Proliferation of mobile phones throughout the developing world is changing the way gospel workers are spreading their message, says Global Recordings Network.

Some estimates say more than seven billion phones are in use in the world today: there are more phones than people. This makes mobiles an especially strategic medium for Global Recordings. Its focus on ministry to minority language groups means they come into contact with people with who have never had access to Christian material in their own language­ and have a high degree of illiteracy. But they do have mobile phones.

That’s where a new Global Recordings Network project, 5fish, comes in: providing free access to gospel messages, Bible readings and Bible stories translated into almost six thousand languages through mobile phone technology.

‘The opportunities for evangelism are enormous. It is so easy to communicate the gospel to … someone you meet in a foreign country in the language they understand best. It’s a great tool that can be used in so many different places. So many people have a phone in their pocket – they can listen wherever they are,’ Christine Platt, CEO of Global Recordings Network Australia, told Eternity.

‘We received some comments back from the Dominican Republic when we were testing 5fish. Some of the pastors there commented, “You have no idea how this is going to revolutionise our evangelism,”’ said James Thomas, project manager of 5fish.

Global Recordings Network was started in 1937 by a missionary who was struck by the need for gospel resources for illiterate people groups. Their work has included vinyl records, cardboard record players, and now, mobile phones.

Working through a mobile-specific website, 5fish has been designed with two users in mind: evangelists looking to share the gospel, and people interested in finding out more about Christianity. For evangelists, content can be shared and sent to people they meet via text message, Bluetooth or memory card.

A 5fish Android app is also due to be released this month, with the iPhone version available in June. The app will include pictures to be displayed along with the audio, making 5fish even more accessible for illiterate users.

All this work has come about largely through volunteers. “The way we’ve done our development is through work with students initially. Student teams in the US started the projects. And then it’s been easier to get volunteers to add on as we go,” said James. “And there’s still room for more volunteers to get involved.”

http://5fish.mobi

http://globalrecordings.net/en/au

Update: Android app now available.

Top image: akuppa on Flickr, under a CC license.
Middle image: imtfi on Flickr, under a CC license.