How the MegaVoice and Mission Partners For Christ Partnership is Growing the Global Church
By Guest Blogger: Darrel Templeton: Chief Partnership Officer, MegaVoice International
In a small rural town in Benin, Africa sits a young man, listening to the Good News of the Gospel for the very first time. He had come to a free medical clinic run by another organization, Mission Partners For Christ, and stayed to hear the Gospel message. In all of his 22 years on earth, this man never imagined there could be Someone out there who loved him so much that He sent His one and only Son to die for him on the Cross and pay the price for his sins. This kind of love is beyond anything he’s ever known and compels him to love this God in return. He is hungry for more. He wants to learn as much as he can. There is no end to his thirst for truth.
But there is one great obstacle in this young man’s way. He can’t read.
The missionary who introduced this young man to Jesus also handed him a book and told him that it was the Word of God and was sufficient to learn all he needed to know to grow and mature in his new faith. But without the ability to read it himself, the Bible in his hands is useless to him.
Unfortunately, this is a common problem, not just in Africa, but throughout the world. It is often said functional Literacy rates are about 86% worldwide, but large swaths of the global population still have no way of accessing the written word.
Even if we set aside literacy rates, the number of people who struggle to read begins to climb higher when we account for vision issues or health problems that can make reading a challenge.
These barriers to accessing the written Word is what prompted Tom Treseder, Ken Crowell and Rudolf Geigy to launch MegaVoice in early 1989.
Building The First Solar Audio Bible
So, why does this technology matter in the world of missions? The majority of the world still is waiting for the Good News because Good News is only Good if you can understand it, and MegaVoice can equip our partners to bring the Gospel message to them. Our purpose, at MegaVoice, is to equip our partners to fulfill the Great Commission so that all can engage with the Word of God in their own language. In other words, to ensure that every person, regardless of their circumstances or location, has access to the Bible.
With a vision to make the Bible accessible to all, MegaVoice founders realized that physical Bibles were not very accessible in rough climates or in communities with low literacy rates. Inability to access electricity also made it difficult to provide the audio Bibles on existing technology at that time. We needed to find another solution.
MegaVoice understood that, for many people, reading printed Bibles was simply not an option or the best option. Many communities thrive on orality, others have lost their vision, don’t have access to the Bible in their language, or simply never learned to read. It was then MegaVoice introduced the solar powered audio Bible, which was revolutionary to the world of missions.
Now everyone, regardless of vision ability, literacy, or location could now hear the word of God in their heart language.
Not only can people hear the Bible message in their own heart language, but local missionaries and pastors can also record edifying messages to help build up the global church community. Without the need for electricity and powered by solar energy, the MegaVoice audio Bibles were the perfect solution for continued use.
Solar audio Bibles come with the following features:
- Solar powered
- Multi-content audio player
- Holds multiple languages/dialects
- 8GB storage capacity
- Raised button, easy to use navigation keypad
- Water, dust, and shock resistant
- Some have FM radio & Audio recorder
- Some have LED flashlight & Playback speed control
Since the early 2000s, We have been busy developing new technology to make the Gospel, and the Bible, as accessible as possible to all people. Today, in addition to solar audio Bibles, MegaVoice also provides solar powered tablets, making the message of God accessible in Deaf and Hard of Hearing communities. We also have created specialized audio Bibles specifically for children.
Practice and Proclamation – A Perfect Partnership Is Born
When MPFC founder, Sheri Postma, began going on medical mission trips, it did not appear to take long before she realized that Mission Partners For Christ could only go so far as she and her medical mission teams served the unreached communities of Africa. God had equipped MPFC well to meet physical health needs, but these communities needed something else to assist them as they started their faith journeys and personal walks with the Lord after the MPFC’s Team returned home. That was when God orchestrated a meeting between Mission Partners for Christ and MegaVoice that, eventually, led to the wonderful partnership we have today.
The partnership between our two organizations beautifully reflects the heart of the Gospel. While MPFC focuses on sharing the love of Christ through meeting the very real physical needs of basic healthcare, MegaVoice comes alongside them and helps to meet that spiritual need by making the Good News, the Bible, and Biblical messaging, accessible.
On each medical mission trip, Mission Partners For Christ takes along at least 40 solar audio Bibles that will be strategically delivered to missionaries and leaders of the community and local church to ensure that the maximum number of people possible will get to learn from the Word of God and grow in their faith as they listen to the messages on these devices.
God has called His children to spread the Gospel to all the earth, however no one organization can finish the task. We need each other. The importance of partnership is that we cannot do separately what we can do together. Proclamation and Practice, or Declare and Display Christ, must walk hand in hand. Meeting medical and physical needs helps to provide the perfect platform for presenting the Good News so it will be heard and much more likely to be accepted.
How You Can Help:
It takes both MPFC and MegaVoice to deliver the Gospel message, but even long before this, it starts with YOU – the donors, prayer partners and larger Christian community. The MegaVoice Solar Audio Bibles and medical mission trips facilitated by MPFC require some financial costs.
As you read this blog post and open your Bible today, would you prayerfully consider making a donation to both Mission Partners For Christ and MegaVoice so those who can’t, don’t, or will not read their Bible, or this blog post, would be able to get access to a Solar Bible through our shared partnership?
“Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. And God has placed in the church first of all apostles, second prophets,third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, of helping, of guidance,and of different kinds of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? Now eagerly desire the greater gifts.”
– 1 Corinthians 12:27-31
