"So you want to give people access to translated Scripture on a digital audio player? OK, but how do you choose between the increasing array of players and programmes being offered?"
This in-depth review (39 pages) compares a wide range of today's digital audio players, including the Proclaimer and Mini-Proclaimer (from Faith Comes By Hearing), the NGP and FM Ambassadors (from MegaVoice), the Saber (from Global Recordings Network), the Papyrus (from Renew World Outreach) and the Audibible (from Davar Partners International).
Also mentioned are some of the 'off the shelf' options such as basic feature phones and cheap MP3 players.
The review is presented in several sections, illustrated with photos and giving a summary of the key features, prices, pros and cons of each player. [more...]
"We know that just because someone has a printed Bible doesn’t mean they will use it. After the novelty has worn off, how can we encourage people to go on listening and engaging with God’s Word with their audio player?"
In recent years we’ve seen the launch of a number of multi-purpose digital audio players, designed for contexts without easy access to electricity: such as the MegaVoice Ambassador, the Saber, the Papyrus and the Audibible. They can contain hours of audio Scripture, songs, teaching, Bible stories, or whatever audio content you choose.
Suppose you had 10 of them, or 100, or 1,000? What would you do with them? Not only would you need to decide what to put on them, but you would also need to think about how people will get hold of them and put them to use.
This brief article describes 9 ideas for putting audio players to use, including listening groups, audio libraries, tools for pastors and evangelists, new communities and translation testing. [more...]
Bible.is from Faith Comes By Hearing brings together Bible text and audio so you can read and listen to God's Word using a web browser, iPhone, iPad or Android smartphone apps. Verses can be shared via Facebook and Twitter.
You can select from over 96 languages and 160 Bible versions, and this continues to grow as part of FCBH's Digital Bible Project - an exciting venture to create "the world’s largest online library of Bible text & audio – all in a friendly, simple user interface." [more...]
"We make posters, bookmarks - laminated and non-laminated, bookmark kits for groups to make their own bookmarks, refrigerator magnets, note pads, stickers..."
The Inakeanon People of the Philippines are seeing God’s Word in colorful attractive posters, bookmarks, key chains, greeting cards and more. The Inakeanon Scripture Promotion team has produced over 1,250 Scripture posters as well as hundreds of the other Scripture items. These were hand made, scrapbook style from used greeting cards, stickers and punched-out shapes sent from interested prayer partners.
This article contains samples of the posters that have been produced as well as links to images of many more. [more...]
"Most of our Scripture Engagement tools are geared toward teens who are relatively open to the Scriptures though perhaps struggle to see the relevance. But what about the antagonistic atheists and seculars who favour naturalistic science over the implausible supernatural; the untrusting skeptics and agnostics who find the historical and moral assertions in the Bible literally in-credible; or the confused seekers and New Agers who want meaning to their life but are suspicious of any (religious) truth claims—no matter how seemingly relevant—lest they be duped and lose their “freedom”?"
Encountering God’s Word has the potential to transform teens outside the church. But what if their attitude to the Bible closes their ears? How can we open ears, establish trust, and arouse interest? Sometimes we need to talk about the Bible before we can invite teens to read it. These resources unpack a pre-evangelistic conversational strategy that challenges, informs, and inspires teens to see the Bible as plausible, credible, and relevant.
Dave Benson has researched the area and is actively using the model he presents here in Australian schools. Attached here is the booklet and presentation he produced for the World Wide Scripture Engagement Consultation 2009 - and a copy of his thesis 'The Thinking Teen'. [more...]
"I think the workshop gave all the kids a way of expressing thoughts and emotions that they had no outlet for before. It helped them know that what they are feeling is normal and that God cares deeply about them."
How can children who have been traumatised by war engage with Scripture meaningfully? How can they believe in a loving father who cares for them? Through stories of children who had experiences similar to their own and Scripture stories, they can learn that - although life involves suffering - God cares for them. Through games, crafts, and conversation, they can give voice to their pain and bring it to Christ for healing. This model has proven to be effective with children in Gulu, Uganda and Liberia. [more...]
"We affirm that the Bible is the final written word of God, not surpassed by any further revelation, but we also rejoice that the Holy Spirit illumines the minds of God’s people so that the Bible continues to speak God’s truth in fresh ways to people in every culture... We must make the Bible known by all means possible, for its message is for all people on earth. We recommit ourselves, therefore, to the ongoing task of translating, disseminating and teaching the scriptures in every culture and language, including those that are predominantly oral or non-literary."
The Lausanne Movement has published a draft of Part 1 of The Cape Town Commitment - a statement to follow on from the Lausanne Covenant (1974) and the Manilla Manifesto (1989). It includes a section entitled "We love God's Word".
The role of Scripture In Mission was a special focus at the Third Lausanne Congress on World Evangelization.
Translations are available in several languages. Part 2 (our call to action) will be published by December as a result of reflections from the Congress. [more...]
"Praise God for this event where so many people from what Brazil calls the three waves of missions worked together. As one person reported, he heard expatriates, Portuguese MT Brazilians and indigenous people calling the event 'their forum'."
This is a report from the first Brazil Forum for the Use of the Scriptures in Indigenous Languages, which brought together 200 people, representing 59 ethnic groups and 32 organizations.
There were plenary sessions in the morning with group discussions following. In the afternoon there were workshops on topics such as Scripture Memorization, Use of Indigenous Scriptures in the family and eight other diverse topics. The evenings were for enjoying different ethnic music, hearing testimonies, and in general, having good fellowship. [more...]
"Scripture engagement must allow the young person to ‘discover’ the message for themselves (as opposed to ‘being told’). They need to discover the relevance and value of God’s story for their lives, and our role is to be a guide, a storyteller, an encourager, and a listener to the Holy Spirits guidance."
Seeking to engage a young person with Scripture can be disappointing – and exhilarating. Have I failed if they don’t connect or react negatively? Having an array of engagement tools at our disposal, combined with an informed awareness of the context and culture of youth will enable us to use the right resource at the right time.
This approach is being used by Scripture Union in Victoria in a schools-based context, and by Bible Society in South Australia in a youth group and schools context. [more...]
This book - 'Bible Translation and the Church: Issues and challenges for Francophone Africa' - was written as part of the Francophone Initiative in collaboration with CITAF (Conseil des Institutions Théologiques d’Afrique Francophone) - a consortium of evangelical theological institutions in Africa.
The aim is to introduce into the programme of every theological college a course on the importance of Bible translation and the role of local languages in the mission of the church.
The chapters are divided into five main sections:
- Pourquoi traduire la Bible dans les langues locales? (Why translate the Bible into local languages?)
- L'histoire de la traduction de la Bible depuis Néhémie jusqu'à nos jours (The history of Bible translation from Nehemiah to today)
- Théologie et traduction de la Bible (Theology and Bible translation)
- Traduction de la Bible: contexte, structures et méthodes (Bible translation: context, structures and methods)
- Bible et héritage colonial francophone (The Bible and the colonial heritage)