What's on Your Phone?

by Gregg Harris, THRU the BIBLE President

What always impresses me when I look back at the growth of THRU the BIBLE over the last decade is the creativity of our ministry partners in their ideas on how to “take the whole Word to the whole world.” We’ve always been committed to partnerships, so when they step up and say, What about this? we’ll always listen. We’ll then pray about it and often say, That’s a great idea—let’s do it.

Today we have a thriving ministry outlet we don’t talk about much, but it’s really quite amazing how the Lord is using SD card distribution. These tiny devices—little hard drives like what fits in your smart phone or your camera—can be loaded with MP3 files. We can get all or part of THRU the BIBLE on just one card.

Our partners in Canada had a great idea to create over 10,000 of these micro SD cards and distribute them to India’s Home Groups, primarily for use in their phones:

“During the pandemic, people in India’s Home Groups wanted to study the Bible on their own. And even those who are uneducated or illiterate can study the Bible using media players and cell phones. When the crisis is over, people will resume group study without missing anything but the fellowship.  

“Scripture clearly says that knowing the Word of God is necessary for personal spiritual growth. Sharing your faith also depends on knowing the Bible. This project plays a vital role in discipling new believers and allows every believer personal, daily time in God’s Word.”

In addition to personal use, these SD cards also get distributed by unique cultural traditions. As it often goes, somebody will get in a taxi and the friendly driver will say, “Give me your SD card”—which often will have music or movies on it—and while you’re traveling in the taxi, he’s playing and copying your SD card. So in our case, when people share their SD card, that taxi driver will copy and distribute THRU the BIBLE! 

It’s amazing to see the way God prompts creative options to get His Word out.

It used to be that there was one way to deliver THRU the BIBLE—and that was traditional, terrestrial radio (radio waves broadcast from a land-based station). It was and is still very effective in many regions of the world. But as other options develop, we can pursue delivery systems to match how people are communicating.

Pray for this creative, strategic effort in India. Ask God to exponentially multiply its impact as people share God’s Word and THRU the BIBLE with their friends and family … and taxi drivers.

Update: Of the 11,265 cards to be distributed to India’s Home Groups by April 2022, over 8,000 have now been handed out. In 2021, this distribution played a strategic role in starting 2100 of 2900 new groups. Likely many more undocumented groups have started and are growing.