Millions of people around the world still wait for the Bible in their own language. Most of them belong to the Oral Majority—communities that live by story, memory, and spoken word rather than books. Traditional translation methods, built for literate cultures, often struggle to reach them.

The Disciple-making Oral Bible Strategy (DOBS) offers a revolutionary solution. Grounded in adult education, critical pedagogy, and cognitive neuroscience, DOBS is designed to fit the true nature of oral cultures. It moves away from “book-dependency” and transforms translation into an act of discipling the church, enabling spiritual growth within the language community.

At the heart of DOBS is a simple, repeatable process. Bilingual Mother-Tongue Translators (MTT) are equipped through Developmental Spiral Syntax (DSS) and Metacognitive Scaffolding (MCS)—tools that engage the Head, Heart, and Hand. Quality assurance is built into the community itself, through Peer, Community, and Leadership Checking.

The ultimate measure of success is not a perfect text but spiritual transformation—disciples multiplied, churches strengthened, and communities renewed. This book introduces a practical, shareable method that anyone can grasp. Discover how DOBS is accelerating Bible translation worldwide and helping fulfill the Great Commission today.

by Gabriel Oludele Adeloye

ISBN: 978-621-96888-8-8

This research investigates how effective Bible translation into people’s heart language can be in spreading the message of God. The study adopted both qualitative and quantitative research methods, enabling the researcher to participate in the work, observe the people, and administer questionnaires to gather relevant data. A sample population of twenty-five respondents was used for the study. Three categories of questions were administered. The first category comprised survey questions aimed at determining participants’ native language, their Bible reading habits, and their experiences in witnessing Christ to others. The second category consisted of pre-translation questions designed to assess participants’ excitement and motivation in reading, studying, and sharing the word of God before exposure to the translated text. The third category involved post-translation questions to evaluate changes in their excitement and motivation after reading translated portions of Scripture in the Ijebu dialect.

Findings revealed that while the participants had previously been reading the Bible and sharing God’s word with others, they became more excited and motivated to do so when the Scriptures were presented in their local dialect. Reading the Bible in Ijebu enhanced their engagement and willingness to share it with family members and people of other faiths. The study concludes that Bible translation holds great potential for motivating Christian discipleship among Ijebu speakers.

by Romerlito Macalinao

Foreword by Cameron Armstrong

While UNESCO heralds “Literacy Rates Continue to Rise from One Generation to the Next” (Fact Sheet No. 45 September 2017), there remains in the world a preference for nonliterate means of information processing and communication. Such people belong to oral societies that exist both in highly urban centers to the remotest islands and jungles of the world. These people are able to read but prefer to acquire, process, and communicate information by listening and/or watching. On the other hand, there are people who are unable to read and do not see the need to learn how to read, but still go about with life and continue to thrive since their earliest ancestors for centuries. In this global context, how is Jesus’ command to make disciples of all nations to be accomplished? While the field of Orality Missiology has been in existence for several decades with significant milestones in the work of missions and education, the pairing of Orality with neuroscience is a trailblazing and emerging field of inquiry and a fertile seedbed among innovators in theological education and strategists in Bible translation and the wider work of evangelization. This book will illustrate firsthand experiences on how the field of orality and neuroscience provide a critical pedagogy in advancing the Great Commission among oral societies.

by W. Jay Moon

Foreword by Tom Steffen

This addition to an acclaimed series brings cutting-edge research to bear on a topic of perennial interest: making disciples. The book looks at disciple-making from multiple cultures to help readers discover contextual approaches that are culturally relevant and biblically faithful. It emphasizes methods that are especially effective with contemporary converts and includes practical examples from around the world. Each chapter includes sidebars, discussion questions, an activity for discipling, and a case study. An appendix contains further suggestions and exercises for instructors.