What are these resources?
DBS MP3s in the Arabic people speak.
These MP3s were originally made to help English speakers from the West start new Discovery Bible Study (DBS) groups in the Levant. We were finding that the foreign worker would oftentimes have to be the one to read the Bible in Arabic, and that was a huge barrier keeping groups from being sustainable and reproducible. Here’s what a few of them said after using these MP3s…
“I’ve really been enjoying using the recordings here among the refugees. Most of the time the refugees really get engaged and often it is a lot easier to facilitate the questions through the recording. Also several refugees who hadn’t started groups in the past, have now felt that they now have the tools to go out and start some. Several new generation groups have resulted.”
“She and I recently listened to Jesus’ words about turning the other cheek when wrong is done to you… She was so impacted she started inviting a woman who has been really mean to her over to her house!”
“These resources have changed my ministry. It is amazing to have a resource of scripture on my phone that I can do with anyone, anytime.”
Why is the audio necessary?
Because one out of every three people in the Arab world cannot read or write and another significant percentage are so uncomfortable interacting with written Scripture that they are functionally illiterate.
To picture the challenge, imagine someone with a 6thgrade education trying to read and interpret King Lear by William Shakespeare. This is often what it feels like for Arabic speakers to interact with the Bible or the Quran in Arabic. There is a significant difference between the spoken dialects of Arabic and the formal written form, almost making them 2 separate languages. Formal Arabic is taught in school, used in writing and the news, and respected and recognized as the language of the Bible. Spoken dialects are not taught at school and are learned in the home, making them the language of conversation and relationship. Even if someone is literate, being able to comprehend and share the Bible is challenging. On top of that, would you like to hear the Bible in a language you don’t speak or think in?
The audio is unique in that it respects and uses the original passages from the Bible in Arabic and retells each passage in the Spoken Levantine Dialect. It is clear to the listener that this audio was produced in Lebanon, but it can be easily understood throughout the Levant (Lebanon, Syria, Jordan and Palestine).
This project is based on the conviction that everyone can be taught by God (John 6:45; Matt 23:10). Our task, then, is to remove as many barriers as possible so that families and friend groups can read and respond to God’s Word. When this happens, communities will discover the eternal life that comes when we hear and obey God’s Word.
These are the two pieces of feedback heard most often from users of the audio lessons:
“It helps to get others to facilitate the group almost immediately.”
“Group members feel empowered to start groups with others.”
Where to get the MP3s
The DMM Platform is a system of resources and trainings that assist in catalyzing healthy and mature disciple making movements in the Middle East and North Africa. It removes obstacles so that disciple makers experience less stress and have a better chance of success than was previously possible. Currently all resources are in Levantine Arabic at https://darb.thedmmplatform.com/. Make sure to check back for new languages and dialects and the Android App.
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