By Mark Ellis
Faith Comes By Hearing (FCBH) is developing a global micro-satellite and internet distribution system to deliver audio Bible content virtually anywhere on planet earth in proximate real-time.
“We want to create satellite and Internet-type access where public Internet is not available for a variety of reasons,” said Lt. Col. (ret) Gregg Leisman, recently hired by FCBH to oversee the project. “This will be the first time in church history that we can deliver the Bible to virtually anywhere on the planet in near real time.”
Leisman is the former chief of operations for GPS satellite processing at Cape Canaveral, Florida, where he oversaw the launch of five GPS satellites. He has led 37 program teams who have developed and tested satellites, aircraft, and space launch vehicles. He has also been a space systems engineer at the Air Force Research Laboratory.
Most recently, Leisman was squadron commander and then director of the Space and Missile Test Complex at Arnold AFB and subsequently in charge of the Integrated Activation Team for a new command and control system for the Air Force’s Space Based Infrared System.
“With just our first phase rollout we can reach close to a billion people, and do it for just pennies per person,” says Troy Carl, vice president at FCBH.
The ministry is encouraged by the initial round of funding to launch the program, which has moved it from conceptual to operational demonstration and preliminary architecture.
“We realize Lt. Colonel Leisman had a great many opportunities to choose from after such a decorated career serving our country,” Carl says. “That’s why we’re so humbled and overjoyed by his decision to bring his talent to this ministry and use his experience and expertise to further the fulfillment of the Great Commission.”
Leisman is also establishing a volunteer advisory council comprised of career space professionals who will determine the best way to leverage satellite and other technologies to provide digital Bible access and create Scripture engagement in some of the most persecuted and least reached regions of the world.
Established in 1972, Faith Comes By Hearing currently provides Scripture recordings in 866 languages spoken or signed by over 5.7 billion people globally. Through the Digital Bible Platform, FCBH offers free access to this digital collection of Scripture via podcasts, Internet radio, satellite TV and the Bible.is family of apps.
