Connecting for Change -- Going to Jesus First, Instead of the Witch Doctor
By Jerry Wiles, President Emeritus, Living Water International, Special to ASSIST News Service
HOUSTON, TX (ANS – July 1, 2015)
– A lady in a Central African country heard the Story of Jesus Calming
the Storm, from Mark chapter 4. After the lady heard the story for the
first time, she said, “I see that those disciples went to Jesus first
during that storm on the sea.” She went on to say, “I see that for me, I
should be going to Jesus first, instead of the witch doctor. So, from
now on, I’ll be going to Jesus, instead of the witch doctor when I face
the storms of life.”
The lady who told the story had just learned it in an Orality
Training Workshop and immediately shared it with others in a village. In
this training, it is emphasized that we don’t have to be great story
tellers, because we have great stories to tell. Also, trainees discover
the power of learning a little, practicing a lot, implementing
immediately and telling the stories often. Participants are trained to
tell the stories from the Bible, facilitate small group retelling and
discussion, and how to help others discover the meaning and applications
from the lessons in the stories.
We
all face storms in life – problems, pressure, difficulties or crisis
situations. A great question to ask people is, “Would you like to hear a
story that will help you deal with the problems, difficulties and
pressures in life?” This particular story is short and easy to learn,
but can be used to communicate many important lessons. We can use this
story to talk about the uniqueness of Jesus, about His humanity -- He
was tired and sleepy, so He was sleeping in the back of the boat during
the storm. Yet, He demonstrated His deity by showing His power over
nature.
One of the many benefits of Orality Training is that people learn how
effective it can be in sharing the Gospel (Good News) of Jesus. In
Living Water International’s introductory training, we emphasize how one
can use any of the stories to introduce the message of salvation in
Christ, with the appropriate pre- and post-story dialogue and
discussion. Stories can become the vehicles for communicating many
theological themes and spiritual truths. In fact, one simple story from
Scripture can be used to share many biblical truths.
A person might ask a question like, “Would you like to hear a story
that can help you have a more personal, intimate relationship with God?”
Or, in a situation where people know very little about God or the
Bible, a great question to ask is, “Would you like to hear a story that
will help you find the path to God?” Another good question to introduce a
story is, “Can I tell you a story that will help you better deal with
problems, pressures and difficulties?” Telling the Story of Jesus
Calming the Storm can lead to a series of questions. Some of those
questions could be, “Do we learn from this story that Jesus cares?” And,
“Does Jesus still have power over nature and our circumstances?” “Can
Jesus still bring calmness to us during our storms of life?”
Let’s go back to the idea of going to Jesus first, instead of the
witch doctor. In our cultural context, how often do we go to the wrong
source first or try to come up with some human solution? What about when
we face problems and difficulties, who do we go to first? It could be
that if we go to Jesus first, we may not need to go to other sources. He
may often use some other human resource in our lives, but He may desire
to answer our prayers or meet our needs in different ways than what we
think. It can’t hurt to go to Him first, then trust Him to give wisdom
and direction.
An important lesson we learn from Jesus is that He did nothing of
Himself, but what He saw the Father doing is what He did. The fact is,
that is how He desires for us, as His followers, to live our lives. When
we make ourselves available to the Lord Jesus, as He made Himself
available to the Father through the Eternal Spirit, He will make Himself
available to us. We can see the same God in action today, who was
active through the humanity of Jesus 2,000 years ago. We are the temple,
the dwelling place of God, and can be instruments of His love and power
and redemptive activity today.
We,
in the modern Western World, sometimes make things more complicated
than they need to be. Then when we try to take our Western contextual
models to the rest of the world, it just doesn’t fit. Even in our own
cultures in North America, we sometimes tend to complicate the message
of God and fail to appropriately communicate and relate it to those who
need it most. Jesus, of course, is our best model as a communicator,
trainer and disciple-maker. He told stories and parables, asked
questions, created community and relationships, that have been
reproduced ever since. However, after the invention of the printing
press, the church became more dependent on literate or written means and
neglected the most effective ways and means of communication and
training (disciple-making).
Some Church leaders and scholars are now recognizing the great need
of getting back to the roots of how the Jesus Movement began 2,000 years
ago. He is still alive and living in each of us who are born of His
Spirit. The methods and strategies that He used then will still work for
us today. God is an equal opportunity employer, and He will continue
His work through us if we simply trust and obey Him.
For information about LWI or Orality Training resources and opportunities, visit www.water.cc/orality.
Photo captions: 1) A water well is a great place to share stories. 2)
Every human connection can be an opportunity to ask questions and tell
stories. 3) Wherever people gather is a place to connect and share the
Good News. 4) Jerry Wiles.
About
the writer: Jerry Wiles is President Emeritus of Living Water
International and serves on the advisory council and leadership team of
the International Orality Network. He can be reached at: jerrywiles@water.cc.
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