Audio
The Vision of GRN is that people might hear and understand God's word in their heart language - especially those who are oral communicators and those who do not have Scriptures in a form they can access. They do this by producing culturally appropriate audio and audio-visual materials.
They have recently launched the Saber audio player.
Recordings are now available in over 5,700 different languages.
 | The 80-minute video, God's Story: From Creation To Eternity, presents the Bible from Genesis to Revelation. Throughout the Old and New Testaments, this panorama of the Scriptures highlights God's plan to rescue fallen mankind. |
Updated for Audacity 2.0 (July 2012).
Are you looking to record audio Scripture, radio programmes, Scripture-based songs, Bible study discussions or publicity for Scripture products? One of the most popular programs for recording audio on your computer is Audacity. It is free to download and use, and its user interface is available in several major languages.
This Audacity manual (a downloadable PDF document) is designed for beginners and can be used individually or in training workshops. It will show you how to:
- install Audacity on your computer, connect a microphone and begin recording;
- edit audio tracks, cut out errors, change the volume of selected sections;
- export audio to WAV and MP3 formats;
- mix audio tracks together, add background music;
- apply advanced effects like noise reduction.
In seeking to free ourselves from the biases of a print-oriented culture, we need to consider, not only the kinds of media and discourse genre (e.g. narrative) that are most appropriate for oral cultures, but also the most effective ways to use those genres and media. What do non-readers like to see and hear? What do they enjoy listening to? Their choices will not necessarily be the same as those of print communicators. If the styles of presentation are ones which oral communicators prefer, then they will be more likely to listen, to understand, and to remember what they hear.
In this paper, Rick Brown argues that oral cultures have their own preferences for ways to communicate truth, and that these are often different from what print-oriented people prefer. In order to share the message most effectively, we need to find out what media and methods work best for them. In most cases this will include a multi-media approach with an emphasis on memorizing the Scriptures with the aid of high-quality recordings from skilled actors or voicers. [more...]
Resources, events and community for those reaching oral communicators.
The NEED: There are 4 billion oral learners in the world, with a minority of resources attempting to reach them for Christ.
The PEOPLE: The remaining Unreached People Groups are predominantly oral societies.
The SOLUTION: Communicate the message of Christ to people in ways that make sense to them – instead of in ways that make sense to us!
The VISION: Influence the body of Christ to make disciples of all oral learners. [more...]
"There is no question upon hearing the cassettes that Jesus speaks their language, that he understands Konkomba, hears their prayers, and is not a stranger among them."
Faith Comes By Hearing is a program where groups meet regularly to listen to the whole audio New Testament and discuss what they hear. This report (from 2002) outlines its benefits among the Konkomba people: decreasing syncretism; knowing Scriptures; hearing Scripture in the mother tongue; revealing the distrust by non-readers for anyone reading aloud; showing that Christianity and Jesus are not foreigners; removing the dividing wall created by literacy; church planting and evangelism; and signs and wonders. [more...]
Pilot programs have clearly shown that extensive word and concept explanations are often needed if a non-Christian is to understand the written text as read on a cassette. The explanations will need to be provided in a format that is appropriate to both the medium and the listening context. It may be... a dramatic series of daily readings, presented in the context of a village family, and a narrator who will provide the necessary help with background information so that the listeners can place the text in its geographical and cultural context.
Although written before much of the revolution in digital media, this book provides a lot of useful strategic input for those involved in media and Scripture Engagement.
It is divided into three sections:
- Foundational principles for use of media in church and mission – Biblical principles, communication models, research methods.
- Selected media descriptions – chapters on television, radio, video, audio cassettes, print, film, music, painting & dance-drama, computers
- Practical guidelines for media in church and mission – strategy, planning, production, testing, distribution, evaluation.
"MegaVoice seeks to make the spoken, transforming message of the Word of God accessible to every non-reader in the world in a language they can understand."
MegaVoice produces audio players which can be used to listen to Scripture by those who cannot read or who prefer to listen. Many hours of recordings can be contained in a single device, each of which is rugged, portable and data-secure.
Available are the solar-powered Envoy and Story Teller.
The Papyrus audio player is available from Renew World Outreach:
Features:
- Putting content onto it is easy: it reads from internal memory and/or removable SD memory cards.
- It can contain the whole New Testament.
- It is charged using a built-in solar panel, or via computer or AC power.
- Total playing time when fully charged is estimated at 8 hours.
- It is loud enough for around 100 people.
See the Renew website for the latest pricing information.
For a review of the Papyrus compared with other audio players, see here. [more...]
Renew World Outreach's mission is to assist missionaries and mission organizations with portable audio/visual tools to help reach the unreached nations of the world.
Their products include the Papyrus, a solar-powered audio player with impressive quality sound and volume.
They also have portable DVD players, solar powered presentation systems and portable projector screens - providing ways to deliver the message to large crowds, small groups or individuals. [more...]