USA (MNN) — As a popular immigrant and refugee haven, it’s not uncommon in the United States to hear more than one language at your local grocery store.
This diverse environment means American Christians don’t have to go overseas to reach the nations with the Gospel. We can be a global witness right in our own backyards.
Joshua Harrison with Audio Scriptures Ministries admits it’s not easy. “I think that reaching across language barriers and cultural barriers is always going to be a challenge. But that’s a challenge that does face us right here and now in our own neighborhoods.
(Photo courtesy of Audio Scripture Ministries)
“We are called to bring the Gospel to those around us, regardless of your thoughts on the political situation, regardless of your thoughts on where you could serve better. God has placed you where you are right now with spheres of influence where you can bring God’s Word.”
Ministries like ASM make it easier to share God’s Word in other tongues — without ever taking a language class! Their audio recording teams complete more and more Scripture translation recordings every year. Those Scripture recordings are freely available on apps by groups like Scripture Earth, Wycliffe Canada, and Global Recordings Network.
Harrison says, “Our Latin America Director Jim Loker met someone at a cell phone shop and discovered that this was a native [Mam] speaker [from Guatemala]. They had recorded his language. This man’s face just lit up when he saw that he could play [the Bible] in his own language. He said, ‘I must write, I must call my family and tell them about this back in [Guatemala]!’
“You don’t have to learn everyone’s heart language. You can just point them to God’s Word in their own heart language.”
In your neighborhood or on your travels, you can ask the Lord to connect you with people who would enjoy hearing God’s Word in their heart language.
(Photo courtesy of Audio Scripture Ministries)
“If you find someone who is not a native English speaker, just boldly ask them, ‘What language do you speak? Where do you come from?’ Introduce yourself! When you find out what language they speak, find the resources that are available. You can contact us or there are a lot of good phone apps with audio Scriptures you could download…and listen to right there.”
You can also connect friends with ASM’s audio Bible players. ASM even sees people send audio Bible players to family outside the US or take them on their own missions trips.
“Reach out to us. We’ll be happy to equip you with the tools that you need in your neighborhood [or] that you need on your trip or your church mission trip. We want to help you be able to share God’s Word in audio.”
As ASM equips the Church for the Great Commission, Harrison asks, “Pray for the funds for more audio Bibles as well. The hunger is great and…in many cases, these audio Bibles function as laborers in the harvest field. We’re so blessed to have good tools.”
Between praying, giving, going, and sharing, there are several avenues you can take to have an eternal impact in the lives of others.
Header photo courtesy of Audio Scripture Ministries.
