DECIBEL Training is focused on providing a range of innovative training resources for pastors and church leaders in the Global South. We are very aware of the fast growth of the church in many poorer countries. This is exciting.

However, there are many huge challenges. How, for example, do you equip church pastors who have minimal training opportunities? When the church is growing, people are raised up into leadership very quickly, but they often have very little preparation or relevant knowledge. This is where the digital platform provided by ‘TheWell’ and the accessible learning style of the ‘DECIBEL Courses’ can make such a big difference.

Helping those who teach and preach

So how does ‘Word Online’ contribute to raising up and equipping pastors and leaders?

Word Online is focused particularly on those whose responsibility it is to teach directly from the Bible text – pastors preaching to their congregations, those discipling new converts, leaders of Bible study classes, youth leaders, children’s workers. Many such leaders lack time and suitable resources to prepare effectively for this task.

Word Online is designed to be accessible to those using English as a second language while have been through secondary (high) school level.

Easy access video library

So, what does Word Online offer? Word Online has its own website and is like a digital “library” that enables the user to access video teaching covering every single passage in a particular book of the Bible.

So far, we have 231 episodes available. These cover all the material in Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, and Acts. Shortly we will be adding 39 episodes covering the book of Romans and 12 episodes covering the book of Galatians. We intend to carry on adding material for other books in the New Testament.

This means that a preacher or study group leader who is due to teach on, say, The Parable of the Unmerciful Servant in Matthew 18, can quickly access teaching on this text in the “library”. Each episode provides a straightforward contextual interpretation of the passage and some suggested application points.

The librarian’s walk through

So, what do you find when you go into the “library” on the website? First, there is a video of about 30 minutes. You can use subtitles if that is helpful, and you can look at the full written transcript. If you prefer you can listen to the audio rather than the video. If it is easier, you can podcast any episode on one of four major platforms (Apple, Google, Spotify, and Stitcher).

Then there are study guides at the end of each Episode. These are designed for group use when Word Online is being studied in a group context.

Extra helpful tool available

Some people will be happy just to access the materials through the website. But for smartphone use the best option is to download the free web-based App which is embedded on the website and available for either IOS or Android phones.

The library continues to grow and spread

So, what about the future for Word Online? The next step is to embed Word Online podcasts, transcriptions, and study guides onto TheWell device. This will enable Word Online to be accessed offline wherever TheWell is used around the world. Our longer-term vision is to get Word Online materials translated into other major international languages.

Visit the library of Bible teaching and training here:

https://wordonline.org/