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If you visit First Baptist Church in Burden, Kansas, you might notice a shipping box on the floor by the front entrance. It’s the latest shipment of MegaVoice Pathway players purchased by the church for anyone to use or share. In his sermons, Pastor Mike Marker occasionally reminds congregants and visitors about the box. However, these reminders are typically not needed. As God prompts, individuals take a few players at a time to give to family members, delivery drivers, and other precious individuals they encounter throughout their week.
In this rural, agrarian community, many people spend their days driving. Fortunately, the small Pathway player is a great companion during solitary hours in a vehicle. “I keep one in my pickup over the visor to listen while I’m driving, or I’ll listen while I’m mowing or on horseback,” said Pastor Mike.
I asked him to send me a picture of the players at his church. He was a little embarrassed by the fact that they’re simply in their shipping box by the door. “That’s the reality of it, though,” he continued. “This hasn’t been a glorified or religious thing.”
Currently, First Baptist Church orders boxes of 50 Pathway players at a time. However, it all started with a single player. A few years ago, Mike ordered a Solar Bible Bus from audiobibles.com for his own personal studies. As he used his audio Bible and learned more about the many types of players MegaVoice makes, he began to realize that these devices could be an important tool for the Zambian missionaries his church sponsors. First Baptist ordered players loaded with Scriptures and teaching tools in the Lozi language to serve Zambian believers in remote villages with limited access to electricity.
Mike began to wonder: Could his church use these players for their own local evangelism efforts?
Unfortunately, the word ‘evangelism’ has negative connotations for younger generations. Evangelistic efforts marked by anger, pride, or intrusion have turned many people away from the life-changing story of Jesus. Yet, as believers, we know that we are called to share our faith with the world. This puts most of us in a difficult position, and creative approaches are needed.
As a church leader, Pastor Mike understands this tension all too well. “Folks are apprehensive about evangelism,” he shared. “They might have big questions that are difficult to examine if there’s not a lot of time or if a relationship hasn’t been established yet.” He needed an engaging way to introduce seekers to the big picture of the Bible.
After consulting with a MegaVoice team member, Pastor Mike ordered a dozen Pathway players loaded with “God’s Story: From Creation to Eternity”, “The Story of Jesus”, the New Testament, and the Psalms and Proverbs. With these audio selections, a small Pathway player can provide an overview of the whole Bible from Genesis to Revelation. This introduction to the overall narrative of the Bible is powerful.
Pastor Mike began to pray for opportunities to give these players away. As he met people with big questions or big problems, he would spend five minutes teaching the recipient how to navigate through the tracks on the Pathway, and end with a simple request: “All I ask is that you just listen.” This gift and this request would prove to be an effective way to introduce people to Jesus. In fact, it enables people to do so without coercion or awkwardness.
Slowly but surely, that unassuming box of players by the door of First Baptist Church has inspired the congregation to share their faith with confidence. After their initial order of 12 players, the church ordered 25 more, and now they order 50 at a time. Pastor Mike has also had the opportunity to introduce the players to the staff at a special needs facility where he led weekly church services.
The staff listened through their own players. Then they helped Pastor Mike determine which of the people with disabilities would most benefit from players of their own. This led to the decision to invest in an Envision Bible for a young deaf woman named Jennifer. “This girl who has missed out on a lot of Scripture will now have the whole counsel of God available to her,” said Pastor Mike.
Above all, God’s Word has the power to transform and mature us. When we share it with others, however feeble or inadequate we may feel, we can trust that God is working through our willingness. As Pastor Mike said at the end of his interview, “Right testimony is not what we’re doing, but what God is doing through us.”
Are you interested in using MegaVoice Pathway players at your church? As shown above, they’re a great way to revitalize your evangelism approach! Contact us or purchase Pathway players online here.
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On the small Asian island of Timor Leste, God is at work through the power of partnership. A missionary partner from Singapore named Dawn reached out to us regarding a very special endeavor called Project Haleno. ‘Haleno’ means ‘to make shine’ in the local Tetum language. This word perfectly describes the visionary interchurch efforts made by Dawn and her community to further the spread of the gospel.
As a member of the Kum Yan Methodist Church, Dawn has been serving in Timor Leste since 2010. She works through St. Paul’s Methodist School as a child therapist and she is part of a group called The House of Prayer TL. This group describes itself as ‘a relational network of believers in Jesus Christ, made up of internationals, Timorese, businessmen, housewives, missionaries and working professionals in Timor Leste.’
During last year’s COVID lockdown, Dawn and her fellow believers decided to use their newfound free time for an ambitious undertaking: the production of the first audio New Testament in the Tetum language.
It took six months of hard work for the House of Prayer TL to record and edit all 27 books of the New Testament. In November of 2021, they completed their Tetum recording and began to look for creative ways to share it with the local church and missionary community. This is where MegaVoice had the privilege of entering the picture.
The House of Prayer TL raised funds to order 465 Envoy 2 Ember players as an initial pilot project to test local interest in audio Bibles. They loaded the audio Bibles with their Tetum New Testament, as well as worship music and other Christian resources.
According to Dawn, this pilot project was a resounding success:
I’m happy to say that the product has been adopted very well. We’ve had positive user feedback (see above testimonies). Anticipating demand, we are exploring bringing new devices in.
The testimonies Dawn shared paint a beautiful picture of hope and joy blooming among the Timorese people. The audio Bibles are reaching a wide audience, including nonbelievers, individuals ensnared by witchcraft, and church members with disabilities. The players are easy for everyone to use and they bring the gift of accessible Scripture, worship music, and education into listeners’ everyday lives.
Project Haleno required the enthusiastic involvement of so many different people and organizations working together towards one common goal: bringing the Timorese people God’s Word in their heart language. At MegaVoice, we believe in the power of partnership. When we combine our individual gifts, connections, and passions, our love for Christ can ‘shine like the dawn’ in communities all around the world.
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98% of deaf people have never heard the Gospel. Often faced with exclusion and mistreatment, deaf people need the love and affirmation of Jesus communicated in their heart language. Sadly, sign languages have only recently been recognized as the complex, legitimate languages they truly are.
While there are approximately 300 unique sign languages in the world, not a single one has a full Bible translation yet. This infographic shows you how to support Deaf ministries in your community and around the world.
Pray for Deaf ministries every day. We can pray for endurance and resources for the translators, signers, advocates, and Deaf believers laboring for the Kingdom. In their excellent 14-Day Prayer Journey, the Deaf Bible Society writes, “Throughout the world, Deaf people are often cast out of their families and communities, physically and emotionally abused, and taught false doctrine about the Bible. Pray that they learn the truth about God’s love for them.”
Learn about Deaf culture, community, and history. Let’s use correct terminology and encourage others to do so as well. When the movie CODA won Best Picture at the Oscars this year, it represented a big step forward in awareness of Deaf culture. However, misinformation and stigma still abounds around the world. The National Association of the Deaf provides up-to-date information regarding a variety of Deaf issues. Looking for a simple starting point? Always use a Deaf individual’s preferred terminology when communicating with them.
Consider giving to Deaf churches, missionaries, and ministries that work to translate the Bible into sign languages. Check out these organizations working in a variety of contexts:
There are approximately 300 known sign languages in the world. Consider raising awareness and funds for a particular sign language translation. This work may require more networking and research than some of the other ideas introduced here. Look to your circle of Christian contacts and the Deaf community in your area to find specific people you can pray for, support, and encourage.
Invite your church family to pray, learn, and give with you. Offer to lead an educational night or fundraiser. Involve kids by teaching simple signs. The Christian Society for the Deaf offers free resources for teaching ASL (American Sign Language) to kids in a ministry context.
If your church doesn’t have any Deaf members or Deaf programs in place, consider changing that! Offer sign language interpreting during church services and let your community know that your church welcomes and affirms Deaf visitors.
Some ministries, including the Deaf Bible Society and the Deaf Millennial Project, offer opportunities for advocacy training. Research options in your area if you’re interested in a more formal service role.
For decades, MegaVoice audio Bibles have served the needs of blind people and people with low vision around the world. Our passion for reaching the unreached inspired us to develop a dedicated Bible specifically for Deaf and hard of hearing people as well. This June we’re excited to announce the launch of the Envision Bible. Rob Myers, President/CEO of DOOR International, shared why this device means so much in the pursuit of Deaf mission work:
As we seek to reach the Deaf, it’s important to keep the concept of “nothing about us without us” in mind. Let’s look for organizations that employ Deaf leadership and center the Deaf experience. Above all else, let’s work to develop relationships with Deaf people and prioritize understanding and loving them.
In this way, we can emulate Jesus who, in a culture than shunned and judged deaf people, loved and uplifted them. While the passage in Mark 7 about Jesus healing the deaf and mute man has complicated implications, we are encouraged by this interpretation from Jeremy Parks:
“I know that Jesus did something in a moment for that man that He has also done for the Deaf world over centuries: He gave membership in a community, a place to fit, and a way to know Him.”
May we each seek to do the same in ways that are affirming and relational!
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Amidst devastation and terror, God is at work in Ukraine. Displaced people are finding shelter in church basements. Russian Orthodox clerics are uniting to petition for an end to the war, at risk of their livelihoods. Above all, Christians in Ukraine are finding many opportunities to minister and be ministered to. This is all evidence of God’s care.
But how can we, distanced from the violence, help those caught in the crossfire? This article will discuss Christians and churches in Ukraine and share ways we can help support them during the war.
Though this is a question some people have raised since the Russian-Ukrainian conflict began, it is perhaps not the right question. A 2011 Q&A from Focus on the Family affirms that “biblically speaking, there is not and cannot be any such thing as a ‘Christian nation.’” Our concern is always with individual Christians and the countercultural Kingdom of God. While Ukrainian citizens adhere to a variety of religious beliefs, 70% do identify as Christian.
The history of Christianity in Ukraine is long and storied. There is evidence that the first Christian church in the region was built in Kyiv in the early 900s. In 988 Vladimir the Great adopted Orthodox Christianity, inviting the entire city of Kyiv to the Dnieper River to be baptized. More recently, Ukrainians formed the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and severed ties with the Russian Orthodox Church to protest the increasing politicization of the religion.
Of the Ukrainians who identify as Christian, 70% are Orthodox, 8% are unaffiliated, 7% are Catholic, and .8% are Protestant. According to Baptist News Global, of all of the countries that formerly comprised the USSR, Ukraine has the largest population of evangelical Christians. Through lenient government policies, Ukraine provides many religious freedoms to its citizens. This has led to an explosion of Baptist, Protestant, and Pentecostal faith communities in the area since Ukraine gained its freedom from the Soviet Union in 1991.
The Kyiv Theological Seminary and other evangelical educational institutions work to send missionaries, plant churches, and equip believers in the area. This winter, these institutions joined together to pen an appeal condemning the war and demanding peace. In this appeal, they write,
“…we want to remind that the invisible Body of Christ must manifest itself in a visible way: “If one member suffers, all suffer together with it” (1 Corinthians 12:26 NRSV). The suffering of brothers and sisters in Christ requires a public identification with them.”
Most of us have seen images of beautiful Orthodox churches in Ukraine. The Saint Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv dates back to the eleventh century. This building serves as a visual testament to the enduring hope found in salvation through Jesus Christ.
Unlike many Russian Orthodox leaders, who have remained silent in the face of Putin’s aggression or even affirmed his actions, leaders in the Ukrainian Orthodox Church have been outspoken in describing the evil nature of Putin’s actions and calling for justice for their country. If Russia wins this war, it could lead to the disappearance of Ukrainian Orthodox Churches. According to Baptist News, “Religious liberty in Ukraine is doomed if Russian invaders defeat the Eastern European nation that has become a bastion of church-state separation among former Soviet republics.”
Speak the truth.
Disinformation is a weapon in this war, and as media consumers, we can combat the spread of lies. Tell the truth about the persecution the Ukrainian church is experiencing. Tell the truth about the war itself. Satellites have captured images of mass graves in Ukraine and first-hand accounts of other atrocities abound. Each of us can choose to be outspoken in defense of the victimized.
Pray.
Commit to lifting up the Ukrainian people in prayer daily. Involve your family, housemates, friends, small group, or church body. If you struggle like many of us with knowing what to pray, SEND International offers 11 ways to pray during the crisis in Ukraine.
Give to Ukrainian Christians.
Prayerfully consider donating to organizations that are working to provide aid and support to Ukrainian Christians. Multiple sources affirm that the need for Bibles, in addition to more general humanitarian resources, is significant. Here are five charities serving in Ukraine that each hold a ‘Give With Confidence’ rating with Charity Navigator.
“…we express our deep and sincere gratitude to those churches, missions and humanitarian organizations that are doing their utmost to alleviate the suffering of Ukrainians, those who have become refugees in neighboring countries and those who are still in Ukraine, bearing the burden of the war. ‘Whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you bear the name of Christ will by no means lose the reward.’” – Voices From the Ruins
Please click the button below to see what MegaVoice International is doing in Ukraine.
Photo 1 by Max Kukurudziak on Unsplash
Photo 2 by Julia Tsukurova on Unsplash
A Conversation With One of MegaVoice’s Spiritual ‘Mothers’
We are commemorating this Mother’s Day with a very special interview with Judy Cibene, one of MegaVoice’s spiritual ‘mothers’! Judy’s parents, Ken and Margie Crowell, were two of the original founders of MegaVoice. Throughout her adult life, Judy has served the ministry in various capacities and, in 2009, her husband Charles came on as MegaVoice’s CEO.
Anyone who has met Judy knows that she has a huge gift for encouragement and joy. We discussed motherhood, prayer, and MegaVoice.
We spent my early years living in the Middle East while my dad worked for Motorola. Later, he started Galtronics, the company that would eventually birth MegaVoice. During the early 1980’s, he would bring back talking toys from the US, like Barbies, and take them apart to try to figure out how the audio components worked. My kids would still play with the Barbies despite missing their voice boxes. He was so intrigued by the possibilities of these new technologies for ministry work. His ideas were way ahead of his time.
We have five lovely children, each blessed with an amazing spouse, that have given us ten wonderful grandchildren (so far). Adoption and fostering have been a big part of our parenting journey. Charles and I fostered 15 kids ourselves and now three of our adult children do foster care as well.
When my kids were little they would always bring flowers and draw pictures for me, and while they’re still so honoring of me, it’s been cool to see their children celebrate their own moms. Currently, Charles and I always attend church on Mother’s Day and visit my mom afterwards. We then go out for lunch and stop by the local garden center to get our spring flowers!
When I think of the heart of God, I see love, I see His constant presence, and I see His provision – all these things relate to motherhood. I’ve been a believer most of my life, and a lot of my worship has been taking care of my children. While I felt very privileged to have children in the first place, I also got to pray with each one of them to commit their lives to the Lord.
I’ve been sending out a monthly internal MegaVoice prayer calendar for almost two years now. It started with a company-wide prayer initiative, and someone approached me about developing a prayer request calendar. After praying about it, I felt a stirring in my heart that I was meant to do it. I especially love writing the corresponding team letters. Life is often really hard, but the letter is an opportunity to challenge people to pray, to find joy, and to work towards peace with all men. Prayer has always been a part of MegaVoice, and because of the prayer calendar, we are able to pray as a global team. As a result, we continue to see many answered prayers.
When I had seven young children at home, including some with special needs, my main prayer was “Help, Jesus!” – a prayer of survival that I’m sure a lot of moms can identify with.
A few years ago, one of my dear friends was diagnosed with cancer. At that time, I committed to get on my knees every morning and pray for her. Being on my knees in prayer has become a very precious part of my day that I look forward to. My prayer list continues to get bigger and bigger. I don’t say “I’ll pray for you!” lightly – I make a note and that request gets added to the list. There are so many people that really need prayer.
I have 3!
1. Don’t listen to the whispers of the enemy – “mom guilt” is a big category of this.
2. Forgiveness is a huge, huge thing. Forgiven people forgive. It’s important to model forgiveness to your children – when my kids were young, I would go into their room at night, sit on their bed, and ask for their forgiveness for anything that may have happened during the day.
3. Don’t forget to laugh! “A cheerful heart is good medicine…” – Proverbs 17:22
A very happy Mother’s Day from MegaVoice to all mothers and people who serve in maternal roles! Your care and dedication has untold impact.
Find the MegaVoice booth at the Gospel Coalition Women’s Conference this June 16-18 in Indianapolis. We are excited to share tools and resources to serve the needs of mothers around the world.
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On August 4, two massive explosions shook the city of Beirut.
“The first thing I felt after the devastating explosion was fear…was it an airplane bombing or explosion?” says Rev. Kevork Tchaparian, the Senior Pastor of Spring of Life Church in Beirut. Because his generation saw many wars in Lebanon, he says, “the first thing I thought was taking my kids downstairs to the underground parking.”
As the dust settled, the sheer magnitude of the explosion’s damage came into focus: at least 180 people died, 6,000 were injured, $10–15 billion USD of property damage had occurred, and an estimated 300,000 people were left homeless.
“The Lebanese people, and especially the ones in Beirut and its suburbs, reacted in different ways,” says Rev. Tchaparian. Some were angry at the negligence of the Lebanese government, some hopelessly lamented that Lebanon would never recover, and some cried out in pain at all the unnecessary loss.
Rev. Tchaparian and his church family, however, responded in a different way.
“We as a church prepared ourselves and…divided [our response] into four phases.”
First, they set up a tent near the explosion area where they handed out sandwiches and water to workers and families who lived nearby.
Next, they got to work repairing homes belonging to church members.
Then, they visited other damaged homes to help clear debris and make repairs.
They also prayed with and encouraged the homeowners and brought food rations for them.
“All these phases,” says Rev. Tchaparian, “became a means to distribute audio Bibles that we…never had the chance to distribute because of COVID-19. We were able to distribute around 400 audio Bibles and evangelize to a good number of people. 300 were distributed to Lebanese from a Muslim background and 100 were distributed to Armenians.”
It takes tremendous strength of character and faith to intentionally look for opportunities to serve in the aftermath of tragedy. Their response plan made by Rev. Tchaparian and his congregation not only took into consideration the physical needs of their community but also the spiritual needs. They inspire us and show us what it looks like to be the hands and feet of Christ, even when the ground shakes beneath our feet.