Bible League International // The Word in Action Podcast

Africa is home to the largest number of refugees in the world with 50 million people displaced from their homes in countries, including Burundi, Somalia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Some 60,000 of these refugees have been posited into the UN-funded Dzaleka Refugee Camp in Malawi in east Africa, a place designed only for about 10,000. Join host Michael Woolworth and his colleagues - Jennifer Macharia, Nick Catley and Jason Lauthers - who visited the Dzaleka Refugee Camp and saw firsthand the challenges and hardships people face there. They also saw God at work through Bible League and amazing fellow Christians to bring the hope of the Gospel to that part of the world. Subscribe and invite others to listen with you. Length: 32:29.

The country of Rwanda in east Africa has known tremendous suffering and loss from the Genocide of 1994, in which hundreds of thousands were killed. And even though a huge percentage of Rwandans identify as believers, many mix elements of their former pagan beliefs and practices with their new Christian faith. So, the need for the Gospel to heal and correct is desperately needed. Join host Michael Woolworth and his guest, Anton De Vreugd, as Anton recalls wonderful Christians he met on his recent trip to Rwanda. That includes 12-year-old Joyeuse, who loves to write and sing her own songs about the Lord. And 63-year-old Dalie, who lost her own dear husband and son in the Rwanda Genocide but was granted strength by God to forgive those who brought such tragedy to her life. Subscribe today and invite others to listen with you. Length: 24:54.

The region of Latin America is home to incredible growth in the Christian community and that's especially true in the country of Colombia. No doubt, the area is effected by drug cartels, gang violence, poor economies and other factors, but God is using Bible League International programs to bring people to saving faith and to help them grow as new believers. That's true for Erica, a woman who lives with her family of four in extreme poverty in Colombia. Their home was destroyed by fire and her husband battled drug addiction, but Erica was led to the Lord by a church planter trained by Bible League, and the family is now rebuilding their lives and focused on following Christ. Join host Michael Woolworth and his guests, Ninoska and Daniel, to hear all that God is doing in Latin America. Subscribe and invite others to listen with you. Length: 19:57.

Persecution of the Christian community is on the increase in the world's most populous country, India. In this Hindu-dominated nation, laws are often stacked against Christians and believers can pay a price for following Christ and sharing the Good News with others. Despite this opposition, host Michael Woolworth and his guest, Bobby (last name withheld for security purposes) affirm that the Gospel is spreading in India. And God is using Bible League programs, such as Church Planter Training, to equip pastors like Rakesh to face these challenges with courage and wisdom, and to grow their churches to His glory and honor. You'll also learn how to meaningfully support Christians facing persecution in India. Subscribe and invite others to listen with you. Length: 20:17.

You may not always wake up and wonder, "What is God doing today in Papua, Indonesia?" But He hasn't forgotten. In fact, God is ministering in the eastern-most part of this huge nation of 17,000 islands through believers like Devi and her mother, Esther, and by using programs of Bible League International to equip Christians to grow and to share the Gospel. Join host Michael Woolworth and his guest, Romi (last name withheld for security purposes), as Romi recalls his recent trip to this Asian country. Grab a cup of coffee, subscribe and invite others to listen with you. Length: 24:52.

God is truly at work on the continent of Africa. Organizations like Pew and Barna Research will tell us that this one of the world's regions where Christianity is spreading and growing in the greatest numbers, not only among adults but also children and young people. It's happening through Christians like Salome, who founded a school near Nairobi, Kenya, to teach at-risk children, often part of single-parent households and influenced by violence and rebellious peers, and to point them to the hope of the Gospel. And through young people like Anne, who at one time doubted God's existence, but now is a maturing believer helping other teens to follow Jesus Christ. Join host Michael Woolworth and his guest, Jennifer Macharia, who serves with Bible League International in eastern Africa, to step into the stories of these wonderful Christians. Subscribe and invite others to listen with you. Length: 14:37.

Sri Lanka is the teardrop-shaped island nation in the Indian Ocean in South Asia. Seven of 10 Sri Lankans identify as Buddhists, and other prominent religious affiliations include Hinduism and Islam. In the aftermath of the country's civil war that claimed thousands of lives, people are looking for real answers to life's challenges. And even though the Christian community makes up only a small percentage of the country's population of 22 million, God is truly at work through Bible League programs and believers like Amir Gideon who is reaching others for Jesus Christ. Hear how this remarkable church planter personally leads three churches and eight Bible studies and has the vision for even more. Join host Michael Woolworth and his Bible League colleagues -- Jason Lauthers, Bobby Thomas and Ryan Castillero -- to learn more about their recent trip to Sri Lanka. Subscribe and invite others to listen with you. Length: 24:45.

The nation of Egypt with its storied history often conjures up images of pyramids and pharaohs. There's certainly a need to witness in terms of the historic icons that represent this Arab nation in the Middle East. And with the influence of the Islamic religion dating back thousands of years. But as host Michael Woolworth discovered, God is truly at work here through the admirable lives of Christians encountered by his colleague, Anton deVreugd, who traveled recently to Egypt. Anton saw many lives transformed through Bible League programs, including Project Philip and Bible-based Literacy and you'll hear about it on his exciting travelogue. Subscribe and invite someone to listen with you today. Length: 20:23.

We always pray that the ministry of Bible League International will bear much fruit all over the world in making much of our gracious God and in building His Church with new and growing disciples. In places like Africa, Europe, Latin America and the Middle East, we give thanks as we see a moderate amount of growth every year. But in recent years, we've witnessed incredible growth in people reached with the Gospel in The Philippines. On this episode, Thony Ronaldo, BLI's Regional Director of East and South East Asia, joins host Michael Woolworth to share the reasons and people behind the praiseworthy increases, recalling Ephesians 3:20-21, "Now to Him who is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think... to Him be the glory." Subscribe and invite someone to listen with you. Length: 27:20.

In the strongly Hindu nation of India, a Christian can be thrown in jail simply for telling others about Jesus. Despite this persecution, bold believers like Chandan are feeling the undeniable pull of God's love to point their family, friends and neighbors to the hope of the Gospel. Join host Michael Woolworth and his colleague, Bobby (last name withheld for security reasons), to hear the incredible path of Chandan from fearful to fearless. She grew up as a devout follower of the Jain religion and became a Christian after attending a Bible study from Bible League International. Today, she's trained to engage others in God's Word and serving as a church planter in her native India despite fierce opposition to the Gospel. Subscribe today and invite others to listen with you. Length - 15:49.

When you think of Bible League International, you likely imagine our work in regions like Asia, Africa, Latin America or the Middle East. But we also enjoy a robust ministry right here in the United States. Elsewhere in the world -- through familiar programs like Project Philip, Bible-based Literacy and Church Planter Training -- our aim is to introduce people to the hope of the Gospel, to disciple them as new followers of Jesus Christ, and to train them to share their faith in order to see the Church grow. It's the same here in the US and you'll hear of special opportunities to reach those that God has brought to the states from Bible League colleagues, Harold Trujillo and Felix Mathew. Subscribe and invite others to listen with you. Length: 26:22.

Lee Carter and Rob Bullock, members of Bible League International's executive leadership team, join host Michael Woolworth to review ministry accomplishments in 2024. And they'll look ahead to new opportunities in 2025, from releasing new Easy-to-Read Bibles to serving countries once closed to the Gospel. Expect to hear some amazing stories of transformation. Prayer is offered at the end to thank God for His blessings over the past twelve months and to ask for His leading in the year ahead, which marks our 87th year of "engaging everyone in God's Word." Subscribe and invite others to listen with you. Length - 30:45.

From the bustling capital of Managua to the small barrios dotting the rural landscape, the Gospel is taking grip all over the country of Nicaragua in central America. Pastor Alvaro and his wife, Miriam, have dedicated themselves to reaching some of the poorest families with children in the rainforest of the Masaya region. Others are joining in and the Church is growing even under the influence of traditional religion and witchcraft. Guests Anton and Jason join host Michael Woolworth to talk about their recent trip to the country of Nicaragua. You'll hear about some of the people they met, the places they visited, and Anton's harrowing escape from angry hornets. Length: 21:02.

People around the world are craving God's Word and that's especially true even in Africa where pagan beliefs and practices have defined the continent for hundreds of years. Today's episode includes it all... fierce opposition to planting a church, mysterious deaths in a village where witchcraft is dominant, severe drought, and God at work in the midst of it all. Guests Jennifer Macharia and Kellyn Amodeo, join host Michael Woolworth to relive their recent trip to Zambia. Subscribe today and invite someone to listen with you. Length: 24:39.

Malaysia is one the world's largest Muslim-majority countries, and there's many people living in bustling cities and remote villages who follow pagan beliefs and practices. But enter God, who was pleased to bring revival to the Kelabit tribe in the community of Borneo deep in the jungles of Malaysia some 50 years ago. Nick Catley and Jason Lauthers of Bible League International visited this Southeast Asia country earlier this year and they join host Michael Woolworth to share their experiences in vivid detail and with much excitement. Subscribe today and invite someone to listen with you. Length: 20:45.

In more than 50 countries around the world, God is at work through the programs of Bible League International to touch and transform lives everywhere. Consider the pastor who planted 11 churches deep in the Amazon jungle where people heard the name of Jesus for the very first time. Or the young believer in Thailand rejected by her family but who would lead dozens to Christ. And the former witchdoctor who now leads Bible studies in her remote African village. Quality content is critical to pointing people to the hope of the Gospel and leading them to become faithful disciples. Host Michael Woolworth is joined by Dr. Jonathan Adams and Andrew Earnshaw, both of whom are immersed in developing content at Bible League. Hear about the exciting programs in the works and how you can be praying for their use all over the world. Subscribe now and invite someone to listen with you. Length: 24:55.

Sharing your Christian faith with others in India can get you thrown in jail. In the world's most populous country, the party in power has stated that there's no room for Christianity in its Hindu nation and has passed anti-conversion laws to discourage evangelism. In spite of this opposition, believers in India are living out who they are in Jesus even when it means giving up rights, privileges and a comfortable life. Pastor Mahesh became a believer and was shunned by his family, forced into homelessness, and attacked, before his church was shut down by authorities. Bible League programs, such as Project Philip and Church Planter Training, are providing the tools for Christians to endure and share the hope of the Gospel. Join host Michael Woolworth and his guest, Bobby (last name withheld for security purposes), for a firsthand look at Christian persecution in India. Subscribe and invite others to listen. Length: 20:05.

Conflict, suffering, and loss have defined the Middle East for thousands of years, as evidenced by the current Israel/Hamas conflict. And Christians are often persecuted by governments and the majority religion simply for believing that Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. But God is at work in this region through His faithful followers and Bible League International. Join host Michael Woolworth and his guest, Kareem (last name withheld for security reasons) for a captivating discussion on ministering in the Middle East. Subscribe and invite someone to listen with you. Length: 31:15.

The cornerstone of Bible League International's global ministry is creating Philips, named after the evangelist, who in Acts 8, leads the Ethiopian to Christ. You'll also get to hear about staff from Bible League who recently visited the Philippines and saw God at work through our programs, including Project Philip Bible studies. Guests Deanna and Debbie join host Michael Woolworth and share about meeting a pastor who ministers in hard-to-reach places using his motorcycle. Another who raises young children but makes time to reach troubled teens for Christ. And several church plants that are enjoying growth in numbers and faith by God's grace working through Bible League's programs. And on a lighter note, you'll hear about the foods they ate, the mud they encountered, and the joyful people they met along the way. Subscribe today and invite someone to listen. Length: 20:31.

Ten years ago, Bible League International (BLI) and Prison Fellowship International (PFI) joined together to minister around the US and the world to those in prison, their families and even those they've offended. The result is that hundreds of thousands have been impacted by the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Andy Corley and Jos Snoep each serves as President and CEO of their respective organizations, PFI and BLI, and they recently sat down to recall the first ten years of this precious partnership. You'll be blessed as you hear Andy and Jos speak about their love and concern for the prison population, and as they share two profound memories from visits with inmates who benefited from our programs. Subscribe and invite someone to listen with you to The Word in Action Podcast. Length: 40:45.