International (MNN) — The audio-based Bible app released by Faith Comes By Hearing in July has now been downloaded by well over one million people.
The app gets subscribers access to Scripture in about 100 languages, although all need to have at least a basic understanding of English: the app itself, including navigation tools, notes, features, and directions has been exclusively in English. Until now.
Faith Comes By Hearing has just released their Bible.is app completely in Spanish. The Spanish app opens availability of the Word to millions of Spanish speakers across Latin America, Central America, the United States, and anywhere people have at least a basic understanding of Spanish. Now even, those who don't speak Spanish as a first language but who do speak it, can search for the Scriptures in their own language on the Spanish Bible.is app.
The new app is compatible with iPhones, iPads, iPod Touches and all Android phones. Of course, the number of people with access to that kind of technology is fairly limited, right? Guess again.
"Currently, there are five billion mobile or cellular subscribers in the world," says Faith Comes By Hearing's Bill Lohr. "That's only going to expand–even in third world countries there are folks who have these phones."
Even for those who don't have access to androids or, consequently, this app, there are exciting ways that they might be able to hear the Gospel in their heart language because of it. The ministry possibilities are virtually endless when missionaries can bring not only a Proclaimer loaded with all of the Scriptures in one people group's heart language, but a phone loaded with an app that can instantly access the Word in several different people group's heart languages.
"People that are going on missionary trips that don't speak these languages, they're bringing with them something that does speak their language," says Lohr, "and that connection is just amazing."
Faith Comes By Hearing has already heard stories of English speakers sharing the Gospel with others through the English app. The number of stories will only increase with the adaptation of the app into Spanish.
Currently, Faith Comes By Hearing is working on localizing the app into more major trade languages, including Arabic, French and Mandarin Chinese.
For now, you can download the Bible.is app in English or Spanish, providing access to written and audio Scripture in 100 languages. Faith Comes By Hearing continues to add languages to the apps, hoping to have all of its over 500 recorded languages available eventually.
Click here to find out if your phone is compatible to download the app. For a quicker route, Lohr says, "They can text ‘iPhone' to 24253, or they can text ‘android' to 24253, and we will send them a link that will actually take them to the store. Then they'd be able to determine which language they'd like to download."
