Bible storytelling workshop focuses on spoken story

On the shores of Lake Victoria in Mwanza, Tanzania, leaders from six language communities gathered for a two-week Oral Bible Storytelling workshop—equipping people to share Scripture in their own languages, including three groups who do not yet have Scripture.  

From March 16–27, 2026, participants representing the Kara, Sumbwa, and Taturu languages took part in a unique form of Bible translation—one that doesn’t begin with printed text, but with spoken story. Alongside them are speakers of Kerewe, Swahili, and Sukuma—languages that already have Scripture but are discovering new ways to engage their communities through storytelling.  

The workshop in March marked the third in a series designed to build both confidence and capability in Bible storytelling. Earlier workshops focused on stories from the Gospel of Mark and the book of Genesis. This time, participants are working through the stories from the book of Jonah. These conversations help ensure the stories chosen are not only biblically faithful, but also culturally meaningful and relevant. 

While the two-week workshops are in-person, there is also mentorship and collaboration through virtual meetings. Participants have worked alongside facilitators, consultants, and interpreters to carefully select stories, understand their context, and prepare to share them clearly. In addition to the biblical teaching component, many of the participants have said they are learning just as much through the group dynamics, relating well with other teammates and partners. Just as importantly, Tanzanians are taught and equipped to lead these workshops themselves—building long-term sustainability for this work. 

This effort is made possible through a partnership between two dioceses of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania (ELCT), Lutheran Bible Translators (LBT), and Seed Company.  

At its heart, this workshop is about more than storytelling. It’s about access. It’s about hearing the Word of God in a language that feels like home. And for communities still waiting for a full Bible translation, it’s a powerful step forward—one story at a time.