Innovation that Inspires - Ministry & Business Marketing, Media and Strategy Blog

As the rains flood down like a dam break here in sunny Florida, I'd like to brighten your day with what is a decidedly sweet merging of technology and ministry.

Faith Comes by Hearing, the world's largest audio Bible distributor, this week launched a new product especially for soldiers serving round the globe. The Military BibleStick is a "portable, digital audio player, which comes pre-loaded with an Audio Drama New Testament. With a matte black finish, matte black ear buds and a red-light-only operation, the Military BibleStick has an intentional low-key design to reduce visibility and to be used in low-light situations. This Audio Bible, which is about the size of a pack of chewing gum, has five buttons and requires only a single, triple-A battery."

By God's grace, FCBH actually personally developed the technology to enable soldiers to listen to New Testament on the battle field. What's more, built into each Military BibleStick is a means for soldiers to request audio Bibles for their spouses and children.

Soldiers are already reporting great results such as this story from one non-commissioned officer, “People loved the dramatized version...After a few months of deployment, you run out of DVDs to watch and CDs to listen to, so they began to want to listen to the Audio Bible on the BibleSticks. We had one guy who claimed to be an atheist, and after about two months, he asked for the BibleStick next.”

The challenge of reaching troops in combat with the living word of the living God was a daunting one. But the Spirit showed Himself strong and worked through FCBH to eternally impact potentially millions of U.S. troops and their families. (Give to & join this project here.)

God's innovative work through FCBH should inspire you. If you're a Christian professional, pray about how to use your skills and techno know-how to further God's kingdom. He has sovereignly gifted you and positioned you and the Spirit wants you to thrive in your given task.

Catch what the Spirit spoke through Paul to the Corinthians: "As the Lord has assigned to each one, as God has called each, in this manner let him walk." Though the immediate context of the passage refers to marriage and slavery (no marriage and slavery are not the same thing), Paul's Spirit-inspired words exhort believers to thrive in whatever situations they found themselves when God saved them, including their non-sinful business pursuits.

Take this call of duty seriously. Don't just think in general terms about being available. Pray that God will lead you to specific opportunities with specific ministries to further use your skills for God's glory. You might even want to call up or email your favorite ministries, to see if they're interested in utilizing you. That's exactly how I started volunteering with FCBH.

For you vocational ministry leaders, pray about your ministry needs and how God might meet them through superior technology and strategy. Stop, think and pray about how you might overcome your biggest ministry obstacles through better tech and planning, such as God did through Faith Comes by Hearing. Pray also that the Spirit will lead the right Christian professionals to team with you. Warning: you may actually have to pay them a fair wage for their help! Don't have the money? Pray that God will provide the funds for the ministry He desires to accomplish. (He does own "the cattle on a thousand hills.")

Be inspired. Be prayerful. Team with other believers to forward think for Christ. And let me know your results.