Impact of Bible-listening in Latin America
Across the Americas the Bible is having an impact wherever listening
groups are set up, and audio cassettes of the New Testament are being played
on a regular basis. The program is called ‘Faith Comes By Hearing’(FCBH)
and is a joint venture between Hosanna and the national Bible Society and
other organisations.
In the following summary, Jerry Salmon, International Manager of
the FCBH program, supplies reports on the national programs:
“I have been blessed and edified in many ways,” said one woman from the
First Baptist Church in Santa Cruz. “I was convicted of my sin of adultery
and was led by the Holy Spirit to confess and ask God and the church for
forgiveness. God’s Word is feeding my spirit and my faith is growing. Every
time I listen to it I learn something new,” she said.
More wisdom
Mario Patty Plata is the pastor of the Christian Community Church in La
Paz, the Bolivian capital. “People tell me that they have more wisdom,
knowledge and a greater desire to read their Bible. They listen to the
program for between 20-30 minutes a session, and as a result I see more
responsibility among them, especially towards the church. Also they are
more trusting in God.”
He added: “I would personally like to recommend that other pastors
and churches participate in this program because it is more than a blessing.
Through God’s Word they will learn more and in a very personal way about
the redemption plan of God for all of us.”
In Cochabamba, Eduardo Gòmez Mendoza, pastor of Emmanuel Baptist
Church, said the FCBH program has caused great excitement and enthusiasm
for Bible study. “Everyone says how much they enjoy the blessings of the
program,” he said.
“They are thankful to God and to the Bible Society for this ministry.
There is no doubt that this program is a particular blessing for those
in the congregation who cannot read because now they have the opportunity
to listen and to know the truth and the promises of God. One day we had
a visiting congregation from Chapare who were amazed and at the same time
excited with the hope that one day they would also be able to listen to
the New Testament in their own language, Quiche.”
“I thank God for the ministry of the Bible Societies and for the FCBH progam,”
said one pastor. When his church started the FCBH program they only had
16 people attending the sessions; now they have an average of 40. Friends
and relatives of church members have also begun to show an interest, and
people who were sceptical at first now support the listening program.
The FCBH program is a practical way of listening, studying, understanding
and learning to live the Word of God. The pastor said that although his
church was only small and in its initial stage, he expected growth with
this great tool provided by the Bible Society. Some of his members who
are taxi drivers wanted to obtain copies of the cassettes to listen to
in their cabs.
“With this program my members are starting to get deeper into the Word,”
said José Ramos Monita, pastor of The Way, the Truth and the Life
Church in Monterrey. “Most of my members were new Christians and had little
knowledge of the Bible,” he said.
“This program has been great, and some of our longer-standing Christians
have marvelled, saying: ‘How come these people, who are new Christians,
know more about the Bible than us?’ The people who attend the listening
sessions not only know more about the Bible but they can help and minister
to others, using key verses for specific needs.”
Mr Ramos Monita added: “The time we listen to the Bible portion has
become a very important time for me because I feel as if I were listening
to the voice of God talking in my life. One example is when I listened
to the Epistle of James: it was a total revelation of the Word of God for
my life.”
In Tamaulipas, Pastor Gilberto Flores Garza, whose church is the Prince
of Peace Church, said: “As a pastor I have noticed how many families involved
in this program are beginning to show fruits of spiritual growth in their
lives.
Interest
“Their attendance at services has improved, as has their participation
in the work and activities of the church, and also in their offerings and,
of course, in their interest and knowledge of the Bible. I would like to
express my gratitude to all those who were instruments in providing this
program.” The FCBH program is provided in Mexico through The Bible League,
the Bible Society and the Summer Institute of Linguistics (SIL).
SIL is working among the Zapotec people in Oaxaca. Dr Garrido, pastor
of a church in Ixtepec, played a FCBH cassette in one of the medical centres
while a lady was having surgery. Her relatives heard the Word of God and
believed, and the patient also accepted Christ as her Saviour.
Rescue
Bible promoter Maximino Sanchez, who told the above story, said: “This
is one Zapotec family; now we have begun a new church in their area. What
a great blessing this material is when it helps us to rescue souls from
condemnation.”
In Santa Rosa, the pastor of ‘Jesus Christ the King who Comes’ Church
was extremely grateful to those who supplied the material for the FCBH
program. “We pray for all of you and the great effort you have done. Ten
people have accepted Jesus Christ, and from listening to the Word they
understood that they had to be baptised in water.
“The tapes also help former Christians to come back to the faith. We
are also opening a new church in another community called Alvaro Obregón,
Juchitán, Oaxaca. Thank God for the availability of the New Testament
in Zapotec.”
“Some of our people rush to church so that they will not miss any part
of the listening sessions,” said Pastor Fortunato Chircca Allcca of one
Baptist church here. His congregation makes many notes on the questions
that are asked and the answers he gives. They are very attentive, and have
now begun to bring others and share the Gospel with people to win them
for God,” he said. “They find the FCBH program a simple and effective way
to study the Word of God.”
Alfredo Fajardo promotes the FCBH program among the Quechua people of
Peru. He said that in the midst of their sufferings, the Quechua churches
find great blessing in the Bible-listening program: “People are changing
and have a greater desire to read and study their Bibles. They are also
becoming more responsible toward their church.” (WR 330/1 - 4.98)
This page was last updated on Wednesday, 8th April
1998.