Micro SD Chip to Make Bible Accessible in Persecuted, Closed Nations

By Eryn Sun, Christian Post Reporter Thursday, October 20, 2011

Delivering a miniature Christian bookstore in a single chip, one Houston software team is using modern technology to take the Bible into persecuted or closed areas.

Working with Bible League International and other distributors, the Digital Bible Society is currently working to produce micro SD chips, thumb drives, CDs and DVDs that contain Bible translations and other Christian resources in several different languages, according to A Chron.com blog.

The company is looking to aid in the distribution of Scriptures, which in several parts of the world, is forbidden, forcing many Christians to dangerously smuggle in Bibles across the borders.

Now, by utilizing technology and creating portable, easy-to-carry devices which features “shelves” of Christian resources, DBS is making transporting the Scriptures and other Christian databases that much easier.

Software designer “Ken Allen,” not disclosing his real name, and his team are helping to create the chip, putting six different Bible translations, 600 hours of video resources and 800 hours of audio on the tiny chip that can be used on desktops, laptops and tablets.

“Missionaries and pastors in persecuted countries inspire action on our part,” Allen told A Chron. “The first pastor we helped was a Chinese pastor who wanted to scan Houston based Pastor Hong Sit’s library for his work.”

Witnessing the success firsthand, the Digital Bible Society, which Allen works for, decided to replicate the process as to increase Bible literacy and access all around the world.

“We are aiming to get the Bible to go viral in closed regions where the Christian church is closed off or persecuted,” Allen also shared.

The mission of DBS is to produce and distribute Bibles and biblical materials in digital format, particularly for regions and cultures where the message of the Gospel of Christ is not readily available.

“We purpose to assist in the worldwide distribution of digital Christian media that every believer in every nation will have free access to explore and understand the Scriptures in their own language –whether through the printed page, the spoken word (audio), or visual presentation (video),” the organization states on their site.

Though in the past Bibles have cost missionaries several dollars to produce and ship, an entire library of Christian resources can now be reproduced on a quality computer disk for 50 cents in languages like Chinese, Persian and Arabic, among others.

DBS is aggressively committed to the distribution of God’s Word to the people who need it the most. Closed nations receive first priority in their work, which is 100 percent driven by donations. “Our dream is that there will never be a lack for the Holy Scripture in any language, in any nation,” they wrote, responding to the serious shortage of Bibles in the world.

Their partner, Bible League International, which provided Bibles, scriptural resources and leadership training to new and persecuted Christians around the world, also holds the same goal – that anyone who wanted a Bible should have one.

“Working with Digital Bible Society, we’re able to expand our ministry’s impact exponentially,” Robert T. Frank, global CEO of BLI, said in a statement. He described the new devices as “miniature Christian bookstores.”

“We can get these materials into areas where believers are persecuted and in places where the demand for Scripture far outweighs the supply. Even in impoverished areas, we’re placing all of this Christian material into the hands of ordinary people who can’t afford to buy even one Bible.”

One of the remarkable features of the material being compiled by DBS is that it is copyright free, Frank highlighted.

“The groups that DBS has partnered with to provide the library content have agreed it may be copied free of charge, as many times as needed, so these resources can be shared in countries where acquiring a hard copy of even one Bible translation is difficult if not impossible.”

Another great feature is that the Digital Bible Library is safe and secure to use.

Although the information contained in the device was launched using a browser, when the library’s storage device was removed, it left no trace on the equipment it used, providing more security to those in persecuted and closed areas.

“God is using digital technologies to publish the Gospel in other nations in a quick and accessible way,” Allen concluded.

The Digital Bible Society’s long term goals include: producing and distributing 2 million Christian Library CDs and DVDs for China, 1 million Christian Library CDs and DVDs for the Arabic world, and 300,000 Christian Library CDs for Turkey, among others.

They also hope to provide stand-alone audio Bibles for remote people or transient groups that are battery or solar power operated by 2015.

On the Web:dbsbible.org