WORDS
HOPE OF
CASE BOOK Good News. No Boundaries.
2016
WHO WE ARE Why Hope? Life runs on hope. Hope looks ahead with expectation. Hope can overcome fear. The Bible says that, “we have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure,� (Hebrews 6:19). The hope spoken of in Hebrews is the Christian assurance of salvation, made possible by the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Since Christ is our one great hope, it is only natural that as Christians, we seek to share that hope with those around us. We believe that the message of the gospel will transform the world. Life by life, family by family, town by tribe by nation, the hope found in Christ will bring people into the Kingdom of God. And one day, Christ will bring the Kingdom to earth. These words of hope are ours to share with the world.
An Indonesian family at a listener community meeting.
Who Is Words of Hope? Words of Hope is an international media ministry working to build the church throughout the world. We focus on areas that are hard to reach with the gospel, either because of poverty, geography, or social antagonism toward Christianity. We partner with existing Christian organizations in these hard-to-reach countries and equip them to more effectively minister in their own language and context, among their own people. Words of Hope began as a ministry called Temple Time. Starting in 1945, Temple Time provided gospel radio broadcasts for a North American listenership. Gradually, the ministry shifted its focus toward international ministry in languages other than English. The ministry name was changed to Words of Hope in the 1970s, and today shares the gospel in over 35 different languages around the world. Hope calls us, compels us, and convicts us to reach as many people as we can with the saving news of Christ. With your help, we can extend our reach farther today than ever before, even to the ends of the earth.
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MISSION STATEMENT Words of Hope’s mission is to build the church in the hard places by equipping indigenous Christian churches and ministries to proclaim the gospel, especially through the use of media. “Words of Hope’s mission is to build the church…” While we recognize that conversion happens in individuals, we also recognize that Christ came to build his church (Matthew 16:19), and that Christians can thrive in this community. We need each other in order to grow in faith, hope, and love. Words of Hope partners with churches on the ground to further efforts in their evangelism and discipleship. This means that whenever an individual comes to faith through a Words of Hope broadcast, they can be connected to a local church community for support.
“…in the hard places…” Some places lend themselves easily to the spread of the gospel. Others do not. Words of Hope focuses ministry efforts in those parts of the world where gospel proclamation is difficult to carry out. Some regions we work in are very open to the gospel, but due to extreme poverty, churches there need technical and financial support to expand their outreach through media.
Recording an Arabic radio program
Other regions we work in have geographical challenges that pose problems for ministry. Isolated islands, deserts, and towns high up in the mountains can be difficult to reach regularly in person, but through media we can connect people to Christian teaching every day. The hardest places we work in face social or even governmental suppression of Christian witness. In places where it is dangerous or even illegal to share the gospel, media helps us to reach people, while maintaining their safety and anonymity.
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“…by equipping indigenous Christian churches and ministries…” We equip indigenous churches so their witness can reach further. We are a catalyst for media ministry by providing training for pastors and producers, quality media equipment for recording gospel programs, and radio and television station time for airing the programs produced. Our partnerships produce media content that is relevant to the lives of the individuals we are seeking to reach and provide personal follow-up for those who have been reached.
“…to proclaim the gospel…” When Jesus told his followers to go into all the world and make disciples, we believe he really meant it. We believe that our calling is to preach Christ in people’s heart languages. The gospel is the good news of Jesus’ doing, dying, rising, and reigning, and the promise of his return. This is truth that everyone needs to hear.
A woman from South Sudan
We seek to share these words of hope with more people every day, in each area that we work.
“…especially through the use of media.” Media allows the gospel message to reach into otherwise unreachable places, and touch people there. It provides alternative forms of access to Scripture for people who may be fearful or unable to set foot in a church building. The use of media means that even if someone cannot read, they can still hear the Bible, even in their own homes. Radio remains our primary media tool because it is the most relied-upon method of media communication in developing countries. Where applicable to the people we are trying to reach, we also use tools like text messaging, Skype, online radio stations, television, booklets, smartphone apps, and micro-chip recordings of the Bible and Christian messages.
“Words of Hope goes into the hard places; and there are so many hard places in our world where the good news is so urgently needed. We in the West have so many opportunities, but I don’t want to forget the rest of the world. It’s a great ministry and the church is growing.”
~ Sue Kuiper, Trustee 3
OUR BELIEFS What We Affirm As a ministry in the Reformed tradition, we wholeheartedly affirm the great Reformation principles: •
We live under the authority of Scripture alone—our only infallible rule of faith and practice.
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Salvation is by grace alone through faith in Christ alone—who is the only way to eternal life.
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All we are and do is for the glory of the triune God alone—the blessed and only Ruler, from whom and through whom and to whom are all things.
As an evangelical mission agency, we also wholeheartedly affirm the missionary principles expressed in the Lausanne Covenant, in particular its statements on evangelism: To evangelize is to spread the good news that Jesus Christ died for our sins and was raised from the dead according to the Scriptures, and that as reigning Lord he now offers the forgiveness of sins and the liberating gift of the Spirit to all who repent and believe. . . . In issuing the gospel invitation we have no liberty to conceal the cost of discipleship. Jesus still calls all who would follow him to deny themselves, take up their cross, and identify themselves with his new community. The results of evangelism include obedience to Christ, incorporation into his Church, and responsible service in the world. [The Lausanne Covenant, Section 4]
Words of Hope holds conferences outside Iran where Iranian seekers and Christians can learn more about Jesus.
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Why World Evangelization These five statements lay out the biblical case for world evangelization. If you believe them, you will also believe that all who know and love Jesus Christ ought to be involved somehow in the work of evangelizing the whole world—of sharing the gospel with every person on earth.
1. Jesus is Lord. That is not a personal faith claim. It is a statement of a cosmic reality that needs to be known and acknowledged by every person on earth. Our supreme reason for sharing the gospel with the world is the glory of God. God is glorified when Christ Jesus is worshiped as Lord. One day all creation will pay tribute to him (Philippians 2:9-11); those who love him long to see that happening now. We proclaim Christ to people not first of all for their sakes, but for his, because he deserves to be worshiped by everyone. If Jesus is not Lord, then the whole Christian enterprise is a colossal mistake. If Jesus is Lord, then every Christian must be involved in proclaiming that message to the world, because every person must come to know and acknowledge him.
2. Everyone needs Christ. The brokenness of our world is the result of sin, and the only solution to the problem of sin is found in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The great tragedy of human life is that so many people who were made by God, made like God, and made for God are now living apart from God. If every physical need of every person on earth were completely satisfied, the deeper need for healing this alienation would remain. Those who are living outside of Christ are “alienated . . . having no hope and without God in the world” (Ephesians 2:12). But the good news of the gospel is that “in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself ” (2 Corinthians 5:19) and that “since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God” (Romans 5:1).
3. Faith comes by hearing. The gospel message includes the invitation to respond to it with faith. “We are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God” (2 Corinthians 5:20). The apostle outlines how the gospel works in Romans 10. “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” But this “call” is an act of faith requiring both inward conviction and outward confession of the basic truths of the gospel (Romans 10:9-10). And in order to believe in this way, people must hear the gospel. Saving faith is neither ignorant nor vague; it is faith in Jesus Christ and his atoning work. Finally, if people are to hear, someone must preach this message, and in order to preach they must be sent (Romans 10:14-15). Words of Hope exists to share the gospel with the world, so that the Lord Jesus Christ will be lifted up, and people will be drawn to him, and the church will grow—all to the glory of God. But in order to do that, we must be sent.
4. We are his witnesses. “You shall be my witnesses . . . to the ends of the earth.” According to Acts 1:8, those are the last words Jesus spoke to his disciples before he ascended to heaven. Likewise, Matthew ends with Jesus’ Great Commission to “Go into all the world and make disciples of every nation.” This remains the primary task of the church. Efforts to alleviate human suffering are good and worthy of the church’s support and involvement. But ministries of compassion or justice alone cannot fulfill the church’s mission. One sometimes hears the saying, “Preach the gospel; if necessary, use words.” The fact is, it is not possible to truly preach the gospel without using words. It is impossible to be a witness (in the New Testament sense) without testifying to the saving acts of Christ.
5. Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. So writes Paul in Romans 10:13. But for the apostles, the name of the Lord is Jesus. “And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).
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WHAT WE DO Indigenous Leadership Development Contextual Missions As Words of Hope became involved in international ministry, our English messages were often translated into other languages to be used around the world. We now use a different, and we believe, more effective strategy. Indigenous Christians already know the heart language of their people, are familiar with their culture and history, and know how to present the gospel in a way that will speak most clearly to their listeners. For this reason, Words of Hope supports local pastors and others who produce their own programs. We provide both biblical and technological training as needed, helping indigenous leaders feel more firmly rooted in the Scriptures they preach, and enabling them to use technology to help their message of hope reach their own people.
Leadership training in Uganda.
We provide our indigenous media missionaries with a living wage so that they can focus on their ministry and provide for their families, and we supply them with the studio space and technology they need to work to their best potential.
Benefits of Our Strategy Our strategy is more costly and labor-intensive than simply paying a translator. But we believe it offers real benefits. People are far more likely to respond positively to the gospel when the message comes from within their own context. National Christians are equipped, empowered, and enabled to do ministry. Finally, churches are being given structures that will expand their evangelistic and discipleship efforts.
“I support Words of Hope because of the significance of its mission, the integrity of its personnel, and the passion of our international partners for proclaiming the gospel in the hardest to reach places. From my personal involvement in one of its ministry fields, I can testify that if Words of Hope were not present in that place, there would be no evangelical organization proclaiming Christ there. I receive much joy from my participation in this critical mission.�
~ Rev. Jon Opgenorth, Board Chair 6
How We Choose Where to Work Our goal is to work in the world’s hardest-to-reach places. These hard places are difficult because of the following factors: 1) the limiting effects of poverty, 2) geographical challenges, 3) intolerance to gospel preaching, either due to social or religious pressure, 4) overt persecution of Christians. The nature of our ministry also requires that there already be a church or organization working in the country with whom we can partner. We do not send Western missionaries to indigenous locations for long-term missions. We work with and through national churches and leaders. However, this does require at least a small Christian presence in a location before our ministry can effectively come alongside to equip them.
What Happens After People Hear a Radio Program? One of the most important reasons why we partner with national leaders is that these leaders are then accessible to the people who hear their messages on the radio or other media outlets. The producers provide contact information at the end of programs so that listeners can call, text, or email any questions they might have. This makes it possible to connect those who express an initial interest in the gospel message to a local church and pastor.
In this Nepali church, members come together on a daily basis to pray and worship.
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A listener community in Indonesia gathers around the radio.
Heart Language Media Ministry Hearing the Gospel While it would be tempting to focus our radio broadcasts only on the official language of a particular country, we know that approach could miss a large portion of our target audience. Instead, Words of Hope has chosen to minister in tribal heart languages, in addition to official country languages. Why? While broadcasting in the national language has the largest potential audience, broadcasting in heart languages can reach the largest actual audience among a given population. Time and again we hear testimonies from people who were scanning through radio stations and stopped to listen because they heard someone speaking in their own heart language. This reflects the spirit of Pentecost when the people said: “We hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!� (Acts 2:11). We believe that it is important for people to hear the good news of Jesus in the language they have spoken since birth. Such presentations of the gospel are more easily understood and more compelling for the listener.
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Build the Church Worldwide Through Media Connect Listeners to a Church Family Christians need community in order to grow in faith and love. For that reason, Words of Hope seeks to build the church, both in numbers and quality of discipleship. How do we do that? Though not a church-planting ministry, we do see instances of groups of listeners forming cells that grow into new congregations. But wherever possible, we connect listeners with an existing church and pastor once they are ready for that step of faith.
Over Four Billion People Do Not Know Jesus Communication media like radio and Internet can reach vast numbers of people simultaneously. Where a missionary might spend hours traveling to a remote location, text messages and phone calls can more quickly bridge the gap between an evangelist and a seeker. Using media lets us reach as many people as possible with the good news. It also makes it easy for those people to contact us once they have heard the message. We want to introduce people to Jesus; media helps us do that more effectively and efficiently.
Where We Work North America Albania Turkey
Iran Arab World Niger
South Sudan Uganda India
Nepal Bhutan Tibet
Indonesia
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Discipleship Through Media Staying Connected Media is a tool for introducing people to the Savior. It is also an important piece of the discipleship process. Pastors in the churches we partner with recommend the daily radio programs to their congregations to help people grow in the faith. This is important for many reasons: •
Many of our listeners are illiterate. Gospel radio is the means by which they have daily access to Scripture.
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In some areas we broadcast, it is illegal to own a Bible. Radio programs or cell-phone apps provide safer ways to connect with the Word of God.
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Where higher education is rare, pastors and house-church leaders may have little or no theological training. Our radio programs supplement people’s knowledge base.
ALBERT DOSTI Albert Dosti became a Christian through hearing some of the first Words of Hope Albania broadcasts that were aired in his country while Christianity was illegal. Today, Albert voices the Words of Hope programs that continue to bring many more Albanians to Christ each year.
MOTILAL Motilal first heard a Words of Hope Nepal program while he was working as a night guard at a bank. He called the program producer, and was soon connected to a local church where he became a very zealous disciple of Christ. He is now pursuing leadership training at the church, and planning to return to his home village to plant a church in the future.
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“We are involved with Words of Hope because we have the privilege of personally knowing the US staff of WOH and many producers and partners worldwide. We see top-notch people who are faithful, humble, committed, and focused on reaching those who haven’t had a chance to hear about the abundant life that we have had the opportunity to know about.”
~ Sue Troke, Former Board Member
DISTINCTIVE MINISTRY Words of Hope: Proclaims Christ as Savior and Lord We want people to have access to the Word of God, and we want them to be nurtured through biblical teaching. By the power of the Holy Spirit people are brought into a saving relationship with Jesus Christ, and then the Word helps them grow in obedience to Christ as Lord.
Works to Build the Church in the Hard Places We take our ministry where there is a need for media outreach because of the limiting effects of poverty, geographic isolation, or social and government pressures regarding evangelism and conversion.
Equips Indigenous Leaders to Minister in their Heart Language Indigenous leaders know their language best, understand their culture thoroughly, and are respected by the people to whom they are trying to minister. Words of Hope provides the resources and training to help them reach more of their own people.
Carefully Stewards Your Donations We recognize that we are being entrusted with resources as a measure of trust. We are certified by the Evangelical Council of Financial Accountability, and are transparent with our financial information.
Uses Media to Evangelize Discreetly In many of our ministry fields, it is dangerous or illegal to convert to Christianity. Media allows us to share the gospel in such a way that people can hear it privately and in secret if they so choose. Producer Rajesh Mansell visits with a Garhwali listener.
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WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN YOU PARTNER WITH US Whenever someone partners with us, we take their gift of confidence very seriously. When you pray for, advocate for, or give to Words of Hope, you can expect the following:
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We will live out our commitment to Christ in word and deed to the best of our ability—in our day-to-day operations, in the gospel message we proclaim, and in our stewardship of resources.
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We will work in partnership with other Christian broadcasters, organizations, churches, and individuals. When we work together we accomplish more for the Kingdom.
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We will take steps to provide individualized follow-up for those who hear and respond to our gospel media outreach.
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We will support the holistic indigenous ministry work of our partners in addition to broadcasting, because we believe that Christ cares about all aspects of our lives.
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We will send you stories and updates about the life-changes being made possible because of your generosity and prayer.
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We will responsibly steward the funding you entrust to us, taking care to expand international ministry efforts Girls in Northern India near the Tibetan border. only when a reliable economic base has already been established and maintained for a particular region.
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We will uphold the standards of the ECFA (Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability) by which we are certified and will maintain accountability in our finances by performing yearly audits and making financial information available to donors upon request.
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We will always strive toward our primary goal of presenting the gospel from a Reformed theological basis to those who need to hear it so that more lives may be saved.
GET INVOLVED There are many ways that you can get involved with the ministry of Words of Hope! Here are a few ideas to get you started.
LEARN
GIVE
VOLUNTEER
You can visit our website (woh.org) or connect with us on Facebook to start learning more about the needs that exist in the countries where we minister. You don’t have to stop there, either! If you find a country and culture particularly fascinating to you, research it further on your own, and share what you learn with others!
As a nonprofit organization, Words of Hope relies on the generous donations of our many supporters to continue the gospel work that we have been called to. Every gift helps us to reach more people with the gospel of grace.
There are many ways that you can volunteer with Words of Hope, from setting up a ministry-focused prayer breakfast in your area, to hosting international producers, to distributing devotional booklets. Call the office if you would like to volunteer your time in some way, and we will connect you with work that will be meaningful to you.
PRAY
CONNECT
SUBSCRIBE
Words of Hope produces a monthly prayer guide. If you would like to receive the prayer guide by email or mail, please call the office at 616-459-6181.
You can sign up online to receive Words of Hope’s monthly Shortwave email newsletter. Stay up-to-date with prayers and praises from around the world, and learn more about the ministry of Words of Hope in the process!
If you want even more Words of Hope stories, testimonies, and news, sign up online to receive our quarterly print newsletter delivered to your home! Travel the world with us from the comfort of your home!
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OUR HISTORY What began as one pastor’s effort to preach the good news through radio in a small area of Michigan has today grown into a media ministry that spans four continents and proclaims Christ as Savior in over 35 different languages. In 1944, the Rev. Howard Teusink, then pastor of the Trinity Reformed Church of Kalamazoo, Michigan, stayed home one Sunday morning, too sick to preach. From his bed he turned his Rev. Howard Teusink radio dial, searching for a gospel broadcast. After listening for some time, he became convinced of the need for a radio broadcast with a sound, well-balanced biblical witness. At the urging of Rev. Teusink’s consistory, the ministry of Words of Hope officially began under the name “Temple Time.” The ministry’s purpose statement was: “to preach through broadcasting Jesus Christ as the only Savior.” The first broadcast of the new ministry aired on July 22, 1945, from the Central Reformed Church of Grand Rapids, Michigan. Dr. William Goulooze, then Professor of Church History at Western Theological Seminary in Holland, Michigan, presented a message titled, “Consider Christ Jesus.” Within months of this first broadcast, the gospelproclaiming work of Temple Time was soon adopted by three regional synods of the RCA as their official broadcast. Preaching Christ as Savior remains the core goal of the ministry of Words of Hope today, as we continue to expand our reach into new countries and languages, utilizing new media formats as they become available.
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First Broadcast Minister Rev. Harland Steele is appointed as the first regular broadcast minister. He serves until 1952, preaching on the radio and providing executive leadership for the ministry.
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1945 A Trusted Message Within months after its first program, Temple Time becomes the official broadcast of three regional synods in the Reformed Church in America: Michigan, Chicago, and the West. A large number of pastors and professors are occasional speakers on the early Temple Time broadcasts from 1945-1949.
Words of Hope
Soon after, broadcasts are added in Chinese, Russian, and Spanish. Temple Time also begins producing a devotional booklet, titled Prayer Time.
1952
July August September 2015
T S E REVRASN H IP LEAD
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ue NE 700 Ball Aven MI 49503-1308 ds, Grand Rapi www.woh.org
The first Temple Time foreignlanguage broadcast is aired in Japan with the help of Reformed Church missionaries.
PERIODICAL POSTAGE PAID RAPIDS AT GRAND MICHIGAN
Going International
The name of the ministry is changed from “Temple Time” to “Words of Hope.” In many parts of the world, the word “temple” is associated with non-Christian religions. Words of Hope is chosen as the new name in order to point to what the gospel of Christ offers in a way that makes sense in an international context. The decision is made that Words of Hope will focus primarily on missionary radio, while maintaining a more modest presence in North American radio.
1974
Words of Hope’s daily devotional resource also changes its name from Prayer Time to Words of Hope. Currently, approximately 90,000 copies of each quarterly edition are distributed worldwide.
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1972
Dr. Henry Bast
Dr. Bill Brownson
Dr. Henry Bast, pastor of the Bethany Reformed Church in Grand Rapids, becomes the next broadcast minister for Temple Time.
Dr. Henry Bast is succeeded by Dr. Bill Brownson as Temple Time’s President and Broadcast Minister.
During his tenure from 19521972, he continues to serve at Bethany Church and, for a seven-year period, as Professor of Preaching at Western Theological Seminary.
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Excellence in Broadcasting Words of Hope is awarded the International Broadcast Award. Maintaining excellence in broadcasting, even while employing many broadcasters in order to reach a growing number of people who speak small tribal languages, remains a priority of Words of Hope. Attractive music, multiple voices, and quality recording equipment ensure that many people who happen upon the broadcasts while turning the radio dial stay to listen.
Rev. David Bast Dr. William Brownson retires and is succeeded by Rev. David Bast as Words of Hope’s President and Broadcast Minister.
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1988
2001 A Sharper Vision
1985 Growing Partnerships Words of Hope forms partnerships with organizations like Trans World Radio and Far East Broadcasting Company. The goal of these partnerships is to blanket the world in missionary radio so that all people might have the opportunity to hear the words of Christ in their own languages.
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In early 2001, the Words of Hope staff and Board of Trustees complete a careful and thoughtful strategic planning process. This process leads to a sharpened vision for the future of the ministry, including the following goals: 1) to add new broadcast languages, 2) to expand and enhance current broadcast languages, and 3) to increase financial reserves. These goals continue to shape Words of Hope’s efforts. Many new languages have been added in places like Turkey, Iran, India, and Niger, and more are added each year. We consistently seek opportunities to A Dogri listener in Northern India air our programs on new stations worldwide so that more people can hear the programs we produce. Financial reserves have been invested to insure that Words of Hope has the resources to continue proclaiming the gospel for many years to come.
Closer to the Audience Words of Hope pursues a strategy of moving closer to the audience—that is, producing programs from within the target audience and airing them on local stations wherever possible, eliminating the need for extensive translation work. Producers and broadcasters are now chosen from inside a target audience. They are trained, equipped, and financially supported to share the gospel through radio with their own people in their own language.
2002
A group of students at a monastery in Bhutan.
Good News. No Boundaries. Words of Hope adopts the official tagline: “Good News. No Boundaries.” International broadcasts continue to increase in number, reaching into Uganda, South Asia, Albania, and beyond.
2009
2015 2006
Continuing to Grow Through Your Support
International Recording Studios As Words of Hope continues to expand the ability to minister from within international target audiences, recording studios and facilities are built in many locations around the world.
Ministering today in more than 35 languages, Words of Hope is a leader in international Christian radio production. For over 70 years, Words of Hope has maintained its core vision: to share Jesus Christ with the world. Radio remains the medium of choice for much of our outreach work, as it is the most popular and accessible communication tool in many of our outreach locations. As portions of our target audiences move into utilizing more modern technology forms, we are making the transition with them. Today, in addition to radio, Words of Hope shares the good news of Christ through television, podcasts, recordings on MP3 players, smartphone apps, and more.
Haluk Bilgen, Turkish producer
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PARTNERSHIPS AT HOME AND ABROAD Reaching Further Together Words of Hope’s ministry revolves around strategic partnerships with like-minded organizations:
• Indigenous Radio Stations Words of Hope provides quality Christian programming for existing radio stations. We provide content that boosts their station listening percentages, and they provide us with the means to carry our message further.
• Indigenous and International Media Ministries We partner with like-minded organizations (eg. Back to God Ministries International) in order to pool our resources for shared causes. Where our ministry fields overlap with the interests of other Christian media ministries, we work together to avoid duplication, cut costs, and share expertise and connections. Whenever possible, we attempt to base our media ministry in or near a local church. This provides the most natural connection for our producers to recommend listeners to a church community.
People gather outside of a partner church in South Sudan.
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PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS International Partner Organizations Cross-Way Community Church: Cross-Way Church’s mission is to become disciples who make disciples of Christ. Cross-Way Church aims to plant churches in every district of Nepal.
Church of Uganda: The Church of Uganda works to fulfill Christ’s mission through holistic teaching, evangelism, discipleship, and healing for healthy and godly nations. Evangelical Church of the Republic of Niger (EERN): By faith, the EERN sees a church holy and mature in Christ, transforming Nigerien society and beyond.
Gaweylon: Gaweylon is a charitable society in Northern India which exists for the promotion and development of knowledge of the Tibetan language and culture. It includes charitable, social and cultural aspects of life in programming, with moral and spiritual material based on the teachings of the Holy Bible.
Radio Shema: Radio Shema seeks to bring love and peace to Turkish listeners through good music and programming. Yayasan Komunikasi Bersama: YKB, a ministry of the Indonesian Christian Church, uses mass communication media, particularly print media and electronic media, as a means to preach the good news across Indonesia. Middle East Reformed Fellowship: MERF is a gospel-centered, evangelistic Fellowship of indigenous workers and their supporters serving in the Muslim world on behalf of churches and believers worldwide.
Good Books Educational Trust: GBET is an educational ministry that uses print, radio, TV, and online media to share the gospel in India. They also offer follow-up support and training for listeners, volunteers, and Christian workers. Radio 7: Radio 7 brings a positive voice to Albania through music and daily news programs. Radio 7 uses
biblical principles at the core of their program content, with the desire to see an Albanian society where values are protected.
US-Based Partner Organizations Back to God Ministries International: BTGMI envisions a world where media is being used effectively to proclaim the Gospel, grow disciples, and strengthen the church.
Remember Niger Coalition: The mission of the Remember Niger Coalition is to unify people and mobilize resources in order to expand quality educational opportunities in Niger.
Reformed Church in America: The RCA is a fellowship of congregations called by God and empowered by the Holy Spirit to be the very presence of Jesus Christ in the world. The shared task of the RCA is to equip congregations for ministry—a thousand churches in a million ways doing one thing—following Christ in mission, in a lost and broken world so loved by God.
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WORDS OF HOPE’S BOARDS Board of Direction Each supporting classis of the Reformed Church in America appoints two representatives to serve on the Board of Direction (one clergy and one lay). A supporting classis is one that agrees to encourage its member churches to support Words of Hope financially and through regular prayer, and to receive an annual report form Words of Hope at regular scheduled classis meetings. The duties of the members of the Board of Direction are: to pray for and promote the work of Words of Hope, especially within their respective classes and congregations; to elect Trustees and Officers for Words of Hope; and to approve the annual budget.
Board of Trustees The business and affairs of Words of Hope are managed by a Board of up to twenty-four trustees. The Board of Direction elects the Trustees at their annual meeting.
Trustees
Honorary Trustees
Rev. Jhonny Alicea-Báez, Vice Chair Rev. David Bast, President (ex officio) Mr. David Beemer Rev. Jonathon Brown Mr. Bob Bruxvoort Dr. James Bultman Mr. Charles Damon Mr. Robert DeSmidt Mr. David Fieldhouse Rev. John Kapteyn Mrs. Susan Kuiper Mrs. Judy Land Rev. Jonathan Opgenorth, Chair Mr. Larry Paarlberg Rev. Steven Petroelje Ms. Beth Snyder Mr. Tom Stuit, Executive Committee Mrs. Eleanor Vonk, Secretary
Dr. William Brownson, President Emeritus Mr. Max DePree Mrs. Marjorie Maas Mr. John Myaard Mr. Richard Ruch Dr. Gordon VanWylen
“I believe it is the best use of funds to bring the message of the gospel to the largest audience. The truth of Jesus Christ reaches places and people that otherwise would not be exposed to the message; places where missionaries are not be able to evangelize. Words of Hope works to build up the indigenous church through efforts to broadcast in the heart language of the listeners. I appreciate and enjoy the relational interactions made possible with the broadcast partners from the countries where Words of Hope has a presence.”
~ Sandra Church, Former Board Chair 20
WORDS
HOPE OF
Good News. No Boundaries.
700 Ball Avenue NE • Grand Rapids, MI 49503 616-459-6181 • www.woh.org