The Bible has always been part of Lídia Rivera's routine. Born into an Adventist family, her parents read passages to her from the time she was a baby. Even today, daily personal study of God's Word is one of the pillars of her spirituality. With so much influence from the Bible in her history, what she never imagined was that one day, she would leave her mark—or rather, her voice—on the history of the Bible.
When she was interviewed for this article, Lídia had just left the mobile studio where she recorded the text of Matthew 3:10. This small gesture is part of the audacious 31,000 Voices with the Word project of the Brazil Bible Society (SBB). Since 2022, the initiative has been touring the country capturing the voices of volunteers who will compose the entire Bible, verse by verse.
"I feel very privileged and honored to be part of such a beautiful project. Deep down, I feel that I don't even deserve to be here, but I know that my grandparents would be very happy to see me here. I want this to last forever, for my daughters, and for them to also have many opportunities to spread the Word of God in a creative and comprehensive way like this," says Lídia.
Logistics and Execution
The recordings are made in a fully adapted van. With acoustic treatment and professional recording equipment, Radio Bible SBB's traveling studio accommodates one operator and one narrator at a time. The recorded verses are stored in the cloud, from where they are processed and mastered by a technical team in São Paulo.
The Kombi's itinerary includes churches, religious events, schools, cultural and educational centers, hospitals, nursing homes, orphanages, prisons, military academies, and public places. Parked there, it welcomes people of all ages, genders, ethnicities, social classes, and denominations to record. The idea is to have a product with a diversity of voices and accents. All volunteers have their names registered and receive an email and a bookmark with the respective verse recorded and a thank you from the SBB for their participation.
The first recording took place at the Forum of Biblical Sciences, promoted by the SBB in Barueri in 2022. Since then, the studio has been in other cities in various Brazilian states. The prospect is that by the end of 2025, it will have covered the whole country. There are also plans to record with people in other countries, which will be operated remotely.
The mobile studio has the capacity to record with around 150 people a day. It also hosts live broadcasts and interviews for Radio Bible SBB. The product will be used in the programming of Radio Bíblia SBB, as well as made available on the organization's Spotify starting in 2024.
Project Objectives
The initiative is unprecedented in the world and, when completed, will result in a new record. Of course, that's not the main purpose of the project. Journalist and SBB consultant Cyro César, who coordinates the recording of the Bible, emphasizes that the main objective is "to encourage people to read the Word of God, to reflect on it, and have it as a compass—as a lamp for their paths. It's been very rewarding for us, and we feel that God is in charge".
Support from the Seventh-day Adventist Church
The 31,000 Voices with the Word initiative has the direct support of the Adventist Church. Many churches, schools, hospitals, and administrative offices of the denomination have been receiving the mobile studio and promoting the project regionally.
For Pastor Stanley Arco, president of the South American Division, the idea of making the biblical message more accessible to people via audio is inclusive and excellent. "Certainly, through the action of the Holy Spirit, it will make a very strong impression and lead to conversions," he says. "The Word of God needs to be examined, studied, considered in an essential way in our Christian walk. Congratulations, Bible Society of Brazil, for yet another project to take divine revelation further and to more audiences. May God richly bless each person who will participate and be impacted by the messages of God's Word!"
How Can I Take Part?
To receive the Kombi, simply contact the project's advisors at [email protected] and check availability. More information can be found on the SBB website.
Seventy-Five Years of the Brazil Bible Society
The 31,000 Voices with the Word initiative also crowns an important moment for SBB. Founded on June 10, 1948, the organization is celebrating its 75th anniversary. Since the beginning, its aim has been to spread the Word of God, making it accessible and showing people its relevance. It also provides assistance to people in situations of risk and vulnerability throughout the country. Its work is non-profit.
The SBB is part of the United Bible Societies (UBS), a worldwide alliance founded in 1946 with the purpose of facilitating the translation, production, and distribution of the Holy Scriptures through mutual cooperation strategies. In total, there are 146 Bible societies, operating in more than 240 countries and territories.
The Bible translations published by the SBB are faithful to the original texts (in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek) and the most widely used by Brazilian Christians. Its Scripture Production Center has been operating since 1995 in Barueri, São Paulo. It is home to Gráfica da Bíblia, which has produced more than 200 million copies in more than 30 languages. With a focus on innovation, technology, and accessibility, the center also produces e-book, audio, Braille, and Libras (Brazilian Sign Language) versions, as well as applications for mobile devices.
The original version of this story was posted on the South American Division Portuguese-language news site.