There are 4.35 billion people in our world who are oral learners. They are found in many cultural groups, in villages and in global cities around the world. The declaration recognizes that many people do not hear the gospel when it is shared only through literate means they do not understand or to which they do not relate. It expressed concern about:
- 2.7 billion unreached people, including approximately 3,500 unengaged, unreached people groups;
- approximately two billion people without the Old Testament;
- 2,252 unengaged, unreached people groups, consisting of 350 million people without a single verse of Scripture in their heart language; and
- too few strategies and resources committed to oral learners.
The word of God is unchangeable, but the manner or method in which it is communicated does change. The declaration celebrates that throughout history God’s word has been carried through various media formats, including oral communication, handwritten text, the printed page, and digital means.
The Gutenberg press enabled a print revolution and an unprecedented spread of the word of God. Oral means were available before Gutenberg, but a Scripture literacy revolution was empowered by making the full Bible available to people who could read. The declaration describes another important point in history: digital technology made it possible for oral learners to engage with God’s word in audio and audiovisual formats.
Discipleship through understandable media
The declaration’s central conviction is that every person should have access to the word of God in a heart language and in a media format that person understands.
The network’s stated vision and mission was to influence the Body of Christ to make disciples of all oral learners. It presented the foundation of discipleship as being shaped by, and obedient to, the word of God. It also affirmed access to Scripture in one’s own heart language and an understandable format as a right and privilege.
- We call upon the Body of Christ to expand the reach of this revolution by making the entire word of God available to every person who can hear.
- We call upon the Church to embrace engagement with audio Scripture among oral learners with great urgency.
- We call upon the Church to engage unengaged, unreached people groups and to place into their hands every available audio portion of God’s word in their heart language.
- We call upon the Body of Christ to devote energies, strategies, and resources to provide access for oral learners to engage the entire word of God through audio and digital means, so that every tribe, tongue, and people group may hear, understand, and have the opportunity to respond.