Churches Give Dads Audio Bibles for Father's Day

By Jennifer Riley, Christian Post Reporter Saturday, June 14, 2008

Churches nationwide that joined a Bible listening campaign will give dads audio Bibles this Sunday in honor of Father's Day.

More than 37,000 audio Bibles will be handed out in nearly 250 churches in 41 states that are participating in the campaign called "You've Got The Time." The campaign – organized by Faith Comes by Hearing, the world's foremost audio bible ministry – encourages fathers to listen to the Word of God 28 minutes a day for 40 days, during which they will complete the New Testament.

"Honoring our Heavenly Father on Father's Day is paramount," said Troy Carl, national director of Faith Comes By Hearing. "By giving away audio Bibles this weekend, we also seek to honor and equip family leaders with relevant ways to get their loved ones involved in God's Word."

Research shows that 65 percent of self-identified Bible readers said they have never read the entire New Testament, according to Faith Comes by Hearing, and less than one-third of all U.S. Protestant teens read the Bible at least once a week.

"Most people are just too busy with other things, therefore they neglect the Bible," said an unidentified pastor from the Washington, D.C.-area, according to Faith Comes by Hearing.

A minister from New Mexico agreed, "With everything people are inundated with these days, family, work and school; after all that, the day is over. But with You've Got The Time, there is no longer an excuse not to listen to the Bible."

The campaign normally distributes free Audio Drama New Testaments on MP3 discs to every man, woman and child in the church, and challenges them to listen to it.

Carl hopes the campaign will help reverse the trend of families spending less time together.

"Most American dads desire to reverse these trends and see their families become stronger and closer," Carl said. "They want to be better men and better dads, and God's Word can help them accomplish these goals."

An Albuquerque-based pastor believes when families listen to the Bible together, "there is peace in the home," and parents in the program say they treat each other and their kids better.

More than 1,460 churches have participated in the "You've Got The Time" program in 2008.