A Big Thank You to One of Our Partners - YouVersion!

Hello TTW Family! Hope you are enjoying the season now that no one can give you grief for drinking a pumpkin spice latte - as it is officially autumn!

For years, Through the Word has partnered with the team at YouVersion, providing audio guide reading plans for the Bible App. Many of you have found us through YouVersion, and we love being a part of what God is doing through YouVersion. We have 50 plans on the YouVersion App, and our Start plan has now been translated into 23 languages - including Spanish, Simplified Chinese, Portuguese, French, Dutch, Afrikaans, Mongolian, and even Ukrainian! We want to thank YouVersion - they have helped us reach millions more than we could alone. TTW listeners have already completed 2.5 million reading plans on YouVersion!

Our team was recently in Oklahoma to visit with YouVersion, to discuss a new aspect of the partnership. While we can't share yet what is going to be happening, we can share that we are super excited for a new feature coming out in just a few months! Stay tuned - we'll keep you posted as soon as we can!

From L-R: Kris Langham and Ryan McCarter, TTW; Jeff Moore, Director of Global Impact, YouVersion; Brian Russell, Executive Director, YouVersion 

Another TTW Family Testimony

Jill from Cincinnati writes: 

My story may not be different from many. I've been in church my entire existence. From womb till now, 36 years. I've taught bible school classes for about 15 years, lead small groups, and rarely miss a Sunday. As I started into my 30s, I realized I've never been without God, but I've never really had Him either. So I started searching. I started to use the Bible app on my phone. I would occasionally run into one or two devotions that made me think, but when it got to the part about reading scripture on my own I read the passages out of obligation, never because I wanted to.  I didn't understand it but felt it was a duty.  

Fast forward a few years while still going through the motions of using my Bible App and using an ESV bible (because that's what a book I read on reading the bible told me to do), I stumbled upon a Bible Basics plan.  That seemed like a good place to start.  I listened to the sample and was like,  YES! This is what I'm looking for.  I downloaded it and finished the plan pretty quickly and then went looking for another one just like it. Then it dawned on me to look for the actual app - Through The Word. From there my love for reading the bible has grown tenfold.  I share pretty regularly with family members in our group text, and I've pointed several people to it on Facebook. I've finished many plans and am on my second Journey.  

This app has grown my faith, my ability to share, and has helped me point my kids in the right direction when they too have questions.  I finally enjoy reading the bible and I'm no longer going through the motions but living/ breathing The Word. 

God Bless You All! (And go enjoy a fall beverage!)

Jonathan Ferguson

Bible Teacher's Podcast - Season One Complete!

That's a wrap!

Well, we made it to the end of The Bible Teacher’s Podcast – Season One! Eight weeks, 40 episodes! If you missed it, all forty episodes in season one are there and waiting for you on Apple Podcast, or just search for Bible Teachers Podcast on your favorite podcast app. Whether you’re a pastor, small group leader, youth leader, or just a curious listener, join us as we equip you to do what you do better - and together with you - elevate the craft of Bible teaching. And you’ll get a behind-the-scenes look at how we make our audio guides Through the Word.

 

Thank you to all who listened in – we got some fantastic feedback and reviews from you all! We are sitting at a 5.0 rating on Apple Podcast!

 

For all of you who reviewed the podcast and ordered stickers, please be patient, just a bit longer. The vinyl is on backorder, but we should have the stickers by the end of the month.  

Testimony

We wanted to share some of the amazing testimonies we have received here at TTW. We absolutely love hearing from our listeners - your stories remind us why we do what we do! If you have a TTW testimony you'd like to share, drop us a note at story@throughtheword.org. So here's a testimony from Ana!

I'm Ana. I'm a Brazilian, 18-year-old girl. I first heard of TTW when I started studying the Bible.  

After reading it, I wanted to understand more. So I started searching for studies on some "less popular" books on the YouVersion app, & I found an audio guide of yours. 

I loved it from the beginning! 

Today, through the app, I'm studying the whole Bible. My faith has been made stronger by these studies. How many times, I've been "mind-blown" by how much God is teaching me in 10-min guides. Wow. 

As a Brazilian, these guides also help me with English. I'm glad to say that I'm starting to learn a church and Biblical vocabulary. 

The pictures attached are of my Bible. I write a few words about every guide I hear, to have a sum of what I've learned and want to remember. 

Thanks, TTW team. The Holy Spirit often guides me by reminding me of what I've listened to in your guides. 

Ana's Bible - with notes from TTW

Relief Work Links

Afghan Refugee Relief

If you are in the Los Angeles/Orange/Riverside area, we recommend getting in touch with Voice of Refugees, who have been working in Little Arabia in Anaheim, CA, for many years.  

World Relief has offices in 11 states, and its website has volunteer and advocacy opportunities.

Church World Service has provided relief assistance for 75 years; with volunteer locations in 17 states, there are many opportunities to serve. 

If none of these services are in your area, visit the Refugee Council USA website for a map of other agencies across the country.

Hurricane Ida Relief

Salvation Army - The Salvation Army has refrigerated trucks and has set up mobile kitchens, feeding 15,000 people a day. They are also providing mobile units for showers and laundry. 

World Vision - based in Texas, World Vision is sending trucks of supplies into Louisiana and other hard-hit areas to assist with food and relief work. 

Be sure to check with your local church or denomination to see what they are doing as well.  Many larger denominations will be able to send resources to local churches in the affected areas, allowing the local churches to reach out to their neighborhoods, sharing the love of Jesus with a hot meal and a gospel message. 

Kris is a Grandad?? Links for Relief Support - Ida and Afghan Refugees

Hello Friends!

Jonathan here, with some important updates for our Through the Word Family!

Baby Ezra Is Here!

Noah and Daisy have welcomed home their first child - Ezra! Noah has been a part of the team for years, helping with audio editing and a hundred other jobs along the way - and Daisy has helped us introduce many of the books on the app. But this isn't just a first for them - it's also Kris and Andrea's first grandchild! Here's an update from Kris: 

Call me Grandad - because that is what I am! Our first grandchild was born last week. Ezra Matthew Short was born 7 lbs 11 oz, he is healthy and as cute as can be. Andrea and I are so excited. Thank you so much to everyone who has prayed for our family. Our daughter Daisy had a long labor and a real scare afterward - but the doctors have done their work and we thank God for a healthy family. 

Join us in welcoming the newest addition to our TTW family!

Hurricane Ida Relief 

The TTW Team would like to extend our hearts and prayers to all our TTW Family hit by Hurricane Ida - from the Caribbean to the Gulf and through to New York and New Jersey. Relief work is near and dear to the team - as the Langhams moved to Mississippi to help after Katrina. The church made a difference in the lives of many back then, and we can do it again today. 

Ways to Support the Relief Work

Salvation Army - The Salvation Army has refrigerated trucks and has set up mobile kitchens, feeding 15,000 people a day. They are also providing mobile units for showers and laundry. 

World Vision - based in Texas, World Vision is sending trucks of supplies into Louisiana and other hard-hit areas to assist with food and relief work. 

Be sure to check with your local church or denomination to see what they are doing as well.  Many larger denominations will be able to send resources to local churches in the affected areas, allowing the local churches to reach out to their neighborhoods, sharing the love of Jesus with a hot meal and a gospel message. 

Afghan Refugee Relief

In our last newsfeed, we shared links to organizations helping settle Afghan refugees across America.  Check out our previous post for more details on how to help. 

That's it for today!

God Bless You All!

Jonathan