EMDC 2025 New Gadgets and Technology in Scripture Engagement
New Gadgets and Technology in Scripture Engagement (Richard Margetts & Joshy Kurian)
Want to find out about some new and cool technologies that you can harness for ministry purposes? Join us to hear from a variety of presenters as they share about these gadgets and tools, as well as their potential applications in ministry contexts. This session was held at EMDC 2023 on 15 May 2023 (Monday).
SUBMISSIONS
Faith Comes By Hearing Acclaimers
Acclaimers are battery-powered audio video projectors designed by Faith Comes By Hearing to play Gospel Films in community settings.
For more info, please write to info@faithcomesbyhearing.com
The Well
The Well is used to deliver media content and structured learning in offline, remote, and high security locations. It offers two-communication, cloud sync, statistical/ analytical data, and the opportunity to work in collaboration with other organizations.
Learn more at https://decibel.training/the-well/
Galcolm Compass
Compass is the latest FM radio/audio Bible from Galcolm. The Compass offers enhanced audio quality, increased memory, larger solar panel, and is tuneable and programmable in the field.
Learn more at https://galcom.org/ministry-tools/compass/
Galcolm Streamer
The Galcom Streamer is a simple solution to stream live radio over the internet. Using Raspberry Pi* technology and hosting the streams on Galcom’s server, missionaries can reach their audience through their smartphones, tablets, laptops, or computers through the internet.
Learn more at https://galcom.org/ministry-tools/galcom-streamer/
HUM Audio Bible App
HUM is a new free Audio Bible App from World Cassettee Outreach of India, that brings God’s message to your mobile device, providing The Holy Bible in audio in your heart language. HUM was designed with oral-preference learners in mind, providing easy navigation for everyone, whether you’re able to read or not.
Learn more at https://joinhum.org/
Kulumi X
It is a solar powered audio player with high sound quality, 8GB internal memory, 3 levels of content navigation, rechargeable Li-ion battery and built-in solar panel. Its compact and water-resistant design makes it lightweight, durable and cost effective.
Learn more at https://kulumi.org/kulumi-x/
DBS Pearl Player & Village Pearl
Pearl Player is a solar powered audio player with high sound quality, 8GB internal memory, 3 levels of content navigation, rechargeable Li-ion battery and built-in solar panel. Its compact and water-resistant design makes it lightweight, durable and cost effective.
The Village Pearl is a device that builds off the Pearl Player but with a booming 10 watt speaker for groups upon to 150 persons. The Village Pearl is also solar powered with significant battery storage.
Learn more at https://dbs.org/bibles/audio
Lifepod Apps
Easy Share is an easy to use FTP client. It is designed to help people with low tech skills to be able to upload a file with one click, get a link back that they can paste/share on social media. The request was from a user who wanted to share content into a restricted country where Facebook and YouTube are banned. Can have many uses, e.g. You have a guy in the village who want to share stories, audio, etc with you. Download it from https://asiaserver.icu/easyshare.apk
Lifepod is a language specific media player (mp3, mp4, text). It is designed to be adapted into other languages. The user can decide what content to include and how it is organized. It is currently in two langugaes with over 450 users.
Lifepod Songbook is a songbook/hymnal app that is designed to be easily adapted into other languages. It displays a list of songs, then the song themselves in pdf/images. An optional mp3 can be include to help teach the songs. The song list can be continously updated. It has build in custom keyboards. It has just been launched in two languages with 40 users.
Learn more at https://www.lifepodapp.com
MegaVoice devices
LifeLight Audio Bible Lantern from MegaVoice is a solar-powered lantern, audio Bible player, AM/FM radio, clock, and loud speaker system via an external FM Headset transmitter. It has 8GB of internal memory and can also play audio from an external microSD card. Learn more at https://megavoice.com/audio-bible/lifelight-audio-bible-lantern/
Envision Video Bibles are secure, accessible, touch screen audio/video devices that are perfect for visual learners and those who are deaf or hard of hearing. Learn more at https://megavoice.com/audio-book/envision-video-bible/- Solar-powered, having BT connectivity, water-resistant speaker/charging case for MegaVoice players and cell phones – the Solar Speaker. Learn more at https://megavoice.com/audio-bible/solar-speaker-for-audio-bibles/
- Sender (Sender I, Sender X and Sender Y) is a safe inexpensive and secure way to share content (text, audio, video) to cellphones, smartphones, tablets and computers.
- SAFE is a portable microSD card locker (which can be powered by electricity, rechargeable battery and at last resort 2 AA batteries as back up). The SAFE can temporarily lock and or permanently lock microSD cards.
- Pathway is a low cost player with flexible choices for memory and battery.
Prayvine
Prayvine is a free, secure communication platform for prayer requests that results in 10-20 times more response than email newsletters. Mission workers from over 100 organizations have used Prayvine to send and receive more than 2.5 million prayer messages. Studies show that the most effective way to mobilize prayer is to send a single prayer request at the moment prayer is needed most. Prayvine is simple, so you can share prayer needs quickly. It’s easy for your ministry partners to let you know they’re praying or even record a voice prayer for you. Prayvine is browser and email based; no app download is required. And Prayvine is engineered with security in mind, so all content is encrypted, password protected, and hidden from search engines like Google.
Learn more at https://www.prayvine.org.