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FEBC Anniversaries

FEBC Anniversaries

New WIND FM Media Centre

Philippines

60 years ago, on 4th June 1948, the first FEBC transmission was broadcast from Manila to the Philippines, led by the song All Hail the Power of Jesus' Name.

John Broger and Robert Bowman's vision, to reach the 'far east' with the gospel, began to take shape before World War II. Far East Broadcasting Company was incorporated as an international missionary radio organisation in December 1945. Their first printed folder in 1946 listed their goals as, 'A plan to establish a powerful transmitter at some central point to cover the complete Far Eastern sphere... with smaller power stations in densely-populated areas. With a plan to distribute radio receivers...'
With much hard work and amazing intervention by God, on 4th June 1948 the first programme was aired from the Philippines. FEBC's first station, DZAS, went on air at 6:00pm.

Today Far East Broadcasting can be heard throughout the Asian region by nearly three billion people in a language they can understand. FEBC studios are found in the Philippines, Taiwan, Japan, Korea, Indonesia, Mongolia, Hong Kong, Cambodia, Russia and Thailand. Over 500 hours of programmes are aired each day, in over 150 languages.
Thousands of radios have been distributed to remote areas or to people who otherwise could not obtain them. Geographical, political and cultural barriers are breached when people can listen to radio or internet in the privacy of their own homes. Close to one million listener contacts are received every year via letters, email, SMS and telephone calls. Testimonies of how God has reached into lives and transformed families and villages fill our files and drive our ministry.

Only eternity will reveal the extent of how God has used Christian radio programmes to draw millions of people into His Kingdom!

Hong Kong

At the end of May FEBC Hong Kong celebrated 50 years of preparing and supplying programmes for broadcast into China.

God's great love and faithfulness has been the cornerstone of this ministry into the largest nation on earth. The difficult and dangerous times of the Cultural Revolution saw little feedback reaching our broadcasters who continued to preach the Good News about Jesus to those locked behind the Bamboo Curtain. When those days came to an end, FEBC staff discovered that hundreds of thousands of people, alone or within house churches, had found encouragement and teaching from the daily Christian radio programmes. There was even a programme where the Bible was read at dictation speed so listeners could have their own scriptures.

These days there are thousands of listener contacts each week. Praise God for this valuable ministry.

Korea

FEBC Jeju celebrated its 35th anniversary in June. The transmitter on Jeju Island broadcasts the gospel to Korea, China, Japan and Russia. Nearly 1000 people joined together for the three day celebration, including children's choirs and staff from Korea, and international guests.

FEBC Mongolia - New WIND FM Media Centre

FEBC Mongolia recently celebrated the completion of its new WIND FM Media Centre building with events in the capital, Ulaanbaatar. WIND FM is a community-based Christian radio station focusing on family strengthening and community development within this strongly atheist, Buddhist and Shamanist culture.

Over 40 visitors from overseas partner organisations arrived to stand with FEBC Mongolia in dedicating the new WIND FM Media Centre and to celebrate God's ministry in Mongolia. The building project, initiated after a fire in January 2003, involved a number of partner agencies including FEBC International and FEBC Australia. Many other FEBC fields along with Finnish partners FIDA International and Messengers have worked with the young Mongolian team in this huge rebuilding project. People from over 15 countries attended the ceremonies. FEBC Australia has supported and continues to contribute people and finances to the ministry of FEBC Mongolia. Australian missionaries David and Jan Bayliss spent over two years working with the team in engineering and training, and Larry and Barbara Podmore have recently moved to Mongolia, with Larry taking the role of Interim Director.

After church services on Sunday 25th May, the international guests experienced traditional Mongolian culture with a meal followed by dances, music and exhibitions of their famous horse-riding and archery skills. The dedication service was held on Monday morning, followed by tours of the new Media Centre facilities. At a formal dinner that evening, guests were entertained with traditional Mongolian music played on stringed instruments, accompanying outstanding vocals. Various artists were involved, including Batulga, an FEBC Mongolia board member and professional classical musician.

Numerous guests brought plaques or other gifts to express their appreciation for WIND FM's ministry in the Mongolian community. This radio ministry is having a real impact upon the people of Ulaanbaatar, who appreciate the input into their daily lives in this city which is striving to enter the busy and modern world.

For details of the celebrations and stories from many stages of the construction project, see the WIND FM website.

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