the unexpected blessings of your voices
It has been a long process—but with 1,189 chapters, that is to be expected. Ever since I first heard Jordan share his desire for College Church to create an audio Bible, I was intrigued. Could we really do this? The answer, clearly, is yes—and the blessings of the completed project have far exceeded anything I anticipated.
I have listened to the Bible before using professionally produced, polished apps with well-known voices and flawless delivery. Those versions were helpful, but hearing Scripture read on our audio Bible by people I actually know is even better.
First, following along in Genesis with my print Bible is a wonderful expression of what we often talk about at College Church—being truly connected. Listening feels less like consuming content and more like sitting around a kitchen table, hearing brothers and sisters read the Word aloud. In fact, that’s what the Stone family did (check out Genesis 31-32)!
Second, what a beautiful picture of an intergenerational church family sharing Scripture together! There are seasoned older readers, of course, but also effective younger readers.
The voice of adolescent Ashton Stone guided me through the battles of Genesis 14 to hear Melchizedek's blessing of Abraham. The voice of Emily Stewart, mother of three who is away on military deployment, shared God's stunning news in Genesis 18 that Sarah would become a mother. The voice of grandmother Alice Jewell delivered Isaac's marriage advice to son Jacob (Genesis 28).
As I listen—and this is a third unexpected blessing—I find myself praying for the members who are reading. Many of you I know well and can pray for specific circumstances. For others, I have used the online church directory to learn names and faces so I can pray more intentionally for you. (This is also a great reminder for all of us to keep our directory photos updated.)
I thoroughly enjoyed the journey through Genesis and look forward to hearing many other voices in the coming weeks. Thanks to all the readers, and a special thanks to Heather Rollins, who worked behind-the-scenes to ensure a glitch-free finished product. Of course, I thank Jordan for his work and vision.
Please give the audio Bible a listen. You might even consider reaching out to someone whose reading blessed you. Sometimes a simple word of encouragement can be a powerful gift.
I have listened to the Bible before using professionally produced, polished apps with well-known voices and flawless delivery. Those versions were helpful, but hearing Scripture read on our audio Bible by people I actually know is even better.
First, following along in Genesis with my print Bible is a wonderful expression of what we often talk about at College Church—being truly connected. Listening feels less like consuming content and more like sitting around a kitchen table, hearing brothers and sisters read the Word aloud. In fact, that’s what the Stone family did (check out Genesis 31-32)!
Second, what a beautiful picture of an intergenerational church family sharing Scripture together! There are seasoned older readers, of course, but also effective younger readers.
The voice of adolescent Ashton Stone guided me through the battles of Genesis 14 to hear Melchizedek's blessing of Abraham. The voice of Emily Stewart, mother of three who is away on military deployment, shared God's stunning news in Genesis 18 that Sarah would become a mother. The voice of grandmother Alice Jewell delivered Isaac's marriage advice to son Jacob (Genesis 28).
As I listen—and this is a third unexpected blessing—I find myself praying for the members who are reading. Many of you I know well and can pray for specific circumstances. For others, I have used the online church directory to learn names and faces so I can pray more intentionally for you. (This is also a great reminder for all of us to keep our directory photos updated.)
I thoroughly enjoyed the journey through Genesis and look forward to hearing many other voices in the coming weeks. Thanks to all the readers, and a special thanks to Heather Rollins, who worked behind-the-scenes to ensure a glitch-free finished product. Of course, I thank Jordan for his work and vision.
Please give the audio Bible a listen. You might even consider reaching out to someone whose reading blessed you. Sometimes a simple word of encouragement can be a powerful gift.
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