Earlier this year, Cross Bay released several new audio Bibles, designed to offer God's people

yet one more way to engage deeply with God's word as they hear it read aloud. But what was it like

to actually create such a recording? What would it be like to read the whole Bible aloud one verse at a time?

Well, a few weeks ago, I spoke with author and recording artist Jackie Hill Perry, and she

shared about her experience recording the full ESV Bible. Today, I'm talking with Pastor Ray

Ortland, and in our conversation, he shares how recording the entire ESV felt like the culmination

of 50 years of reading, studying, and meditating on God's Word.

He reflects on what it was like to record for six hours a day, and ultimately how spending

all of that time reading scripture aloud reawakened him to the incredible power and authority of the 66

books that make up our Bible. Let's get started.

Well, Ray, thank you so much for joining me today on the Crossplay podcast.

It's a privilege, Beth. Thanks for having me.

So, Ray, you're a pastor, you're an author, a podcast host,

and you're now an audio Bible narrator as well.

So I wonder, did you ever imagine doing something like this?

No, the technology is astounding to me,

and this is what technology was created for.

If not for getting out the scriptures, then what on earth is the point?

So one thing I feel really good about is taking this technology, in our world today sadly is used for evil

and destructive purposes and by God's grace bending it around for a Christ honoring life-giving

purpose. That really feels good. So what went through your head when you first were approached

by Crossway to do this project?

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