Have you ever wanted to immerse yourself in the Bible? Have you ever wondered if you could absorb great Bible teaching osmotically into your brain? Did you know that you can do that now, aurally?!

Now, in a sense this is nothing new. If you have an old Walkman or portable CD player, you're already familiar with portable audio. You might even have a stash of Bible-on-audio or sermon tapes and CDs.

However, the advent of MP3 technology (a digital audio format that allows you to listen to sound/music as a file on your computer) and portable MP3 players (like the Apple iPod) now means people can download entire CD collections (copyright permitting) onto devices ranging in size from a pack of playing cards down to ones that look like a stick of chewing gum! Prices currently range from $499 (bigger and more storage) down to $199 (so small and convenient, your only worry is swallowing one by accident).

So not only is this like having your sound/music collection in your pocket, but you can search and select very quickly. No more swapping CD's in and out or flipping cassette tapes. Listen to what you want, when you want. Get your Bible and Bible teaching input while walking, waiting, washing (and drying the dishes or the laundry, not yourself, as they're still not waterproof), and working (um, depending on the nature of your job)!

You also have access to MP3 content on the Internet, and this is generally quite cheap or free.

Of more recent interest is podcasting (a subscription service to MP3's that automatically puts MP3's on your player as soon as new content appears). So, instead of you hunting down your favourite preacher's sermons, for example, they are automatically updated on your MP3 player so you need never miss a talk.

How to get started?

1. Surf the Net and find good MP3 sites (see the fact-box), and download away. Double-clicking the files, once downloaded, should play them.

2. Convert your CD collection to MP3 format, if desired. The CD-ROM drive on your computer should do the job, aided by appropriate software. Apple's iTunes software is downloadable FREE. Go to [url=http://www.apple.com/itunes/]http://www.apple.com/itunes/[/url] and get the new iTunes 6.

3. Buy an MP3 player and connect to your computer.

4. Try out podcasting. (Hint from a novice podcaster: There's a podcasting button on the iTunes software menu.)

Go on!
Make your ears happy!!

Andrew Lim is a tech-savvy worker with Sydney’s inner-city communities based at St Andrew’s Cathedral. Do you have a ministry-related technology issue you’d like him to tackle? Email your ideas here