Ministry in an Oral Culture: Living with Will Rogers, Uncle Remus, and Minnie Pearl

by Tex Sample

This book will help pastors educated in the literate culture of academia bridge the cultural gap between them and those in their congregations who verbalize their faith in proverbs and stories. Tex Sample suggests some implications for preaching, teaching, and counseling and discusses how questions of morality and social change are handled by people who think in terms of communal relationship rather than abstract theory.

Genres: Theology, Church

112 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 1994

About the author

Is a specialist in church and society, a storyteller, author.

Reviews

[Kelsey Grissom · Rating 5 out of 5]

Can't say enough about this book. It should be required reading for anyone going into rural or working-class ministry, and probably for anyone going into ministry, period. I only wish I had read it before my first congregation, a dedicated church in an old mill town. I was so culture-shocked and frustrated; it seemed that everything that came out of my mouth was wrong. Ministry in an Oral Culture is the book you need to bridge that gap and begin to learn the language of people who do not do academia or multiple degrees, but who live and work in the world of tradition and orality. Please read it.

[Larry Taylor · Rating 3 out of 5]

a good book for pastors to help bridge the gap between highly trained intellectual people and everyday folks in the pews

[Cori · Rating 4 out of 5]

I re-read this book as part of a colleague group. Love it. Love rural ministry.

[Sue · Rating 3 out of 5]

A timely reminder to listen to the people for where God is already at work and to work with what you are given!

[Michael Dunn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ministry in an Oral Culture: Living with Will Rogers, Uncle Remus, and Minnie Pearl (©1994).

Just completed this book a few days ago. Sample argues that many churches rely too heavily on print-based teaching and abstract theology, often missing opportunities to engage people through narrative, ritual, and participatory worship. He demonstrates how oral cultures value relationship over doctrine, experience over analysis, and storytelling over systematic instruction—offering practical suggestions for preaching, evangelism, and discipleship that resonate with oral learners.

For Disciples of Christ congregations, Sample’s insights have particular relevance. Our emphasis on open communion, inclusive community, and relational ministry aligns well with his call for more embodied, narrative-driven approaches to worship and faith formation. His work challenges churches to reimagine preaching, small group learning, and outreach in ways that are more interactive, participatory, and accessible to diverse communities.

An interesting academic, Tex is his given name. His father named him Texanna Gillham, an African-American woman who was born in slavery and helped raise his father near Center, Texas. Born in Brookhaven, Mississippi. As a young man drove a cab, worked in construction, and was a roustabout in the oilfield. Eventually receiving degrees from Milsap and Boston University, he taught for 32 years at St. Paul School of Theology. Known for his civil rights work, he has been involved with The Metro Organization for Racial and Economic Equity (Kansas City), with Jobs with Justice, with the Human Dignity and Economic Justice Coalition, and with The Urban Summit. He has received many recognitions for his work in racial equity and social justice.

[Douglas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tex Sample made a career explaining middle class white people to seminarians. In this book he looks at the nature of people who live in a traditional/oral culture. Within the UMC most of our seminary graduates grew up in suburban areas. When they go to rural areas to live and preach it's a culture shock. A book like this is helpful to read before going to minster in a rural environment. This text reminded me of churches I have served.
My one minor complaint is the title's reference to Will Rogers, Uncle Remus and Minnie Pearl have nothing to do with the book. I thought this text may examine rural popular culture the way his book on country music did. Still, I'm glad i read this.

[Lynnette Goebel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Don't be fooled by the title. This book only talked about the concept of living with Will, Remus, and Minnie. It did not use any examples of their wit or wisdom. The main concept is that Literary (intelligentsia) people in the ministry should try to be more understanding of the Traditional/Oratory people to whom they minister.

Good point.

However, as one of those Traditional/Oratory folks, I felt a bit of condescension. I also believe that some of the things he would call traditional, I would call Biblical.

Can't wait for the discussion in class.

[Will Dole · Rating 3 out of 5]

When he’s telling stories, it’s a five star reading experience. When he’s bloviating on whatever liberal theological theory was current in 1993, it’s one star. So I split the difference in the rating. How’s that for fairness?

[Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This short older book gives a good description of how oral learners think and how to approach them in a ministry context.