Recording of “By This Name” audiobook

We have had many requests for a new English audiobook and so we thank God for helping us start production on an audiobook version of By This Name. This is an important project as we recognize that in today’s world of growing biblical illiteracy, By This Name is well designed to answer the questions of those who have an Eastern, postmodern, or atheistic worldview.

We had several parameters for the project:

• We wanted to complete this audiobook by mid-2015.
• We needed to be able to direct the voice talents.
• We needed the voice talents to know the book intimately so that they could read the text with the right emphases and nuances.
• We needed to accomplish the project within a tight budget.
• We needed control over the quality of the recording.

With these factors in mind, we knew we had to:

• utilize the recording studio available in our international office in Alberta.
• get the required voice talent from among our staff. (Only they could have the flexibility to devote so much time for rehearsals, recordings and re-takes.)
• work fast.

After auditioning our own staff, we eventually found two voices: one to read the commentary and the other to read the Scripture passages.

For the project, the text of By This Name had to be reworked into an audiobook script. This was tricky at times as the book uses plenty of graphics and tables to explain the gospel message. This required the writing of bridging paragraphs to explain the information otherwise supplied by the illustrations and charts.

The recording crew spends several hours each morning in the studio. When the blue lights go on, this means recording is happening and the rest of the staff must do their best to keep the noise level down in the office. Though those providing the voice talent are very serious about their craft, the crew is able to have fun in the process. Our two voice talents have also been working hard to preserve their voices between recording sessions.

We expect to finish principal recording by January and then move to the next phase of editing the segments into an audiobook. Lord willing, the audiobook will be ready for release by summer 2015.

But that’s not the end of it. This script will become the base for multiple audio translations. Many countries across the globe still have large numbers of people who are illiterate. For these, the radio is a very important medium of communication. We are working on partnerships with other ministries to create audiobooks in various languages so that more will be able to hear the gospel. Please pray with us that these other projects will also go smoothly.