After 26 Years of Local Radio Experience I Am Going Global!
In Junior High School my father helped me string a half-wave dipole antenna (very long piece of wire) across the back yard so I could listen to short-wave radio. One station I enjoyed listening to was HCJB - The Voice of the Andes - out of Quito, Ecuador. Having missionaries from HCJB attend my church made listening even more exciting. At that time I did not consider myself smart enough to be an engineer that builds transmitters, or learning a foreign language. I was better at destroying expensive equipment. Yet I was very interested in Christian broadcasting.
It was about that time I felt God's calling into the ministry. I did not desire to move to a jungle (that's what I thought missionaries did), so I ruled out serving God as a broadcast missionary. God did lead me to a career in local Christian radio where I have spent most of my time since 1986. Over the years HCJB has changed, and so have I.
Here it is 2012 and HCJB Global has accepted me as a Missionary Appointee. That means I am preparing to be a full-time missionary serving from the HCJB Global Technology Center in Elkhart, Indiana. My many years of radio experience will assist HCJB Global with their efforts to partner with local Christians around the world—empowering them to use radio to reach their people. I will also help communicate HCJB Global's story to local churches and make people aware of the volunteer and short-term missions opportunities with HCJB Global.
I will use my 25+ years of broadcast experience to assist with training. Training begins as soon as HCJB Global is contacted for advice and assistance. With over 80 years of experience in using radio for evangelism, HCJB Global is eager to lend expertise for those who are just beginning. HCJB Global engineers and trainers work with the station leaders and volunteers to create a philosophy of programming, an audience profile, even the station name and logo and a plan for the dedication and promotion. As they get underway, technical skills and beginning announcer classes to equip the staff for a successful launch their new station. I am very eager to begin this work.
Once a station is on the air, the need for training does not stop. HCJB Global offers on-site training and mentoring to cover topics such as station promotion and marketing, identifying local issues for programming, use of social media, script writing, station management and technical maintenance.
HCJB Global provides the equipment such as transmitters and antennas to ministry partners as well as the expertise for preparation and installation of the radio station. In addition, we provide initial and ongoing training to equip the volunteers and staff to produce evangelistic and discipleship programs. We also do follow-up and manage the stations. Then we celebrate together as the national leaders operate the ministry.Please contact me at jcarter@hcjb.org if you would like to learn more about how God is working with HCJB Global and how you can partner with this ministry. Please keep me in your prayers during this time.