Contact: Bill Lohr, Faith Comes By Hearing, 505-881-3321
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M., Nov. 10 /Christian Newswire/ -- Military chaplains stationed overseas and here at home have requested over 20,000 Military BibleSticks in October alone. These compact digital audio players are pre-loaded with the entire New Testament. Faith Comes By Hearing, the world's largest Audio Bible ministry, began this project in 2008 resulting in more than 70,000 BibleSticks provided to chaplains who deploy them to troops when requested.
Currently, Faith Comes By Hearing will be able to meet about half of the chaplains' requests. Prioritized shipments will continue to go out through the end of the year, as supplies permit.
"Our heart as a ministry is to provide the Scriptures in audio to anyone who asks," stated Jon Wilke, spokesman for the Military BibleStick project. "However, the demand for these devices -- for God's Word in an audio format -- has just been overwhelming."
Faith Comes By Hearing continues to work closely with thousands of local churches throughout the country to meet the high demand, including: First Evangelical Free (Bismarck, N.D.); Cornerstone Calvary Chapel (Howell, N.J.); Divine Shepherd Lutheran (Omaha, Neb.); Olive Branch Christian Union (Fayette, Ohio) and Christ the Ray of Hope (Albuquerque, N.M.).
Churches and other donors help cover the $25 cost that provides the Military BibleStick, an MP3 disc with the complete New Testament to share with friends in their unit, and a reply card so deployed troops can ask that free discs, including the KIDZ Bible, be sent to their families back home.
The cards also allow troops to communicate how the BibleStick has helped during their deployment. Responses range from an appreciation for hearing God's truth, to being grateful for the size and portability, to soldiers who are thankful for the peace that Audio Scripture provides in helping them fall asleep at night.
A Marine Corps lance corporal wrote, "It's always nice to lie down to rest my body after long foot patrols and still be able to listen to Scripture."
"Almost every chaplain and senior officer I speak with says the BibleSticks are a perfect fit for this generation. The troops use them because the audio format is something they really enjoy," commented Wilke, a veteran of both the U.S. Marine Corps and the U.S. Army.
Churches and parishes can make Military BibleSticks part of their military care programs by contacting the ministry at 800-545-6552. Individuals can support our troops online at the ministry's Military BibleStick site.
