ATLANTA (ABP) — Members of hundreds of churches affiliated with the
Cooperative Baptist Fellowship will be listening to the Bible during
the 40 days of Lent.
In January the Atlanta-based CBF launched "You've Got the Time," an audio-Bible-listening program, in partnership with Faith Comes By Hearing, an audio-Bible ministry based in Albuquerque that translates the Scriptures into languages spoken by the half of the world's population that is functionally illiterate.
"You've Got the Time" is a program geared to local churches, where members listen to the Bible for 28 minutes a day for 40 days and are asked to donate to Faith Comes By Hearing's international programs. Funds raised from CBF-affiliated churches will be designated toward translation of audio Bibles into six languages used by people groups in places where CBF field personnel work.
While CBF leaders are promoting the Bible-listening program throughout 2010, many churches are using it to help members prepare themselves spiritually for the 40-day season of prayer and introspection, known as Lent, leading up to Easter. It begins Feb. 17 with Ash Wednesday. While many Baptists view Lent as a Catholic rite, use of the liturgical calendar in worship has grown in popularity among some Baptists in recent decades.
Whenever churches use the program, CBF leaders say they hope it will help re-engage church members who have gotten out of the habit of regular Bible reading and unite congregations and CBF supporters in a common activity.
"We will be transformed by listening to God's Word, reflecting on it, discussing it, and sharing it with others," said Daniel Vestal, CBF's executive coordinator. "It will create greater desire to study and share Scripture as we open ourselves to the Spirit by hearing the Word of God."
CBF is offering free audio New Testaments in MP3 format on playable disc for adults and a "Kidz Bible" for each child taking part. The adult version features daily readings in dramatic style, complete with sound effects. The children's version has Bible stories.
In a video message to pastors, Vestal said Fellowship Baptists regard the Bible central to the life of both the individual and the church.
"But if we're honest about it, all too often we spend little or no time with God's Word in our daily lives," he said. "To be the presence of Christ in the world, we must be formed spiritually into Christ-likeness. That missional journey includes spending time with Scriptures."
Fellowship leaders hope to enlist 500 of about 1,800 churches that relate to CBF to use the discs sometime during 2010. Bo Prosser, CBFs coordinator of congregational formation, said about 200 churches have already done so.
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Bob Allen is senior writer for Associated Baptist Press.