Author: Jerry Wiles

Where to go in times of Trouble

HOUSTON, TX (ANS) – In the Fall of 2017 Hurricane Harvey hit a large region of Southeast Texas.  Millions of lives were impacted by the storm.  Many of us were not flooded and had the opportunity to assist and serve others.  There was an outpouring of compa...

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The Power of Curiosity

Children naturally have lots of questions and a healthy curiosity “Curiosity is the wick in the candle of learning,” so said William Arthur Ward, one of America’s most quoted writers.  Albert Einstein said, “I have no special talents. I am only passionat...

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The Power of Curiosity

One of the things we notice about most young children is that they have a healthy curiosity and ask a lot of questions.  They learn fast because of their inquisitiveness and hunger for knowledge.

A Walk of Faith Begins with a Step of Faith

It’s a vivid memory for me the first time, that I know of, that I was responsible for someone else coming to faith in Christ. During my freshman year in college, I made friends with a Japanese foreign exchange student, named Asada.  He was a Judo Black Belt...

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Timing, common ground, and fruitfulness in witness

Those who abide in Christ will produce much fruit After more than a decade of cultivating a relationship with one of our neighbors, I finally got around to having a conversation with him about spiritual matters.  I’ve been thinking, “why didn’t I do this...

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Worth and Value in the Kingdom of God

We hear a lot these days about the need for more fairness and equality. People often get the idea that their worth or value is based on their salary, possessions, title or position in society.

The Tablet of your Heart

Houston, TX (ANS) – A new study reveals how Bible reading has declined greatly in North America over recent years. “Spending time in the Word of God” is a phrase that has been around for some time.

Water and the Word, for Life, In Jesus’ name

There is much speculation and there are many theories about the origin and history of water on earth. However, for those of us who believe in the authority and accuracy of the Scriptures, we can accept the fact that God created water, as He is the Creator o...

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Leadership for Life

Houston, TX (ANS) – The most important aspect to consider in relation to leadership is leading others to a relationship with Christ.  There are many factors to take into consideration when we think of effective leadership, but only a few have eternal benefi...

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How God Transformed a Community

Orality Training for Trainers in Ethiopia HOUSTON, TX (ANS) —Over a period of about five years, Living Water International, in partnership with local churches, conducted Orality Training with more than 1,200 pastors, evangelists, missionaries and church ...

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The Water that Satisfies the Deepest Thirst

Clean Water Saves Lives HOUSTON, TX (ANS) — “The poor and needy search for water, but there is none; their tongues are parched with thirst. But the Lord will answer them,” (Isaiah 41:17). Jesus said, in John 7:37-38, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come t...

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Orality, Memory and Disciple Making

  The Power of Personal, Relational Evangelism and Disciple Making Houston, TX (ANS) – After more than three decades of using orality-based methods and strategies with several churches, ministries and mission organizations, we’ve made some amazing d...

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Surprised by the Work of God

While visiting with a friend who owns a car dealership in the Washington DC area, I had a phone conversation and shared the gospel with a young man I had never met before. He was receptive and open to the Lord, so we had prayer together and he received Chr...

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Thirsting for Living Water

Clean Water and the Living Water of Jesus brings Joy and Transformation HOUSTON, TX (ANS) – A few years ago I visited a region in Kenya where there had been several years of severe drought. Most of the water wells in the region were dry. Living Water Int...

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Rethinking Church Life, Disciple Making and THE WORD

There are many valuable traditions and spiritual disciplines that can enhance our relationship and walk with God. However, our life in Christ and our walk with Him is not sustained by what we do, our spiritual disciplines.

Prayers and Conversations that Ignite Movements

Increasing numbers of mission and ministry leaders, pastors and church leaders, business professionals and ordinary followers of Jesus are now paying attention to the Orality Movement. There are a number of global mission leaders who are saying that it cou...

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The Power of Community – Sharing Life Together

So often over the years when I’ve had conversations with people about the Lord, I discover that someone else has already had some spiritual influence on them.  They have had some exposure to the gospel.

An Orality Learning Journey – Getting back to the Basics

Houston, TX (ANS) – What may have been a seemingly insignificant and obscure conversation among a few church/mission leaders about orality, oral cultures and oral learners back in the 1970s and ‘80s, has become an important movement in the global mission wo...

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Prayers and Conversations that Ignite Movements

The Power of Praying the Word of God, and Claiming His Promises Houston, TX (ANS) – In 1806, Samuel J. Mills, Jr., a student at Williams College was one of five participants in what became known as the famous “haystack prayer meeting.”  It was a catalyst...

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Connecting, Caring and Changing Lives

I met a man in Nashville while passing through a revolving door at an entrance to a downtown hotel. I smiled and greeted the man as he was exiting, and I was entering the hotel. Immediately the man turned around and followed me into the lobby to ask me a q...

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Developing a Prayer, Care, Share Lifestyle

In the summer of 1982, while on a road trip across the state of Kansas, I came upon a roadblock at a construction project.  A flagman approached my car and explained that there would be about a 10-minute delay.  After a brief exchange, I asked the worker, “...

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Little ‘Trimtabs’ that have Big Impact for God’s Kingdom
Little ‘Trimtabs’ that have Big Impact for God’s Kingdom

There are many African proverbs about mosquitos.  One of those says, “If you think you are too small to make a difference, try sleeping in a closed room with a mosquito.”  Anyone who has done much international travel in the more tropical regions of the wor...

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Digital Orality: New Signs of Spiritual Opportunities

Orality-based methods and strategies are the most effective ways people have learned and communicated from the beginning of time.  Digital Orality is about combining modern technological resources with the most ancient forms of communicating and learning.  ...

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The Importance of Asking the Right Questions

“Curiosity is the wick in the candle of learning." “I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious.” Unfortunately, many people lose that curiosity and thirst for knowledge as they grow older. 

Fairness and Equality, from God’s Kingdom Perspective

There is a lot of talk these days about inequality and the need for more fairness and equality. People often get the idea that their worth or value is based on their salary, possessions, title or position in an organization or society. Perhaps the greatest ...

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Overcoming Tunnel Vision: Expanding Our Horizons

In 1965, in Japan my learning journey was greatly accelerated.  I began discovering more about various customs, worldviews and cultural value systems.  It was a season of discovering how much I didn’t know, and the fact that the rest of the world is very di...

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Times of Crises can Foster Unity and Mobilize the Body of Christ

From reports, we are hearing from around the world, God’s people are putting aside minor or secondary differences for the greater purposes of God. This is nothing new, and hopefully can be used for greater impact in advancing the Kingdom of God.  When crise...

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Lessons from the Original Jesus Movement

Consider how the Gospel spread throughout the entire populated world in the First Century, before the invention of the radio, television, the internet, or the printing press.  Think about how God preserved the accuracy of His message in predominantly Oral C...

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The Storms of Life

We all encounter the storms of life;  difficulties, problems and crisis situations.  Who do you go to during those storms of life?  How do you respond in the bad times?  These are important questions and reveal a lot about our relationship with and walk wit...

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Living Water – for the Body and the Soul

A few years ago I visited a region in East Africa where the people had experienced a severe drought for several years; most of the water wells in that region were dry. I was told that 30,000 people were getting water from that one well, and in addition to t...

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Flourishing, Growing, and Bearing Fruit

In 1975 Pat Zondervan delivered an eight point message about the characteristics of the Palm Tree, from Psalms 92:12-14.  He compared the Palm Tree to the believer’s life in Christ. One of the points he made was how the fruit of the Palm Tree is sweeter wit...

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Sowing and Reaping, and the Law of Averages

I first learned about the Law of Averages selling books door-to-door for several summers during my college years.  I found that if I gave my sales talk about 30 times a day, that on average, I could expect to make 3 or 4 sales, sometimes more.  It was hard ...

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Communicating Truth — By All Means

We all have influence on other people, whether we realize it or not.  We are all influenced by others, in more ways than we might be aware of.  Many of the influences in our lives are out of our control. However, we certainly can control many of them by our...

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The Stewardship of Influence

We all have influence on other people, whether we realize it or not.  We are all influenced by others, in more ways than we might be aware of.  Many of the influences in our lives are out of our control. However, we certainly can control many of them by our...

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The Many Benefits and Applications of Orality Training

It is amazing, and sometimes surprising, how many people are receptive to discussing what it means to have a relationship with the Lord and become a follower of Jesus. So many people today seem to be resistant to institutional religion, even institutionaliz...

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The Role of Orality for Disciple Making

It would be a valuable exercise to consider what is meant by Disciple Making and Church. There is a growing awareness with many now for the need to focus more on disciple making, rather than church planting and church growth, although in many cases we’re ta...

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The Power of Community and Missional Living

When followers of Jesus grasp the significance of being on mission with God, it can become a delight to share His life changing message with others.  It’s also a great joy to be a part of a community where there is a tangible demonstration of love and unity...

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The Place of Orality in the Great Commission

What is the Great Commission anyway?  A recent study showed that a large percentage of church goers in North America did not know.  A very simple summary of the Great Commission could be “communicating the Gospel to everyone” and “making disciples (follower...

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Children As Story Tellers

When children learn stories, they tend to tell stories.  One of the things we’ve observed all over the world is how children can have a significant role in the spreading of the gospel.  There seems to be a growing recognition of the place of equipping and m...

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The Clarification Factor: Fruitful Living and Ministry

We are certainly living in a time where we need a lot of clarification on a wide range of issues.  Many people make judgments based on limited awareness and knowledge.  Often the problem is being exposed to the wrong source or a distorted perspective.  Of c...

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The Place of Orality in the Marketplace

Many of those who are new to the Orality domain are still thinking about a foreign mission strategy.  However, the concepts, principles and practices of Orality are beginning to be recognized as important in many other areas, including the marketplace and t...

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Prayer, the Word, and the Great Commission

Prayer leaders and mobilizers are saying that there are more people praying for revival and spiritual awakening now than ever before.  The Prayer Movement, over the past four decades, has gained momentum with a focus on World Evangelization.  Researchers te...

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The Trimtab Factor and Church Multiplication

Trimtab was an entirely new term to me until a friend of mine explained it to me several years ago.  Every aircraft and ocean going vessel has a rudder that guides and directs the airplane or ship.  On the tip of the rudder is a smaller rudder, known as a t...

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The Kindness Factor and Kingdom Impact

The gentleman was a little surprised as I smiled and greeted him as we crossed paths through a revolving door at a major convention hotel.  So surprised in fact, that he immediately turned around and followed me back into the lobby of the hotel and asked, “...

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The Trust Factor and the Good News

When you hear news reports, or when someone tells you something, how do you know if it’s true or not?  How much confidence can you have in the source of information you receive every day?  These are pretty important questions, and in some cases, could be a ...

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Worth and Value in the Kingdom of God

In many parts of the world, women and children are not seen at the same level in society as men.  Actually, a number of regions where Living Water International has operations, children are not given names until they’re one or two years old. 

Orality Missiology: The Discovery Factor and Life Encounters

A study conducted several years ago showed that almost every Christ follower acknowledged that a priority in their lives should be sharing their faith, communicating the Gospel and advancing the Kingdom of God. 

Orality Missiology: The Organic Factor and the Gospel

Organic anything seems to be a preference for many these days.  Go into almost any grocery store and you’ll probably find an organic section or department.  The definition of organic is related to or derived from living matter or living organisms.  It also ...

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Orality Missiology: The Memory Factor

We often say that the Kingdom of God is based on relationships.  Of course, our relationship with the Lord is the first and foremost relationship.  When we are in a right relationship with our Heavenly Father, the Creator God of the Universe, it makes it po...

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Orality Missiology: The Relationship Factor

We often say that the Kingdom of God is based on relationships.  Of course, our relationship with the Lord is the first and foremost relationship.  When we are in a right relationship with our Heavenly Father, the Creator God of the Universe, it makes it po...

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Orality Missiology: The Kingdom Leveraging Factor

Strategic Resource Leveraging is something I first heard about years ago from Dr. Ron Jenson, known as America’s Life Coach.  Some of my friends in the business world use the term Force Multipliers. These are powerful concepts that can take on many forms of...

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Orality Missiology: The Simplicity Factor and Oral Learners

Simplicity and reproducibility are vitally important factors for spreading the Gospel and advancing the Kingdom of God. The simplicity factor and oral learners is not about being simplistic in the context of communicating the Good News of Jesus and making ...

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Orality Missiology: The Redemptive Factor

In a recent conversation, my wife and I were discussing some experiences over the past few years, reflecting on how God always brings positive outcomes from our negative experiences.  One of my mentors was Norman Grubb, who I can remember saying, “Every neg...

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Orality Missiology: The Perception Factor

Over the years I’ve often heard people say, “perception is reality.”  Actually, perception is reality for those who have that perception.  This is an important challenge that we encounter often in the Orality Movement. 

Orality Missiology: The Leadership Factor

Good leadership is needed all over the world. There is global awareness and recognition of the need for good leadership. The important question is, what is good leadership and how does one become a good leader? 

Orality Missiology: The Networking Factor

Almost everything in life works better together.  That is, two is better than one, and a threefold cord is not easily broken, as the Scriptures tell us.  While there is general agreement that networking and cooperative efforts are important, it’s often a ma...

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Orality Missiology: The Multiplication Factor

When I think about Orality Missiology, I ask what does it take to ignite a movement, to build a business, or grow a church or organization?  What are the principles, methods or strategies that enable each of us, as followers of Jesus, to make the greatest p...

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Orality Missiology: A New Reformation?

When I think about Orality Missiology, I ask what does it take to ignite a movement, to build a business, or grow a church or organization?  What are the principles, methods or strategies that enable each of us, as followers of Jesus, to make the greatest p...

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Orality Missiology: Cultivating a Prayer-Care-Share Lifestyle

In a recent effort to activate individuals to more intentionally reach out and share the Gospel, a group in a local congregation launched a prayer walking initiative.  Actually, it’s more than praying, and more that walking.  The idea of cultivating a Praye...

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Are orality methods useful in literate contexts?

In a Western society, literacy is often assumed and even taken for granted. But the beauty of orality methods for communication can tend to be lost in Western contexts — including with how we present the Gospel. Orality is essentially the reliance on non-wr...

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Artists Making Disciples of Oral Learners Part 2 of 2

Dr. Jerry Wiles presents the second half of a two part series on how artists can be powerfully used to disciple oral learners. Dr Wiles, President Emeritus of Living Water International, became involved with Orality in 1983 through the influence of Herbert...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cmk_tu42wBQ&feature=youtu.be
Artists Making Disciples of Oral Learners Part 1 of 2

Dr. Jerry Wiles presents the first half of a two part series on how artists can be powerfully used to disciple oral learners. Dr Wiles, President Emeritus of Living Water International, became involved with Orality in 1983 through the influence of Herbert ...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DPa-oIgj17s&feature=youtu.be
Orality Missiology: Lessons from the Original Jesus Movement

Avery Willis and Henry Blackaby popularized the phrase “On Mission with God” several years ago through their books and other resource materials by that title. It has been a delight and tremendous blessing to have known and benefited from both of their lives...

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Oral Disciple Making: A Return to First Principles

When it comes to following and obeying Jesus, it sometimes takes time to clarify exactly what that means. With 2,000 years of history and church traditions, there is a very real need to rethink, re-evaluate and rediscover the most important thing about what...

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Oral Strategies for Rapid Multiplication

Nearly 80% of people in the world learn primarily or exclusively though oral means. They learn stories, songs, dramas, and media rather than written words. Even those who are literate often prefer non-print forms of communication. (GACX Webinar, recorded Ja...

https://vimeo.com/252729239
Orality In the Academy and Beyond

Increasing numbers of missionaries, mission executives, pastors, and cross-cultural church planters are coming to an awareness and recognition that the Orality Movement is transformational in our time. In fact, some now acknowledge that Orality is changing ...

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Captivating Oral Cultures Through Story

What 5 things do people need to know? Jerry Wiles and Living Waters International provide a brief explanation why stories are so powerful at providing these answers.

https://vimeo.com/67598709
Orality Missiology: Being “On Mission with God”

Avery Willis and Henry Blackaby popularized the phrase “On Mission with God” several years ago through their books and other resource materials by that title. It has been a delight and tremendous blessing to have known and benefited from both of their lives...

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Orality Missiology: A Journey of Saving Lives and Changing Destinies

A little more than 25 years ago I got to know a service station attendant and shared the Gospel with him. He told me about someone giving him a Bible a few years earlier. However, he had never read it, but began reading it and started sharing the Gospel wit...

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Orality Missiology: The Power of Image, Narrative and Community

In the Fall of 1975, in Memphis, Tennessee, I heard a message delivered by the late Pat Zondervan. I recently spoke on the content of Mr. Zondervan’s very memorable speech, which was based on the uniqueness and attributes of the Palm Tree, from Psalm 92:12,...

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Orality Missiology: The Next Big Thing in Completing the Great Commission

In many cases we need to define both Orality and Missiology. Orality is an ancient phenomenon that continues to the present. It is a reliance on spoken, or non-written communication and learning methods. Before writing was developed, cultures passed along t...

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Seeking and Finding Commonalities

Common ground, common sense and common courtesy are pretty important these days. In many ways and in many places, they seem to be in short supply. Having traveled, served and ministered in many countries and in diverse cultures, I've noticed that there are ...

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Storytelling in the Business World

Jerry Wiles is President Emeritus of Living Water International and North America Regional Director of the International Orality Network. He has more than 30 years of experience in ministry and international mission work, has been a paradigm pioneer in the ...

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Interview with Jerry Wiles

In this podcast Ted Esler, president of Missio Nexus, interviews Jerry Wiles from the International Orality Network. He explains the big picture behind oral communication strategies and how it is impacting missions today.

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The Continuing and Growing Learning Journey in the Orality Movement

In a recent Orality Consultation and Advanced Training in East Africa, I was once again reminded of the power of networks and collaborative learning. The focus of this training was on developing leaders for Oral Cultures, in ways that would be reproducible ...

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Is Orality Really Effective in Sharing the Gospel?

Increasing numbers of church and mission leaders are beginning to pay more attention to the orality movement that has emerged over the past 40 years. Some would say that the movement is one of the most significant breakthroughs that has taken place in the c...

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Connecting for Change: The Multi-Faceted Aspects of the Orality Movement

I first came across the book “Oral Communication of the Scriptures: Insights from African Oral Art,” by Herbert Klem, and started hearing about Orality, Oral Cultures and Oral Learners back in the 1980s. It was a seemingly obscure conversation among a few m...

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Connecting for Change: Communicating Truth by All Means, Anywhere, Anytime

I had a three-hour flight between two African countries, and I was seated by two ladies from East Asia. I was reading my New Testament and one of the ladies asked me, “Is that a dictionary?” I replied, “No, it’s a New Testament.” She asked, “What is a New T...

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Sharing stories, sharing the Gospel

How come it’s so hard to talk about Jesus with strangers? Well, the truth is, unless we’re relating on a deeper level, there’s no way to convey the deep transformational power of the Gospel in an impactful way.

More Than Just Stories

More and more missionaries around the world are learning just how valuable orality method is when working with oral people groups. As we learn more about orality, some mission groups like Living Water International are finding applications that minister to ...

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Latin America Report

Jerry Wiles, Senior Associate for Training in ION reports on his involvement this year with Living Water International: Living Water International has been involved with Orality Training, and Orality Training for Trainer (OT4T) for almost a decade in Mex...

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Connecting for Change: The Orality Movement – More than Storytelling

At about 8 am on Tuesday morning, March 22, 2016, at the airport in Brussels, Belgium, a terrorist bombing took place. Two Living Water International (LWI) co-workers and I had just landed a couple of hours earlier, en-route from Liberia, West Africa, on ou...

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Connecting for Change: The Phenomena of Paradigm Shifts

A modern phenomena that we often hear about these days is something called a “Paradigm Shift.” In 1962, Thomas Kuhn, an American physicist, historian and philosopher introduced the term “Paradigm Shift.” While he used the term in the context of scientific a...

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Connecting for Change: Making Known the Righteous Acts of God

At about 8 am on Tuesday morning, March 22, 2016, at the airport in Brussels, Belgium, a terrorist bombing took place. Two Living Water International (LWI) co-workers and I had just landed a couple of hours earlier, en-route from Liberia, West Africa, on ou...

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Connecting for Change — Experiencing Chance Encounters

What we might think of as chance encounters, may be better described as God’s redemptive connections. Years ago I came across a small booklet titled “There are no accidents with God.” Another author who has had a significant influence in my life is DeVern F...

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Discipling Oral Learners

Living Water International is a faith-based non-profit organization that helps communities in developing countries create sustainable water, sanitation and hygiene programs in response to the global water crisis.

https://vimeo.com/166255160
Caught in the Chaos | ION Community News
Caught in the Chaos

Praying, Caring and Sharing: Surviving the Brussels Terrorist Attacks By Jerry Wiles, President Emeritus, Living Water International, Special to ASSIST News Service

Changing the Paradigm

My vision for the orality movement is that it will revolutionize the way the Christian world things about communicating the gospel and about making disciples in ways that are cross-cultural, international & reproducible. There are certain paradigm shift...

https://youtu.be/CjNrcAqmOok
Connecting for Change: Changing in order to connect

HOUSTON, TX (ANS – October 7, 2015) – Why are things the way they are? Why are people the way they are, and why do they do what they do? These are vitally important questions that can be transformational and life changing when taken to heart. I personally n...

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Connecting for Change: Questions that Matter Most

HOUSTON, TX (ANS – September 1, 2015) – Why are we doing what we are doing? What are we here for? How did this get started? What is the origin and history of some particular practice or custom? These are all great questions that can prompt important convers...

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