CEO Chantel Pagan says Deaf Bible Society marks a half-decade of ministry this summer.

“We are so excited to look back and consider all of the wonderful things that the Lord has done in and through Deaf Bible Society and our incredible partners.”

In the summer of 2015, a team within Faith Comes By Hearing laid plans for reaching Deaf people with God’s Word. Whereas only the Deaf Bible app existed previously, the Deaf Bible Society began to take shape as a formal organization. Today, Deaf Bible Society works in 76 sign language communities around the world. They’re distributing Bible content, training distributors, researching, building relationships, and funding Bible translation efforts.

See a full timeline here.

(Photo courtesy of Deaf Bible Society)

“Through the course of this five-year history, it has been so incredible to see the Lord align and set into motion new levels of collaboration to see His Great Commission take shape for Deaf people worldwide,” Pagan says.

DBS: a growing Deaf ministry

There are an estimated 70 million Deaf people worldwide. Deaf Bible Society connects these individuals with God’s Word in their heart sign languages. More about that here.

Less than five percent of the world’s 400+ sign languages have any Scripture. But that’s exactly what makes sign language Bible translation such an essential task.

“We’re doing everything we can to set into motion key strategic initiatives to see greater translation growth, as well as seeing new Deaf leaders arise and participate in the Great Commission’s call,” Pagan says.

In the years to come, “we look forward to seeing more content available and distributed to Deaf people,” she adds.

Your participation is vital to continuing this movement.

Partnership propelled the ministry so far, and it fuels Deaf Bible Society’s forward motion.

“We did not get to this point alone. Those who have faithfully contributed through prayer, encouragement, and through resources [have] allowed Deaf Bible Society to have the impact that it has,” Pagan notes.

“In the next five years, we are looking forward to the Lord taking Deaf Bible Society and our partnerships in translation, acceleration, and Bible distribution to a whole new level.”

Here are four ways you can support the Deaf Bible movement.

Header image courtesy of Deaf Bible Society.

Matt Cassady of FCBH says of military life, “Everything else can be stripped away, it’s very basic, you’re living hand to mouth […], you’re trying to get safety and security and sometimes both of those are fleeting objectives. But, it’s during those times that we are most receptive to God working in our lives.”

Photo courtesy of FCBH.

Military BibleSticks bless Ukraine.

The Ukrainian military has been in conflict with separatists since 2014. FCBH says more than 9,000 people have died in the fighting so far.

The Associated Press says earlier this week, seven soldiers were killed and nine more people injured.

Ukraine hasn’t gone under the radar when it comes to getting the audio Bible to them in the form of Military BibleSticks.

“Over 1,100 so far have gone out. The difference that it makes with the soldiers that are fighting for their freedom, for their independence, for their sovereignty, they are incredibly encouraged and strengthened through that Military BibleStick,” Cassady says.

This BibleStick contains audio recordings of the New Testament and select Psalms, and they are created with field-safe features.

Cassady says it reminds the soldiers that “they are worth having the spoken Word of God in their language, that they are worth it to us in America—that we would finance and send those Military BibleSticks to them, that they have value, and they have worth and that we want to encourage them; not because they’re Ukrainian or what they’re doing, but because they are children of God and we want to help spread the Gospel to them to encourage them.”

Men and women in the military can find themselves in especially tumultuous situations where their emotions and mind may fail them.

“You can always rely on the unchanging powerful word of God in your life,” Cassady says.

A heart that cares for Ukraine

Photo courtesy of FCBH.

It’s not necessarily a knee-jerk reaction of Christians in the United States to think of sending audio Bibles to other militaries. Still, along with FCBH, there are many people who recognize the need immediately during violence.

“The passion stems from the Great Commission that we’re called to go out to the utter ends of the earth,” Cassady says.

In our abundance of access to the Bible in America, we can sometimes forget that access isn’t readily available in other countries. But when we recognize that scarcity, Cassady says the next step is to consider how our own story has been changed by Scripture.

“Think about what that’s done in your own life and think, would someone else throughout the world benefit from that same thing?”

And finally, Cassady suggests when you see distressing news from around the world, don’t let it freeze your compassion. “Whenever my heart begins to break for the atrocities committed around the globe, I’m reminded that those people need Jesus.”

Your heart that cares

In light of this, Casssady says, “The first thing we would ask is just if you’re listening to this, that you would pray — pray for the Great Commission, pray for us, pray for your place in the Great Commission.”

You can find out more about Military BibleSticks here.

(Photo credit: Cubaminrex)

Cuba (MNN) — A historic thaw in tensions between the U.S. and Cuba is resulting in less travel and business restrictions.

A Reuters alert on Thursday broke the news, and the White House confirmed suspicions on Friday.

“These are the most comprehensive expansion[s] in U.S. trade and investment regulations with Cuba in decades,” John Kavulich, head of the U.S.-Cuba Trade and Economic Council, told Reuters.

Though many missionaries are eager to bring Christ’s hope to the Communist nation, Faith Comes by Hearing’s Phil Kenney advises proceeding with caution.

“It’s important to realize that there IS a strong and vibrant Cuban Church,” says Kenney.

“Get to know leadership; get to know their heartbeat, their needs, and [then] figure out how to appropriately collaborate.”

Phil Kenney is FCBH’s Americas Regional Manager, overseeing ministry from Canada to Cape Horn.

FCBH Cuba

Faith Comes by Hearing has been following the advice shared above for the past 15 years. They began working in the Communist nation after seeing its tremendous needs, but also its potential.

(Photo courtesy FCBH)

“We saw the need for the Cuban Church to have materials, especially the Word of God,” Kenney clarifies. “Responding to that need was how we started in Cuba.”

With help from partners in three nations, they’ve provided audio Bibles to believers in each of Cuba’s 15 provinces.

“We, specifically, provide audio Scriptures on a device called a Proclaimer: a solar-powered playback device,” says Kenney.

“At first, it seemed like it started out a little slow, but then some leadership changed, and about the last six years the impact has been phenomenal.”

The ministry also provides audio Scripture on mp3 CDs, along with training and encouragement workshops for the local Church.

In addition, Faith Comes by Hearing is “partnering with the Church to help them strategically plan how to reach Cuba with the Word of God.”

Church in La Habana, Cuba.
(Wikipedia)

The evangelical Church in Cuba is vibrant, Kenney says, despite the government’s best efforts to repress it. They have not built any new church buildings since 1959, but their house church growth is up to 7,000.

Putting tools into the hands of the Body of Christ in Cuba is helping it grow even more.

“With the audio Scriptures, they’re able to evangelize and disciple their people,” Kenney explains.

So what?

With the resumption of diplomatic relations with the U.S., and Pope Francis’ visit, Cuba is more open to receive God’s Word than it has been in many years.

FCBH representatives who have worked there advise other ministries to do their homework and establish strong relationships in Cuba–which already has a strong and determined Church–before assessing its spiritual and practical needs.

“They want to impact the world and fulfill the Great Commission,” Kenney says of Cuban believers.

(Wikipedia)

If God is calling you to Cuba, connect with FCBH by calling (800) 545-6552 and ask to speak with Phil Kenney. Or, click here to send FCBH an e-mail.

“We would be really receptive to…conversing and…share our experience, talk about some of the things we’ve learned, and try to connect people appropriately.”

(Screenshot)

Faith Comes by Hearing (FCBH) VP Troy Carl says they are working on a digital network that uses mobile devices, satellites, and language-recognition to deliver God’s Word to every person on earth.

“The whole idea is to connect the unconnected,” says Carl.

“This kind of technology isn’t just for our particular type of distribution, but it actually will create a whole new kind of phone network and other types of communication networks that we’re going to see in the next few years.”

Through the FCBH Bible.is app, smartphones can connect to one another and share Scripture in any number of heart languages–without using the Internet or a data plan.

“Just like when you want something you look at your phone, you talk to your phone and it searches and brings you that content: someday, it’s going to bring you the Word of God,” says Carl.

Better yet, under the “private” setting, Scripture can be passed through multiple phones without revealing what it is. That will make evangelistic activities in countries like North Korea or Iran, where sharing the Gospel can get you killed, much easier.

Here’s how it works.

(Graphic courtesy FCBH)

“It’s kind of like sending a message along the Pony Express,” Carl explains. “The Pony Express rider goes to the different locations, and then he has an opportunity to [do one of four things]: forward the message; unpack the message; deliver it to the person; or, cancel the message.

“That’s what a Delay-Tolerant Network, or a Mesh Network, does on-the-ground. We simply send information from one device to another device to another device, until it gets to the intended recipient.”

The good news doesn’t stop there.

The Global Bible Network

What use would a Bible app have if it could only deliver God’s Word in English? In order to reach everyone who needs the Lord, FCBH is leveraging their growing database of Bible recordings.

(Screenshot)

“In recent days, we’ve been able to develop what we’re calling a Language-Recognition Algorithm,” shares Carl.

“We’ve been able to teach a computer how to recognize what language [is being spoken] and then intelligently route biblical content to that person based on the language they’re speaking.

“It’s an absolute game-changer, and I believe it’s a fulfillment of prophecy.”

Referencing passages like Habbakuk 2:14 and Matthew 24:14, Carl observes, “The Greek word [used for ‘nations’ is] ‘epnos‘: language, tribe, tongue.

“One day – and, I believe, in our lifetime — every language, every tribe, every tongue, will have free and open and easy access to the Word of God in their own language.”

The Global Bible Network is a technological development that FCBH can only produce with outside help. “God has brought together one of the most amazing, capable teams of experts that will help us build this particular system,” states Carl.

See who’s on the team here.

“They’re the ones that have said, ‘Troy, this is not impossible…. The military’s been doing this kind of thing for a long time; now we get to use our gifts and talents for the Kingdom of God.”

(Photo courtesy FCBH)

Here’s how you can pray for the team as they find ways to leverage technology for the Great Commission:

• Ask the Lord to give the FCBH team wisdom and insight as they develop the Global Bible Network.
• Pray for the protection and health of team members. Pray they will not be overburdened or distracted from what God has willed.
• Pray for the salvation of unreached people who will have access to God’s Word through the Global Bible Network.

Stay up-to-date on the latest Global Bible Network developments here.

(Photo: Ben White/ CAFOD, October 2015 via Flickr)

Meanwhile, refugee needs–both physical and spiritual–are going largely unmet.

“It’s very important right now to be providing as many partners as possible with as much Scripture as possible,” shares a Faith Comes by Hearing worker involved in Middle East outreach, “so that they [Muslim refugees] will realize ‘Yes, there is a God in heaven, and He is a God who cares.'”

Storm warning

Angela Merkel is spearheading Europe’s acceptance of refugees.
(Photo: European People’s Party)

Some analysts say another one million refugees will come to Europe, once the weather warms.

As explained here, the number of people crossing by boat into Europe during the first six weeks of 2016 is 25 times higher than last year’s figures during the same time period.

As European leaders met yesterday and today in Brussels, the refugee crisis remained a high priority. UNHCR spokesman William Spindler warned earlier this week, “Our fear is that there will be a domino effect where countries say, ‘We’ve had enough.'”

As European nations impose more harsh restrictions against refugee needs for shelter and safe haven, those fears appear to be materializing.

European leaders are pressing Turkish leaders to halt the flow of refugees, but Turkey is too busy saber-rattling with Russia to pay much mind.

Pressure is growing in Turkey, BBC News explains. Though the nation already holds an estimated 3 million Syrian refugees, European leaders are urging Turkish leaders to open the border with Syria.

(Photo: Spyros Papaspyropoulos via Flickr)

At the same time, they expect Turkey to stop refugees from leaving its shores for Europe.

Meanwhile, Syrian Kurds backed by Russia carry out terror attacks in Turkey and warn of war if Turkish forces enter Syria for “payback.”

In the midst of it all, the Lord is at work.

Meeting refugee needs

According to the aforementioned FCBH worker, whose name can’t be revealed for security purposes, deeds done by extremists “in Allah’s name” are turning many Muslims away.

“People are coming to them [FCBH partners] completely disillusioned with [Islam]; if this is what it’s all about, they want nothing more to do with it,” the worker explains.

“Unfortunately… [Muslim refugees are] not in a position where they’re able to have contact with [evangelical Christians] who can share the Gospel with them, and so…sadly, in many cases, they’re turning to atheism.”

(Photo courtesy FCBH)

FCBH partners are doing all they can to share God’s Truth with refugees in their heart language. As mentioned here, local believers are bringing audio Scriptures on devices like miniProclaimers and BibleSticks into refugee camps. Many Muslim refugees are meeting the real Jesus through these efforts, and asking Him to be their Savior.

However, the remaining refugee needs are too great to measure, the FCBH worker shares.

“The need is so huge, it would almost be impossible to ‘scale up’ to meet the need,” he says. “The BibleSticks, the personal listening devices, are…taking us a long way, but they cannot be the end answer, simply because the need is too great and too pressing.”

Instead, FCBH is looking into options that involve a tool nearly everyone in the world either owns or has access to: a smartphone.

“They’re getting cheaper and cheaper,” notes the worker. “The Chinese and the Indians are producing $50USD smartphones…. People are replacing simple [cell] phones with smartphones.”

(Screenshot courtesy of Faith Comes By Hearing)

Next week, we’ll have more on what exactly this “Evangelism 2.0” will entail. For now, please consider the following: it’s going to take a lot of prayer and some help with funding to get God’s Word to Muslim refugees.

“The divine appointments need to be set with our partners so that as [Muslim refugees] come out, God is burdening them with visions and dreams, and the sudden need for contact with a believer…. [Pray they will meet] believers on the ground that can meet those needs,” the FCBH worker states.

• Pray for these “divine appointments” to happen as God has planned.
• Pray that Gospel workers will be bold enough to have conversations with Muslim refugees about who Jesus is and what He did for all mankind.
• Pray for wisdom and guidance for FCBH staff as they develop new methods for evangelism that utilize technology.

Help FCBH reach refugees for Christ here.

(Graphic obtained via Twitter)

A key part of the plan, writes Operation Sophia commander Rear Admiral Enrico Credendino in the leaked report, is building the “capacity and capability” of Libya’s naval forces.

“In order to move into the following phases, we need to have a government of national accord with which to engage…. An effective Navy and Coastguard will be able to protect its own borders, therefore preventing illegal migration from Libya’s shores.”

Operation Sophia vs. refugee onslaught

Europe is desperately seeking a way to stop refugees from crossing its shores. Operation Sophia is intended to be one key deterrent, though not the only effort.

Officials wrote in a July 2015 EU Institute for Security Studies report:

“Just like all other CSDP operations, EUNAVFOR Med (Operation Sophia) needs to be seen as one element of a broader multidimensional response, as one component of the Comprehensive Approach towards both the refugee crisis and restoring stability in Libya.”

(Screenshot)

Approximately 1.5 million refugees crossed into Europe during 2015, making this crisis the worst Europe has seen since World War II.

As Europe tries to stem the refugee onslaught, Faith Comes by Hearing is bringing a new source of hope to refugees who remain in the war-torn Middle East.

“It’s so completely different from anything that they have heard about, or understood: Jesus and Who He is,” shares an FCBH worker involved in refugee outreach.

“It’s the first time they have an understanding that He’s not a dead prophet [and] that He’s the living God.”

Introducing refugees to Jesus

(Screenshot)

FCBH is helping local believers “infiltrate” Middle East refugee camps with God’s Word in audio, the FCBH worker explains. As refugees hear the New Testament in their heart language, God’s Word unveils remarkable Truths.

As Muslim refugees listen to Scripture, “This is the first time they’d ever had anything even close to what Christ actually said,” shares the worker.

“The interpretation [teaching] they always receive is that Christ was a prophet, and there are things He said and did; but [those teachings] have…very little similarity to what Scripture actually says.”

Therefore, the teachings of Christ and His life events recorded in the Gospels come as a surprise to many. This “new” information leads many refugees to ask questions, and FCBH partners are quick to provide biblical answers. “It requires, really, constant follow-up,” the FCBH worker shares.

The Lord is leading many to join His family as Christ-followers, and the need for BibleSticks is growing nearly as quickly as the refugee tally.

(Screenshot)

“For the partners that we…provide material to, we’re in the thousands; we could easily provide them in the tens of thousands, were the funding available,” says the worker.

God is bringing comfort and hope to refugees through His Word. By clicking here, you can help them find lasting peace in the midst of difficult circumstances.

(Photo credit: Victor Ngo via Flickr)

“[Those] 954 languages represent over 6 billion people who speak or sign one of those languages, so that’s over 85% of the world’s population,” Lohr adds.

Of the 17 new language releases that brought FCBH to the 954-mark, there are “three different sign languages that will now be available through the Deaf Bible app.”

The good news doesn’t stop there, though.

“We really believe that the Great Commission should be completed within this generation,” Lohr says. “It used to be ‘could be,’ [or] ‘maybe’ – all of those different questions.

“But we look at the technology, we look at the translations that are completed, we look at our ability to do recordings and other partners who are doing recordings, and we say that it should be completed in this generation.”

Technology plays a significant role. Not only does it make the Bible translation process faster, it increases the ability of FCBH to get Scripture to people in a language and format they can understand.

“We’re going to hit 1,000 languages in about May this year,” shares Lohr. Furthermore, “we believe we’re going to get to the 2,000-mark in much less time than it took to get to the 1,000-mark.”

The Proclaimer was developed as a playback device for poor and illiterate people lacking the resources to receive God’s Word.
(Photo courtesy FCBH)

In the late 1980s, when FCBH first began recording audio New Testaments, they could only do Bible translation in English. God has been expanding their horizons ever since, using the latest technologies and digital resources.

With another major milestone in sight, enthusiasm is rising.

“If we can hit that 2,000 [language] mark, we’re talking about 97% of the world’s population [speaking] one of those 2,000 languages.”

You can help Faith Comes by Hearing cross the finish line in two easy ways:

PRAY

“Lift us up for the resources to be made available, that our field recording partners will be in good health and protected; [pray for] everybody here on our staff,” requests Lohr.

(Photo courtesy Compassion International)

Find more prayer needs here.

• Ask the Lord to provide FCBH with the resources it needs for Bible translation.
• Pray for the health and protection of FCBH’s recording partners.
• Pray for the staff and leaders of Faith Comes by Hearing.

GIVE

You can make a significant difference by helping FCBH get God’s Word to every person who needs it. Whether the Lord has placed a passion for Bible translation or military outreach on your heart, there’s a FCBH project that could use your support.

(Screenshot courtesy of Faith Comes By Hearing)

“We hate asking for [money] in Christian ministry, but it is the case: we need to have the funds to do it,” says Lohr. “We could go out and get 50 more recording teams, but…we need to have the funds to do it.”

See a list of ministry projects here.

DoD photo by Helene C. Stikkel. (Released)

USA (MNN) — The U.S. released its National Military Strategy this week, highlighting Russia, Iran and North Korea as “countries of concern”.

“Globalization, diffusion of technology, and demographic shifts are driving rapid change as state actors and trans-regional networks challenge order and stability,” said Army General Martin E. Dempsey in a press release.

“This strategy addresses these dynamics and our strategy to ensure that our force remains the best-led, trained and equipped military on the planet.”

Thousands of U.S. troops are currently deployed in over 150 nations.

“Their spiritual needs are very great as they’re around the world, away from their families and away from their local church community,” notes Faith Comes by Hearing’s Gregg Leisman.

Leisman speaks from experience, as he served for 20 years in the U.S. Air Force and was deployed twice to the Middle East.

God and the U.S. military

Chaplains have been part of the U.S. military since its very beginning. Congress established chaplains as an integral part of the Continental Army on July 29th, 1775, according to ChaplainCorps.net.

(Photo credit Jeff Kubina via Flickr)

However, as U.S. families prepare to celebrate 239 years of freedom and independence tomorrow, the religious freedom of service members is on the line.

As reported by WND.com, activist group Military Religious Freedom Foundation is lobbying the U.S. government to rid its military of any chaplains who oppose gay marriage.

“At this stage, the only honorable thing that these losers can do is to fold up their uniforms, turn in their papers, and get the [expletive] out of the American military chaplaincy,” MRFF president Mikey Weinstein wrote last week.

“If they are unwilling or too cowardly to do so, then the Department of Defense must expeditiously cleanse itself of the intolerant filth that insist on lingering in the ranks of our armed forces.”

In addition, a military court ordered that the Marines could demand one officer remove Bible verses from her work station. The U.S. Air Force is commanding its members serving in the Middle East to observe Ramadan when off-base, or fines and a possible jail sentence will be imposed.

“As ‘Airmen-Ambassadors’ representing American and U.S. military values around the world, we are committed to the concepts of tolerance, freedom and diversity,” stated Brig. Gen. John Quintas.

Evangelical Christianity is defined as a religious extremist group by the Army Reserve.

In 2013, an Army Reserve training presentation classified evangelical Christians as “religious extremists”.

A copy of the presentation — obtained by TheGlobalDispatch.com — contained the following statement in the “Notes” portion of a slide defining religious extremism.

“Extremist Organizations follow ideologies which are considered extreme by societal
norms….and we are talking about this today because individuals who hold extremist views that conflict with Army Values are sometimes inadvertently recruited.”

What does all of this mean for Faith Comes by Hearing’s military outreach? While they’re still able, the ministry is working with chaplains to deliver Military BibleSticks to those who request God’s Word.

Getting God’s Word to the military

The Military BibleStick is a digital audio player specifically designed for military service members. It’s about the size of a pack of gum, and comes pre-loaded with a dramatized recording of the entire New Testament and specially-selected Psalms.

The Military BibleStick
(Photo by FCBH)

It’s rugged enough to withstand tough weather conditions, can be used in low-light situations, and easily fits into uniform pockets.

“The insomnia is what drove me to listen to it basically daily, for the last eight years,” says Leisman.

FCBH shares more testimonies here.

“Time and time again I have been thanked by soldiers who received the BibleStick,” says an Army Chaplain. “I’ve seen countless Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, and Marines requesting these Bibles to go into their ruck sacks, so they can listen while waiting to go on missions.”

An Army Staff Sergeant tweets, “(My BibleStick) lets me conveniently get into the Word of God. Thank you”, and a Marine says, “When I can’t sleep I can listen to God’s precious word.”

On Facebook, an Army Reserve Staff Sergeant writes, “‪#‎Military‬ BibleStick is a blessing to me at work. i just have to turn it on & it keeps me away from worldly talk. I get focused & my work is fine.”

Help put God’s Word in the hands of a military service member here.

Will you please keep military members in your prayers, too?

“The testimonies are in the tens of thousands of what prayer and God’s Word can do to give people strength in very stressing circumstances,” Leisman says.

(Photo Courtesy of Faith Comes By Hearing)

International (FCBH) — [EDITORS NOTE: This is a blog update courtesy of Faith Comes By Hearing.]

Spring is in the air, and Christians around the world again joined in the annual remembrance and celebration of the resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. With that backdrop, it seems like a perfect time to announce the release of 8 new Scripture recordings that will give more people access to God’s Word in their own language!

How many more people? Combined, these 8 languages are spoken by more than 2.6 million people!

Imagine having heard of Easter and maybe being told a little bit about why Christians celebrate this holiday; but you have never really been able to discover more about this Jesus and what He did for you because the people who tell the story don’t speak your language. This all changes when you finally hear about the Way, and the Truth, and the Life in your own heart language — for the first time!

Join us in singing praises that the Word of God is now available in these languages:

• Bonggi – Malaysia
• Gaita Koitor – India
• Komi-Zyrian – Russia
• Kouya – Cote d’Ivoire
• Kurukh – India
• Lokaa – Nigeria
• Mixteco de Ayutla – Mexico
• Nen-naka – Vanuatu

It’s always our pleasure to recognize our translating partners who have paved the path with their decades of hard work and dedication, which provided the written text we need to be able to record the Bible. This month, our partners include: The Bible League, Friends Missionary Prayer Band, Institute for Bible Translation, Nigerian Bible Translation Trust, and Wycliffe Bible Translators.

We focus on one purpose when working with our partners: to fulfill the Great Commission!

Microsatellites
(Photo courtesy of NASA)

International (MNN) — What image comes to mind when you hear the word “missionary?”

Some may picture an evangelist or two braving new territories as they carry Bibles to a tribe that’s never heard of Jesus. Others think of Christians in action: people going to a foreign land to share the Gospel and make disciples.

Soon, you’ll be hearing more about “space missionaries.”

Faith Comes by Hearing is launching a new Aerospace Division, headed up by retired Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Gregg Leisman. Aerospace programs will expand FCBH’s use of satellite technology to broadcast Audio Bible content worldwide.

“When you look at what the need is, as far as getting the Bible out, small satellites are a really good solution for that,” explains Leisman.

“It used to be satellites were built the size of a school bus and cost hundreds of millions–if not billions–of dollars. We’re starting to build things the size of a briefcase that might cost $200,000.”

That means micro-satellites (as they were formally known) can beam God’s Word into homes traditional missionaries can’t reach–for a fraction of the price.

“You have places where people are looking…to learn about things in a ‘restricted’ society–restricted at the terrestrial level, but very open at the global level, or at the satellite level,” notes Leisman.

(Icon courtesy of Clkr.com)

“Direct TV (it’s really direct-to-home because they’ll use [it for] radio, also) is extremely plentiful–much more plentiful, actually, than in the United States.”

FCBH is currently taking advantage of this by using satellites, or space missionaries, to give people in the Middle East safe access to God’s Word in Arabic and Farsi. With Leisman at the helm, the ministry hopes to expand their reach to Southeast Asia and give people access to over 100 languages.

“Opportunities have been opening up left and right throughout this, that [in] 20 years of satellite and telecommunications experience, I rarely see–even with the Air Force,” Leisman says.

Air Force honors

Lt. Col. (ret) Gregg Leisman
(Photo courtesy of FCBH)

Leisman graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy with academic distinction in astronautical engineering. He was also awarded Master’s degrees in Space Systems Management and astronautical engineering.

Among his career achievements, Leisman was the chief of operations for GPS satellite processing at Cape Canaveral, Florida, where he oversaw the launch of five GPS satellites and received the Air Force Association’s Best Space Operations award. He has led 37 program teams with over 290 managers, engineers, and technicians who have developed and tested satellites, aircraft, and space launch vehicles. He has also been a space systems engineer at the Air Force Research Laboratory, which included managing a $250 million portfolio in micro-satellite research.

Most recently, Leisman was squadron commander and then director of the $1.7 billion Space and Missile Test Complex at Arnold AFB. He was subsequently in charge of the Integrated Activation Team for a new command and control system for the U.S. Air Force $17.6 billion Space Based Infrared System.

Leisman also deployed to the Middle East twice, has over 550 HALO jumps, and was a graduate and instructor at Test Pilot School with a career total of 360 hours of flight test time in 41 different aircraft.

“We realize Lt. Colonel Leisman had a great many opportunities to choose from, after such a decorated career serving our country,” says Troy Carl, vice president at FCBH. “That’s why we’re so humbled and overjoyed by his decision to bring his talent to this ministry and use his experience and expertise to further the fulfillment of the Great Commission.”

For Leisman, partnering with FCBH was the realization of a long-held desire.

“A lot of times you feel, as an engineer, you don’t really have much to offer in world missions; yet, we’re all, as Christians, called to it,” he explains.

U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Ben Johnas, 374th Operation Support Squadron survival, evasion, resistance, and escape instructor, performs a high altitude-low opening (HALO) jump with the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit.
(U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Stephany Richards/ Released)

When he learned how ministries were using technology to distribute the Bible, Leisman knew his chance to get involved in missions had come.

“I think sometimes we think you have to go learn Hebrew and Greek and get out in the field, and that’s fantastic work,” says Leisman.

“But, I’ve really been encouraged seeing people that want to do science or technology can get involved in what the Church is doing around the world. I encourage people that are in school, in engineering, that you can be part of missions.”

Why it matters

Space missionaries aren’t just a “cool” idea: they’re a crucial component of the Great Commission. As Leisman stated in a recent press release, “This will be the first time in church history that we can deliver the Bible to virtually anywhere on the planet in near real time.”

You can help in three ways: praying, giving, and going.

FCBH wants to reach every person with the Gospel
(Photo courtesy of FCBH)

“All three are very much needed to really accomplish God’s goals,” Leisman notes, adding, “Prayer is our #1 need, from the beginning to the end.”

Pray for wisdom and discernment as Leisman begins his new role as the FCBH Aerospace Division leader. Ask the Lord to bring the right teammates and supporters alongside this new project. Pray for adequate funding to support all phases of development.

In addition, “Satellites and any kind of Bible distribution [require] funds, and so that’s a great way to get involved.”

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