  • Help
  • Log In

MENUMENU
  • Learning
        • Leader’s Edge
          • Author Interviews
          • Book Summaries
        • Book Reviews
          • Book Look
          • EMQ Book Reviews
        • Publications
          • Anthology
          • Evangelical Missions Quarterly (EMQ)
          • Missiographics
        • Podcasts
          • The Mission Matters
          • Members Only Feed
          • Missions Podcast DirectoryNew
        • Topics
          • COVID-19 Resources
          • Diaspora Missions
          • Global Issues Updates
          • Member Highlights
          • Mobilization
          • Muslim Missions
          • Support Raising
          • UkraineNew
        • Media Library
          • Conferences
          • Global Issue Updates
          • On Mission
          • Thought Leader Briefings
          • Webinars
          • Workshop
          • View All
  • Programs
    • Accreditation
    • Bible Certificate
    • Church Missions Coaching
    • Cohorts
    • Cybersecurity
    • ImproveNew
    • Mission Jobs
    • Missions DataNew
    • Publish
    • RightNow Media
    • The Mission App
    • Women’s Development
  • Events
          • Calendar
          • In-Person Events
          • Virtual Events
          • Event Recordings
          • Awards
        • Premier Events
          • Mission Leaders Conference
          • On Mission
        • Upcoming Events

          • Evangelical Views on Women in Ministry & Marriage: Differences in Interpretation, Not Inspiration
            Fri May 20, 2022, 04:00 PM PDT
          • Webinar: An Introduction to the Theology and Practice of Cross-Cultural Risk
            Thu May 26 2022, 12:00pm EDT
          • Pocket Guide to Being a Missions Pastor: 5 Things Every Missions Pastor Needs to Know
            Wed Jun 1 2022, 01:00pm EDT
        • View All Events
  • Research
          • Missions DataNew
          • Missiographics
          • Research Reports
        • Popular Research
          • Compensation Reports
          • COVID-19 Resources
          • Field Attrition Report
          • View All Reports
        • Contribute
          • Current Research Projects
          • Volunteer
  • About Us
        • Who We Are
          • Our Contribution
          • Meet the Team
          • Board Members
          • History (1917–present)
        • Our Beliefs
          • Statement of Faith
          • Community Standards
        • Awards
        • Partner with Us
          • Advertise
          • Donate
          • Sponsorships
          • Volunteer
        • Help
          • Contact Us
          • Advertising Specs
          • Branding Guidelines
  • Join
        • Learn
        • Learn what you cannot learn anywhere else.

        • Meet
        • Meet people you otherwise won’t meet.

        • Engage
        • Engage in a community like none other.

          • Benefits
          • Benefits for Churches
          • Pricing

Sponsored Content

Upcoming Events

  • Evangelical Views on Women in Ministry & Marriage: Differences in Interpretation, Not Inspiration
    Fri May 20, 2022, 04:00 PM PDT
  • Webinar: An Introduction to the Theology and Practice of Cross-Cultural Risk
    Thu May 26 2022, 12:00pm EDT
  • Pocket Guide to Being a Missions Pastor: 5 Things Every Missions Pastor Needs to Know
    Wed Jun 1 2022, 01:00pm EDT
  • From Harlem to the World - the Local Church Mobilized for Global Missions
    Wed Aug 3 2022, 01:00pm EDT
  • Innovation Leaders Discussion
    Mon Aug 8 2022, 01:00pm EDT

View all events »

Topics

author interview CEO Church Church Missions Church Mission Team Church Planting COVID-19 Cross Cultural Skills Diaspora Disciple Making Discipleship Focus Future Innovation Islam Justin Long Leadership Management Member Care Missiology Missionaries Mission Finance and Administration MLC2019 MLC2020 MLC2021 Mobilization muslim Muslim Diaspora Networks Partnership Podcast Presenter Pursuing Partnerships Series Research Risk Short-Term Missions Spirituality support raising Training Trends Unengaged Unreached Weekly Roundup Women Women in Leadership

Meta

  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.org

Communicating Scriptures: The Bible in Audio and Video Formats

Posted on July 1, 2003 by Ted EslerJuly 1, 2003

by Viggo Sogaard, editor

This manual effectively addresses a critically important issue—how can those who are functionally illiterate have access to the Bible?

United Bible Societies, Reading Bridge House, Reading, RG1 8PJ, England, 2001, $35.00.

—Reviewed by Donald K. Smith, distinguished professor of Intercultural Communication at Western Seminary, and co-director of WorldView Center, Portland, Ore.

This manual effectively addresses a critically important issue—how can those who are functionally illiterate have access to the Bible? In showing how the word of God can be given in audio and video formats, this work redraws the boundaries for discussion of mission strategies. For centuries the assumption has been that literacy is essential for grounding in scriptural truth; without literacy the Bible cannot fulfill its role as the essential foundation for the church. Now that many technologies do not depend on literacy for their usefulness, spiritual growth and stability do not need to be tied to literacy.

The United Bible Societies are to be commended for the significant effort underlying this manual to truly make Scripture available to all, literate and non-literate, and to partner with churches and parachurch organizations that share the vision. Major difficulties are addressed with concrete procedures, stressing the importance of evaluative research at every step. The many case studies from widespread areas of the world are not only interesting and inspiring but provide practical models. Models of inter-agency cooperation and guidelines are included to use in developing relationships.

Detailed information is included in step-by-step guides for developing recordings that can be used in different formats for distribution, such as radio, cassettes, CDs and video. The steps include often overlooked areas in audio/visual presentations: faithfulness to the biblical text, cultural appropriateness, distribution and use of the materials by the intended audience.

The manual is very usable, clearly written and presented in a very attractive and comprehensible format. But it is unfortunately built on some communication assumptions that have been significantly modified in recent years. These underlying ideas are still broadly useful, but in some important areas lead to a flawed approach, for example, the audience is viewed as a target rather than participant. That means we transmit rather than communicate. True and effective communication is always a two-way process, described as participatory communication. Recognition of the audience context and needs is important, as the manual shows repeatedly. But what we see from “outside” is seldom the same as the view of those within the culture. Thus, “inside” participation is essential for effective communication.

Despite weaknesses in current understanding of the communication process, this is an important work. It will serve as a guide for those who want to break out of traditional patterns that tie the gospel to literacy and Western forms of learning, helping them to utilize the immense potential of advances in electronic and digital technologies.

Check these titles:
Klem, Herbert V. 1982. Oral Communication of the Scripture: Insights from African Oral Art. Pasadena, Calif.: William Carey Library.

Primrose, Robert. n.d. Discipling Non-Literates: A Study Report. Nairobi, Kenya: Daystar University.

Copyright © 2003 Evangelism and Missions Information Service (EMIS). All rights reserved. Not to be reproduced or copied in any form without written permission from EMIS.

GoToOlder PostNewer PostAll PostsBook ReviewsEMQSectionVolume 39 - Issue 3

Comments are closed.

Subscribe to Our Mailing List

Keep up to date with our community.

Menu

  • Home
  • Directories
  • Advertise
  • Donate
  • Contact Us

Join

  • Join
  • Benefits
  • Learn
  • Meet
  • Engage

Help

  • Contact Us
  • Terms
  • Cookies Policy

About Us

  • Who We Are
  • Statement of Faith
  • Awards
  • Resources
Missio Nexus Logo

© Missio Nexus. All rights reserved.
As an Amazon Associate Missio Nexus earns from qualifying purchases.


PO Box 398
Wheaton, IL 60187-0398

Phone: 770.457.6677
678.392.4577

Annual Sponsors

ECFA Logo Brotherhood Mutual Logo

Subscribe to our Mailing List

Membership website powered by MembershipWorks