Audio Bibles Ready U.S. Troops with God's Truth

Chaplains and troops are raving about the Military BibleStick.

Since July 2008, Faith Comes By Hearing, the world’s foremost Audio Bible ministry, has sent more than 7,600 of these Audio New Testament listening devices to military chaplains around the world.

Ministry leaders at Faith Comes By Hearing specially designed the Military BibleStick to encourage America’s fighting men and women to engage in God’s Word in audio.

The Military BibleStick is a portable, digital audio player, which comes pre-loaded with the Audio Drama New Testament. With a matte black finish, matte black ear buds and a red-light-only operation, the Military BibleStick has an intentional low-key design to reduce visibility and to be used in low-light situations. This Audio Bible, which is about the size of a pack of chewing gum, easily fits into a uniform pocket and is rugged enough to withstand unpredictable weather.

“The format is perfect for the military lifestyle,” said one Army chaplain deployed to Iraq.

Chaplains report that the troops enjoy the portability of the Military BibleStick, the dramatization of the Audio New Testament and quality of the recording itself.

During deployments, troops often live in cramped quarters with little to no privacy or personal space. Dangerous environments and long missions also add to the daily stresses.

“Many of us have been here for awhile and the doldrums lifestyle can leave you worn out and empty,” wrote a soldier from Iraq.

One sailor said, “It’s hard to have time out and introspect. People appreciate being able to listen alone, which gives them the privacy and time to focus on God’s Word.”

“It is hard out here in Iraq to go to church regularly due to the long hours we work, so it is nice to have this great learning tool to listen to during my break,” wrote one soldier.

“It is also awesome that you can do the entire New Testament in only 40 days,” she said.

These responses are no surprise for Lt. Cmdr. Steve Sexton, a Navy Chaplain stationed in southern California. To date, Sexton has distributed roughly 1,000 Military BibleSticks to Marines at the School of Infantry at Camp Pendleton, Calif. His involvement began after observing what Marines and Sailors in his unit did during their down time.

“I noticed that nobody walked around with a paperback or magazine in their back pocket. Instead, they plugged in their MP3 Player, watched a movie or played a video game,” Sexton said.

In fact, a recent study confirms his observation, citing that 83 percent of 18- to 23-year-olds own a mobile media player and listen an average of two hours each day. This demographic reflects the same group who make up the junior ranks in today’s military.

“If these heroes are an audio-visual generation, why not reach them with the Scriptures in the media they are most comfortable with?” Sexton asked.

An Army Master Sgt. in Iraq said he’s never seen “an easier way to get into God’s Word.”

“My soldiers listen while they are waiting for meetings or missions to start,” said one Army captain in Iraq. “What a booster shot for their morale and spiritual edification.”

“I just received the box of 20 digital players you sent me and they are already being scooped up by soldiers,” wrote an Army Chaplain ministering in Kosovo. “What an amazing yet simple idea. My soldiers love them.”

Enthusiastic reports like these regularly come back from forward-deployed chaplains and from dozens of chaplains stationed stateside. Since July, more than 70 chaplains have requested these Audio Bibles from Faith Comes By Hearing. By December of 2008, the ministry expects to have shipped nearly 10,000 Military BibleSticks to chaplains from all branches of the U.S. military.

One Ft. Knox-based Army chaplain said that deploying soldiers “don’t know what their life is going to be like tomorrow. But God’s Word brings them comfort, security and peace.”

An Army Specialist wrote, “This device is wonderful. It is convenient, easy and a great tool for Bible study, especially for those who are deployed.”

Join in the effort to reach our troops. You can give the gift of God’s Word to a military member for only $25. This includes a Military BibleStick, an MP3 disc which also contains the entire New Testament and a postage-paid card that service members mail in to have free MP3 New Testaments and Kidz Bibles sent to their families.