Speaking Hope to the World ...so that lasting fruit is produced
Trans World Radio Canada
“My mother is a religious fanatic and has repeatedly forbidden me to listen to the radio, but I cannot do without it. I often hide to listen. My life has changed a lot since I listen to your program.” – West Africa
“I am a Buddhist widow...[and] I have suffered terribly. I found your program quite unexpectedly. Through your program I realized that I was going the wrong way; I then came to know Jesus. I know now that he can change my life and he is with me forever. I want to know more about Jesus and would like to accept him as my personal Saviour.” – Sri Lanka
“I would like to thank God because he healed me spiritually. I thought that I am nothing in this world, but when I listened to your radio program, I understood that in Christ I have a good place to rest and Jesus loves me.” – Mozambique
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So Much More Than Radio We live in a world where we increasingly use technology to connect to the people and things we care about. Our loved ones are just a text away, news stories reach us as they happen and the answer to almost any question can be found with a quick search. So how do we as Christians use this trend to help people around the world connect to a God who loves them? For over 60 years, Trans World Radio (TWR) has been using mass media to proclaim the gospel of salvation to as many people as possible so that lasting fruit is produced. Communicating in more than 230 languages and dialects to over 190 countries, we use radio broadcasts, internet, media players, television, apps, satellite and multimedia curriculum to bring truth directly to people. TWR Canada focuses on the development of new media to respond to the needs of churches here and around the world, working alongside established national ministries to increase the effectiveness of their work. I invite you to explore what God is doing through TWR and learn about a ministry that is passionate about media that matters. Ray Alary TWR Canada President
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Evangelism For people who have no Christian connection in their lives, media can be the first and sometimes the only way they can learn about Christ. Internet and radio can be a safe option for someone searching for answers. Media is also a cost-effective and accessible tool, enabling us to share the good news of Christ with as many people as possible. TWR’s global coverage (see pages 6-7) enables us to reach many unreached people groups including those in the 10/40 window and otherwise closed countries. We connect listeners with local churches and ministries to provide much-needed follow-up and discipleship, and to assist these on-the-ground partners to use media to enhance their evangelism strategies.
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Featured Project: THE WAY OF RIGHTEOUSNESS
Learn about TWR Canada’s approach to evangelism in a Muslim context. www.twr.ca/projects/twor
Discipleship Jesus’ final command was to make disciples of all nations, but obeying this command is difficult for many churches around the world. In some areas, there are few trained leaders to disciple a fast-growing church. In other areas, they lack resources or religious freedoms. For decades, TWR Canada has faithfully broadcast radio programs with biblical teaching and instruction in Christ-like living. More recently, TWR Canada has created Discipleship Essentials, an extensive library of multimedia discipleship training materials. These are available free to ministries and individuals worldwide, especially those who are in under-resourced, restricted access or spiritually disadvantaged areas. Online platforms equip people to disciple others, while our training conferences and local workers are equipping churches with much-needed disciple-making skills.
Featured Project: DISCIPLESHIP ESSENTIALS A library of resources for small groups, pastors and believers everywhere. www.twr.ca/de 5
Hope Around the World Highlighted areas represent shortwave and AM (MW) coverage worldwide, reaching 4 billion people in their heart language. Orange dots represent locations where TWR Canada is active. Sensitive locations have been omitted.
Did you know that TWR’s Global Ministry... • Broadcasts in 230+ languages on 2,000+ local AM, FM and other outlets worldwide • Has partners, offices or working representatives in 80 countries and regions • Distributes programs by satellite in Africa and Europe • Provides online audio, video and text in 50+ languages via TWR360 • Receives 750,000+ site visits monthly from 190+ countries and territories • Receives 1,000,000+ annual responses from listeners (letters, calls, emails, texts)
Languages by region Europe
11 Southern & East Africa
46
6
Central Asia, Middle Latin America & North East & North Africa Caribbean America
17
West & Central Africa
19
South Asia
Southeast Asia
4
Northeast Asia
17 66 17 9
TWR Canada is engaged in projects in over 50 countries worldwide, including: Benin Bolivia Bonaire Burundi Canada China Cuba Egypt Hong Kong India
Ivory Coast Japan Kenya Mali Mozambique Philippines South Africa Sri Lanka Swaziland Zimbabwe
I was the very first Seminary On The Air student in China...I was very busy in my job but it didn’t stop me from learning. Rather, SOTA became my strength in my daily living... As I studied, many important theological concepts and principles took root in my mind and in my life...What I have received is so rich and abundant. Thank you.” – China
“I am a widow and I live alone. It is not always easy...I particularly look forward to listening to your programs on the radio... Often during the day I’m oppressed with sadness, but when I sit at my radio and I hear your program, I am encouraged again.” – Bolivia
“I thank you for the program Jesus Is the Answer. I have listened to it for many years, and I was recently saved! I heard that person testify how Jesus released him when he had been bound by Satan. I had also been bound but Jesus delivered me.” – Burundi
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Specialized Content for Men, Women and Children
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Differences in age, gender, worldview and political climate can change the way people receive a message. When programming is customized for someone’s situation, it can capture their interest and meet their needs, encouraging them to be more open to the message of the gospel.
Women’s Ministries
Men’s Ministries
Children’s Ministries
Our men’s programming, Champions, Arise! challenges husbands and fathers to take care of their families and be a godly influence. Other programming for those in leadership focuses on applying wisdom and living as a godly example for others. Visit www.twr.ca/projects/championsarise
Recognizing that many come to faith between the ages of 4 and 14, TWR Canada is making the Bible come alive for children and their parents with storytelling programs like Bible Stories Alive. Visit www.twr.ca/projects/children
We encourage women to care for their spiritual and physical health through initiatives like TWR Women of Hope. This flagship radio and prayer ministry for women brings hope in Jesus to women around the world and across generations. Visit www.twr.ca/women
Specialized Content for Canadian Churches
While the focus of our ministry has traditionally been on building the church in under-resourced places, there is a need for biblically-based media right here in Canada. In Quebec, we use FM radio, television and the internet to reach out in French. We also partner with Aboriginal-led organizations to reach Canada’s indigenous peoples. We recognize that the population here is changing too, so we are using existing resources and developing new tools to help Canadian churches reach out effectively to immigrants and refugees in their communities.
Learn more about what TWR Canada is doing right here in Canada, including how our tools and resources can benefit your church or ministry. www.twr.ca/projects/canada
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Missionary Mobilization To effectively reach people around the world with the gospel, we need more than programs and technology – we need gifted people to make it all happen. Our missionaries serve in many locations around the world, using their God-given practical skills in spectacular ways. Did you ever wonder if God could use your computer skills, administrative experience, abilities in construction, or fluency in language translation to build the church worldwide? We’d love to talk to you. We provide opportunities for short and long-term missionary work as well as internships focusing on the use of technical skills to support the work of local TWR offices or transmitting stations. Skilled professionals in the areas of broadcasting, journalism, engineering and media development are always in demand but we are able to match many skills to needs around the world.
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Find out more about opportunities to serve with TWR Canada! www.twr.ca/serve
Infrastructure and Global Network We rely on strong infrastructure to create, produce and broadcast various programs and to effectively follow-up with listeners. This infrastructure includes the transmitters, generators and studios that enable our programming as well as the networks of partners that translate and contextualize programs to the needs of their own people. During the past half-century of ministry, TWR has built a global network with the potential to reach over 4 billion people in their own language! In areas where existing infrastructure is poor or does not exist, TWR Canada continues to engage in capital projects that support and strengthen on-the-ground initiatives, or that strengthen TWR’s global network of partners.
Learn about current and past capital projects at www.twr.ca/projects/capital
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Other Ministries A ministry as diverse as TWR Canada’s cannot be described in just a few pages, but here is a snapshot of a few other initiatives. You can also learn more about TWR Canada’s ministries and projects and the organizations we partner with at www.twr.ca.
Leadership Development
Bible Distribution
TWR Canada supplements our evangelistic and discipleship focused content with initiatives to develop church leaders. This is fundamental for the spread of the gospel. Seminary on the Air (SOTA) is a four-year systematic theological training, available for Chinese believers, and delivered on-theground and online. One pastor receiving this training can result in two, three or even a large network of churches being enlightened to biblical truths. Through radio, social media and week-long training conferences, our Persian ministry trains and disciples house church leaders to effectively lead their networks even in the midst of great persecution in their country. In other parts of the world, programs for leaders similarly help to strengthen church, business and community leaders for the role God has given them.
TWR receives countless requests for Scriptures from our listeners. Whether they are new believers, or cannot access or afford a Bible, TWR Canada desires that all have a copy of God’s Word in their language. Along with partners like The Gideons International in Canada, we get the Bible into the hands of those who wouldn’t otherwise have access, including victims of natural disasters who have lost all of their worldly possessions.
Learn more at www.twr.ca/projects/leadership
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“The needs are massive…but when God allowed The Gideons International in Canada and TWR Canada to join together in ministry, the results continue to be fantastic. People are receiving hope and pastors are encouraged. The Church is growing. God is glorified.” – Giorgio Gori, Vice President of Development, The Gideons International in Canada. Learn more at www.twr.ca/projects/bibles
A pastor in rural India was praying to God for help. He was not equipped to teach his congregation effectively. He connected with TWR India, who sent a staff member to visit him. The staff member gave him a media player with an audio Bible and teaching programs. “This is exactly what we need,” said the pastor with tears in his eyes. He then divided his church into 10 groups to meet weekly, rotating the media player among the groups.
Biblical Counselling
Media Player Distribution
Biblical counselling is the application of basic biblical foundations to our lives, a need that we hear repeated over and over as we speak to church leaders around the world. TWR Canada works with organizations like Hope for the Heart to provide relevant teaching for all who want to exemplify a Christ-like life.
Radio is still a very valuable tool in many parts of the world, but there are some areas that radio does not reach, or where it is impractical. In these areas, or to supplement radio programs when we cannot be on the air, TWR Canada distributes biblical teaching content on portable media players. Devices are selected based on the specific needs of the group; pre-recorded content from TWR and its partners is used to meet the needs of the local on-the-ground ministry that then distributes them. Using devices like the solar-powered ImpaX device created by partner organization Galcom International, or simple memory cards for cell phones, we deliver audio Scriptures and other biblical content to those who so desperately need to hear the truths of God’s grace.
“TWR Canada has a God-sized vision to take the hope of Jesus Christ to everyone, everywhere. They have opened doors…in places that would have seemed impossible if not looking with eyes of faith. People are coming to know Christ and are being made his disciples.” – Haley Scully, Hope for the Heart Training Specialist. Learn more at www.twr.ca/projects/counselling
Learn more at www.twr.ca/projects/portabledevices
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Testimonies “I want to thank you for the Women of Hope program. All we need as women is hope. I have made my first steps toward God from your programs. Thank you for bringing hope into my soul.” – Albania “Please send me a Bible. I became a Christian by listening to your program and everything I know about Christianity has come from your programs. What I learn I share with my neighbours.” – Iran
“I listen regularly to your programs and I like them a lot. I tell our villagers to listen as well and learn about Jesus.” – Thailand
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How to Get Involved Pray: Prayer is vital for TWR Canada’s ministry to be fruitful. To help you pray, we offer a prayer guide featuring different missionaries, programs, projects and needs. You can also subscribe to the TWR Women of Hope prayer calendar, or our weekly ministry e-updates. These informative tools will help you to pray more effectively. Find something that suits your preferences at www.twr.ca/signup
Serve: We have many opportunities for individuals to serve as volunteers, or in the mission field from four weeks to two years to full time. See “Missionary Mobilization,” page 10.
Give: TWR Canada receives its funding from generous individuals, churches, and organizations who sponsor a ministry project or a TWR missionary. TWR Canada receives no government funding. Tax receipts are issued for all eligible donations. Give now at www.twr.ca/donate
Get Connected: Sign up for TWR Canada’s weekly emails highlighting projects, missionaries, and new initiatives. Connect with us on social media (www.twr.ca/getsocial) and on our website for updates and news that can be easily shared with friends and family. Or help us coordinate a local event or presentation in your church or city to share the work of TWR Canada.
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TWR Canada Vision:
To reach the world for Christ so that lasting fruit is produced.
Mission:
The purpose of TWR Canada is to assist the Church to fulfill the command of Jesus Christ to make disciples of all peoples, and to do so by using and making available mass media to: • proclaim the gospel of salvation to as many people as possible; • instruct believers in biblical doctrine and daily Christ-like living; and • model our message through our corporate and cooperative relationships.
info@twr.ca www.twr.ca 888-672-6510 Box 25324 London, On N6C 6B1