By Carol Bolden
With a long tradition in broadcasting, beginning with The Voice of Prophecy in 1929, the Seventh-day Adventist Church is always looking for better ways to fulfill the gospel commission. As technology improves and more opportunities become available, many small radio and TV stations are popping up around the world, including in the Rocky Mountain Conference.
Making a difference through radio
Station 107.5 FM has a radius that exceeds 75 miles reaching from Moab, Utah to north of Grand Junction, and southeast past Silverton. Owned by a corporation of Adventists from several area churches, it opened in December 2014.
Interested in producing their own programming instead of using pre-programmed material, the station board recently hired a station manager and an office worker. Now they can tailor their broadcasts to meet the needs of the communities they reach and produce a schedule so listeners will know when to tune in for their favorite programs.
Besides being a part of the corporation of Adventists who own 107.5, Dave Lehman owns a retail store where he keeps a donation jar for the radio station. People putting money in the jar often say, “I listen to that station and I love it. It doesn’t fade out in the valley like other stations do.” Lehman believes that’s because they have a better Engineer.
“Nothing has happened with our radio station that wasn’t a miracle,” says Lehman. In spite of a warning that it would take up to a year and a half to get the 501(c)3 to file as a not-for-profit company, they received it in just three weeks. Their FCC determination also came through faster than normal and they were on the air within eight months.
Seth Coridan, pastor of the Delta, Paonia, and Cedaredge churches in this area, has what he calls a “manure ministry.” When he needed manure for his yard, Pastor Coridan purchased it from a woman who helped him shovel it into his truck. Over the course of the summer, they had many conversations about spiritual things. She began listening to 107.5 and was convicted of the Sabbath. As a business owner, she has to arrange her schedule with her clients so that she can attend church. Pastor Coridan is looking forward to seeing her visit one Sabbath soon.
Using airtime bought from existing stations or those owned by Adventist corporations or individuals, the transmission of biblical truths continues to inspire and add new listeners. Gordon Anic’s weekday health broadcast on 670 AM was recently picked up by a syndicator out of Florida and is also heard in the Mariana Islands. “Our broadcast improves the public’s perception of Seventh-day Adventists,” explains Anic. “It shows another side of Seventh-day Adventists than what has traditionally been put out there,” he continues. Listeners call in for free books—they’ve given away more than 5,000 over the past year—and for prayer.
KTPJ-LP or 105.9 FM, a low-power station, is owned by the Pueblo church and has been in operation for 10 years. Several volunteers do the programming, sometimes using pre-programmed materials. Their financial support comes from Adventists and non-Adventists alike.
Not long ago, David Ortiz, head deacon of the Pueblo First Church, was doing repair work at the church when two former members who had not attended for several years approached him and said they had been listening to the radio station. David and the two men reminisced about the “good old days” when they had last been in attendance. David told them how God was blessing the church, and prayed with them in the sanctuary. The two former members plan to come back to church.
Diedre Sicher, church treasurer, and Delbert Hayden, radio station president, were placing a new sign on the wall of the radio station office when a man approached. Delbert assumed he was going to ask for money or food. Instead, he said he had been listening to the radio station for years and wanted to see where the broadcast came from. “Can I make a donation to help keep it on the air?” he asked.
Centro Cristiano de la Comunidad Adventista buys time on 1150 AM to broadcast the program, Buena Vida or “Good Life.” For more than five years, they have been explaining “how to get the maximum from life in the context of the gospel,” says Norris Custodio, who talks about spiritual, financial and physical health on air every Friday morning. Virtually “every member of Centro Cristiano came in through Buena Vida,” Custodio explains.
Upcoming plans
Individuals in the Denver area are making plans to purchase a station that will broadcast 24 hours a day. It could still be a couple of years before that plan reaches fruition. One of these individuals, Jim Burr, met an Adventist family from Omaha, Nebraska, who were interested in spreading the gospel through the airwaves. They had just signed a contract for a Denver television station not knowing where the money would come from. When he heard the story, Burr discussed it with the team working on the Denver radio station. They were able to send $5,600, the exact amount needed, to the family in Omaha. The digital station, Digital 5.2, will be on air from August and anyone with rabbit ears can access it. It is not on satellite or cable.
Burr is quick to note that the radio station plan is still on track as the money sent to help with the Denver television station is being replenished.
Carol Bolden is RMC communication administrative assistant.