HOUSTON, Feb. 2 /
Christian Newswire/ -- Daniel Cardinal DiNardo, Archbishop of Galveston-Houston, recently urged Catholic leaders to get involved in a city-wide Bible listening campaign called You've Got The Time Houston.
Faith Comes By Hearing, the world's foremost Audio Bible ministry, is coordinating this effort to reach every Houstonian with God's Word in audio.
Morgan Jackson, international director for Faith Comes By Hearing, says the initial response has been remarkable.
"There has been a tremendous, immediate response from the Catholic community in the Houston area," said Jackson.
So far more than 50 different parishes have signed up to listen through the entire New Testament, which represents more than 160,000 Catholics.
"The Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston has planned an extensive Bible engagement effort for 2009 called 'Word of God in the Life and Mission of the Church.' Faith Comes By Hearing's 40-day Bible listening is a big component of their outreach," said Jackson.
"I believe Cardinal DiNardo's support of this Bible listening program is an invigorating demonstration of his leadership to Pope Benedict's declaration of 2009 as The Year of God's Word," said Jackson. "His active encouragement of this program is giving many Catholics new opportunities to study the sacred Scriptures, deepen their faith and increase their knowledge of God's Word."
"His endorsement is an additional encouragement to many leaders from other denominations," said Jackson.
Already, leaders from more than 100 other Houston congregations from over a dozen denominations have signed up their churches to listen through the New Testament.
Jackson expects that more than one-third of the 3,000 Houston area churches will participate in this Bible engagement outreach.
Research shows that 65 percent of people have never read the New Testament. Other studies report that less than half of Americans can name all four Gospels.
"Bible engagement is critical to the spiritual growth of each individual and for breathing life into the mission of the church," said Roger Hunter, You've Got The Time Houston coordinator. "Houston church leaders know this and are energized about getting their people to engage in God's Word and, in turn, helping poor and illiterate people around the world hear the Bible in their heart language."
The program is simple, Hunter explained. Faith Comes By Hearing provides free Audio Bibles for every man, woman and child in their church or parish. Church leaders then challenge their congregations to listen through the entire New Testament – 28 minutes a day over a period of 40 days. After listening, churches receive offerings to support recording the New Testament in the heart languages of poor and illiterate people around the world.
"If we can reach America with God's Word we can reach the world together," added Jackson.
Almost 59,000 churches from all 50 states have participated in Faith Comes By Hearing's Audio Bible listening programs. If you would like to learn about how your church can get involved, visit www.FaithComesByHearing.com or call 1(800) 545-6552.
