Singapore (MNN) — Fifteen twenty-somethings gathered for training in Singapore to learn more about managing and enhancing their Christian radio ministries. These leaders
came from India, Malaysia, China, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Central Asia and the South Pacific Islands.
During the week, the young people learned about mass media, management, and kingdom building. They were asked, "What's your motivation? Why are you doing this? Are you doing it to be the biggest voice in the area, or are you doing it because you're intrigued by radio, or are you doing it to build God's kingdom?" said Ron Cline of HCJB Global Voice who hosts the training. Each person, then, is given a mentor for the next year until he or she comes back for the second and final training session of the program.
This is their third group of students. "We've seen the end result is better
management, better partnerships working together, and there's a link. They no longer feel like, ‘Hey, I'm the only guy out here running a radio station.' There are other people running radio stations, and they can get help from those people," said Cline.
There are several stations that these young people manage in countries that have a challenging audience. Sometimes the audiences have never even seen a Bible. "Maybe
the only thing they've heard is what their religious government has told them because most of those countries are managed by religious governments. So there's a high amount of hostility in that part of the world, and these young people just want to make sure that people
know the truth," Cline explained.
Many of those governments, such as India, still do not allow any local, private radio
stations. However, certain programs from HCJB Global Voice have been allowed to be broadcast on the existing stations. "You see the thing beginning to break down a little," said Cline. "Our partner in Indonesia with 22 stations sprinkled throughout Indonesia, every station is a miracle because it went in where there was hostility toward Christianity, and it changed the thinking and minds of the people. Now there are churches planted there, and there are Christians in that area."
While they do not lack zeal, they lack models of Christian radio ministries. So in order to start these stations, HCJB Global Voice helps build the station and does training and follow-up training. There are plans to expand these ministries in every country, including strategies for when China and India decide to allow private station permits.
Funding is the main need at this point to get more ministries started. Cline's parents' funded a station that's having an eternal impact. "I want to tell you when my folks died this last year, that was the thing they felt they had contributed most to in the kingdom of God because there were a thousand people, and there's going to be more, simply
because of their partnership."
