Faith Comes by Hearing has just reported to us that your gifts for Audio Proclaimers have increased the number of people listening to the Word of God to 14,037,556 people in 83 countries in 253 different languages. And an estimated half of all these people have become new believers.
The Bible challenges us to “give thanks to the Lord; call upon his name; make known his deeds among the peoples” (1 Chronicles 16:8). When I read those words, I think of you and the ways you have cared about reaching those who have never heard the gospel, and how you have upheld and supported this ministry. Please know that I “give thanks to the Lord” for you every day! We could not do this ministry without you.
Nor can we do this ministry in the future in our own strength and power. We rely on God to be with us and to guide every decision we make as we proclaim His Word around the world on television, radio, and the other media outlets He has given us.
Further, the Audio Bibles are helping other believers today to carry out God’s command to “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to everyone” (Mark 16:15.)
And always remember, there are real people behind these numbers:
- A disabled boy who lights up when he hears God’s Word.
- A local partner who travels by horse to take God’s Word to remote communities.
- A sight-limited man who travels half a day just for the opportunity to hear.
- A student who learned about God’s Word at school.
- A homeless man, in poor health, who received Christ, and reached out to Him for healing.
These people and many others are living proof of the power of God’s Word as it penetrates the heart and breaks down barriers to faith.
As excited as we are about those who have already heard and responded, we can’t help but remember the 1.5 billion people who still have no Bible in their language; who still have no idea who Jesus is, or what He has done for them; who still have no opportunity to hear and respond.
It is those people we want to concentrate on for the next 10 years as we work with Faith Comes By Hearing and various translation agencies to produce Audio Bibles in their heart language.
We have told you about the oral-to-oral translation method that is speeding up the task, making it possible to get the message of salvation into a new language in as little as 9 months!
But once the translation has been completed, it needs to be put onto Audio Proclaimers and taken to those who still need to hear.
We read in Romans 10:14-15:
“How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can anyone preach unless they are sent?”
The Proclaimers you have sent have become the preachers, declaring God’s message of salvation to millions who are listening.
We have told Faith Comes By Hearing that we want to help provide the new Proclaimers that will be used to reach the last 2,000 languages.
Proclaimers, as we have explained to you on our program, are solar-powered devices that can carry God’s Word to remote areas. They do not require electricity or batteries; they can be heard by entire villages or communities; they can last for more than 10 years; and they can be left behind even if the local partner needs to leave—or even if that brave believer who brings the Proclaimer to an area is killed.
God’s Word breaks down hardened hearts. Where Audio Bibles are heard, God’s Word is stopping harmful behaviors—addictions, violence, immoral behaviors—and family relationships are restored.
But we are also aware that barriers to reaching unbelievers with the gospel message are constantly going up.
Can we ask you to be particularly in prayer for us as we engage in this battle? We also ask you to pray for missionaries, Bible translators, national pastors, etc., who are risking everything to make sure the gospel message reaches those who have not yet heard.
We believe the time is short, and we want to make sure people can not only hear the gospel, but will have the opportunity to respond in faith and grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Please remember that we pray for you regularly. If you have particular needs, please let us know so we can lift those up to our Father along with you.
Until all hear,
John and Darlene
P.S. To learn why the Big Bang, the fine tuning of the universe, the Cambrian Explosion of the first animals that appeared on earth, and the complicated DNA cells in your own body, all point to the existence of an all-powerful God, join us for our upcoming series with Dr. Stephen Meyer, philosopher of science from Cambridge University.