How shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? …So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. – Romans 10:14,17

The word “heard” is to be understood in a wide sense. Reading is a kind of hearing. It is not merely listening with the ear; but you must, by some means or other, come to a knowledge of the truth, and you cannot know what you do not hear, or read, or learn. The truth must come under your notice, so that you are aware of it, or else there can be no faith in you concerning it.

I hope that none of you ever believe with the faith of the man who, when he was asked what he believed, said that he believed what the church believed. “Well,” said one, “what does the church believe?” “Oh!” he replied, “the church believes what I believe.” “Well, then, please tell me, what do you and the church believe?” “We both believe the same thing,” answered he; and he could be got no farther.

Now, there is no faith in that at all—it is simple ignorance, and nothing more. “How shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard?” Why, to believe a thing is to know the ins and outs of it! To get at it by reading it or hearing it, are only different forms of the same thing. Well, now, if any man here desires faith, what should he do to obtain it? Sit still, and say, “I will try to believe”? Certainly not. Suppose that I were to announce to you that the Czar of all the Russias is dead, and you said that you wished to believe it. You could not believe it by an effort of your mind—you would inquire for evidence of the truth of my statement, or you would wait until you saw the telegrams tomorrow—and so you would learn whether it was true or not. It is not a distinct act of the will alone that brings faith—”Faith cometh by hearing.” I recommend all seekers after Christ to hear the Word often. ~ C.H. Spurgeon

https://www.blueletterbible.org/comm/spurgeon_charles/sermons/2327.cfm