Faith Comes By Hearing
God is limitless. Access to the Bible should be, too. From free Bible apps and Mp3s to Audio Bible podcasts and Proclaimer devices, the mission of Faith Comes By Hearing (FCBH) is to provide people everywhere with free access to God’s Word through audio Bibles in every translated language. They record Bible passages in hundreds of languages and share them using technology, making God’s Word accessible to billions of people.
Global Bible App Initiative
Their Global Bible App Initiative makes large portions of the Bible available to billions of Android users in their heart languages. Its major focus is on people who are not connected to the Internet. Global Bible Apps are designed and built using SIL’s Scripture App Builder and contains Bible texts and audio in languages of preference. These stand-alone Bible apps synchronize the text and audio in a karaoke style, enhancing the user experience.
Two kinds of Global Bible Apps are available. The apps that have only partial audio in them (distributable via Google Play store) are “Expandable Editions,” and the normal, full-audio ones are “Full Editions.” Global Bible Apps facilitate individual engagement with Scripture in the most suitable language(s) even when users have zero cell nor Internet service.
Features of Global Bible Apps:
- Self-Contained – The Global Bible App provides Android-users a self-contained Bible app with both the Bible audio and Scripture text. Users can listen to the Bible audio in their own language and follow along with Scripture text.
- Offline – Receiving the Global Bible App (Full Edition), using it, and sharing it with others requires no Internet, cellular service provider nor a data plan.
- Secure Content – Neither the Scripture text nor the Bible audio can be extracted from the apps by average users. This means the Scripture text and Bible audio are secure, staying within the app.
- Manageable Size – The Global Bible App Full Edition .apk file with an entire New Testament (audio and text), is less than 200 MB.
- Customizable – Ministry partner information such as a website, Facebook page, email, and more contact info. can be included with any Global Bible App. A personalized splash screen with a ministry logo may also be added, according to the preference of ministry partners.
- Deployment and Sharing – The Global Bible Apps are easily deployed via microSD Cards, a microSD Card adapter that plugs into a cell phone’s micro-USB port, a portable Wi-Fi transmission device (HUB), and more. Phone-to-phone sharing enables more people to receive and share the Global Bible Apps.
- Analytics – FCBH can provide ministries with a short, anonymous summary of Scripture-engagement activities whenever users have an Internet connection or a cell phone service provider. GPS location-tracking is not part of these analytics. Partner ministries can view the summaries of Scripture-engagement info. with an Internet-based dashboard.
Distribution of Global Bible Apps:
After building your app, you will have an .apk file. This is the app-installation file containing all text, fonts, images, and code. The .apk needs to be copied or downloaded onto users’ smartphones in order for them to install and use the app. There are several ways to transfer the .apk to a smartphone:
- Phone-to-phone sharing – The downloaded Global Bible Apps can be transferred from a smartphone using Wi-Fi file-share technology, the phone’s web browser, or sharing apps like Xender or ShareIt. The sharing app employs the Wi-Fi technology of Android smartphones to transfer content. Anyone can share the Global Bible Apps without either participant being connected to the Internet or a cell phone’s data service.
- MicroSD cards – Adapter sharing – Micro SD Cards and adapters can be used to transfer the same Global Bible App to On the Go-compatible Android phones. Users can insert a microSD Card in the adapter, then connect the adapter to the phone’s micro-USB charging port. They can then view the digital content of the microSD card using a file-manager app. Then the desired content may be transferred from the microSD Card through copying-and-pasting. After a Global Bible App has been downloaded, phone-to-phone sharing works.
- Web download – The FCBH Global Bible App Store provides all the apps available for downloading.
- Lightstream Hubs – The Global Bible Apps are copied into the memory of some Lightstream Hubs where users can connect to this Wi-Fi device and choose to download an .apk file to their phone.
- FCBH Google Play Store – The Expandable Edition apps are available for downloading at the FCBH Google Play Store.
Obtaining a New Global Bible App:
Again, the FCBH Global Bible App Store provides all the available apps that can be downloaded. These apps may be transferred to Android devices using the methods described above. To request an FCBH Global Bible App that is not in the Store, fill out this request form.
Watch this short video to learn more: