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SELECTED "NORTHERN LIGHTS" MAGAZINE ARTICLE
(from Issue #483)
Listening Up
NCEM RADIO
Twice a week, by mid-morning, Carl Epp is down at the radio station.
Sitting in front of a mic, he reads Scripture, adding explanation and
life application. There is no fancy audio mixing and editing. In fact,
it's too late for that -- this was a live broadcast.
And people were listening. That's why Carl and Naomi have made
radio part of their ministry the past four and-a-half years at Pinehouse
Lake.
OVER BARRIERS
For long-time Northern Lights readers, it's been a long time since
you've read much about "radio" (until last issue's report from
Alberta).
NCEM's radio outreach began with the "Indian Gospel Broadcast"
from CKBI Prince Albert (SK) in 1958. Missionary John Unger coordinated
production of the 15-minute Cree language broadcast and initially did a
lot of the preaching. (In fact, because of John's fluency in Cree,
many listeners were unaware that they were listening to a white man each
week.) Cree missionary/pastor Bill Jackson became a regular speaker on
the broadcast later.
Then missionaries Stan (& Margaret) Williams began an Ojibway-language
broadcast in Ontario, followed by a Dene (Chipewyan) broadcast by Bud
(& Marge) Elford in the late 60s.
NCEM radio peaked in 1978 when 16 programs were aired weekly. Through
radio the Gospel was penetrating barriers of literacy, race, religion,
language and geography.
FADING SIGNAL?
By the late 1970s, though, among the Mission's various ministries,
radio did fade somewhat into the background. But it wasn't because it
had been ineffective.
Financially, it had always been a struggle to pay for commercial air
time. More of a factor was that most NCEMers involved with radio had
increasing responsibilities on the field and in administration. No new
workers came forward, so the Cree and Chipewyan broadcasts were dropped --
only the Ojibway program carried on.
NEW DIRECTION
Even though television was being introduced to northern communities
about this same time, radio wasn't about to disappear. It may have
been on a smaller scale, but throughout the 80s and 90s NCEM's radio
outreach continued -- in a new direction, and with some significant
advantages!
Missionaries found that it wasn't necessary to broadcast on high
powered (and priced) commercial AM stations. Many northern communities
were getting their own FM stations, and were looking for programming.
Tim and Ginny Gradin had already realized that it might only be
through language-learning that they would find open doors among the Dene
of northern Saskatchewan. While stationed in La Loche, a local fellow asked Tim to consider starting a Dene language
broadcast. The result was a weekly half-hour mixed language broadcast,
aired free of charge on the local FM station.
Today Tim helps produce a Dene language radio program with Native
missionaries Gilbert (& Laura) Bekkatla and Bobby (& Veronica)
Moberly as speakers. Every Sunday it is aired on MBC as part of the
Cornerstone program (produced by Bob Norman of Meadow Lake, SK). The
impressive part of this arrangement is that the Missinipi Broadcasting
Corporation is not just one station, but a network of FM stations
covering the city of Prince Albert and over 50 other northern
communities. (Some of these communities broadcast their own local
programming part-time -- as in Pinehouse, where Carl Epp is heard.)
Besides these weekly broadcasts, Gilbert Bekkatla is now also a
regular guest on a popular MBC afternoon show. Dene announcer Kevin
Herman surprised Gilbert with a phone call last fall saying, "We want
encouragement from God's Word." Now, once a month-or-so, for 7 to 10
minutes Gilbert gives biblical answers on the air to questions on a
variety of subjects. The station even granted Gilbert's request to
have his interview followed by a Gospel song.
NEVER HEARD BEFORE
On Canada's northeast coast, NCEM is reaching out through radio,
too. Several years ago, Carl (& Laura) Sonnichsen initiated a weekly
radio program on a community AM station. Airing is free, and the
broadcast is heard not only in Nain, but also throughout most of
Labrador.
"People have responded very favourably," says Carl, especially
because he uses both English and the Inuktitut language (his messages
are translated for him to read). Listeners have also expressed
appreciation for God's Word being explained "in a way we have never
heard before."
And lives have been touched. "One day as I was finishing up a radio
broadcast" (this one live on FM), says Carl, "three teenage boys
came to the station to request that I come talk to their grandmother ...
As a result, all three boys made a decision to receive Christ into their
lives."
Across Canada other NCEMers are involved in radio, too. For some, it's
not so regular, but the increasing number of community FM stations has
definitely increased the opportunities.
And now a new radio opportunity has been launched ... a Christian
community radio station!
RADIO "CIAM" - 92.3 FM
NCEMers Michael and Man Sandstrom initiated and pursued this venture,
but they will be the first to tell you that they certainly didn't do
it alone. Support has come from all over the world.
Finances, technical help, encouragement, and especially prayer have
all been necessary ... and a lot of paper work and patience with
government approving agencies, adds Michael.
On January 27, CIAM (named after "See, I AM" in Exodus 3) began
broadcasting 24 hours a day within a radius of 60 kms of Ft. Vermillion,
Alberta, and reaching 10 First Nations communities.
As you can imagine, launching and operating a radio station is no
small task. Antennas, transmitters, programming, staff, funding ...
these and other matters are all part of the effort.
Even so, Michael points out that, like other NCEMers involved in
radio, it's only part of their ministry focus. In this case, local
believers are carrying much of the responsibility, and computer
technology is a great asset. CIAM includes international Gospel programs
such as Focus on the Family, but about half of program content is local
(i.e., northern Alberta), and one-third is in Native languages.
The challenge now, says Michael, is to maintain what has begun, and
to take advantage of opportunities made possible by this tool to reach
First Nations listeners.
Could CIAM be just the start of something bigger? Steps are being
taken to have CIAM rebroadcasted in other northern Alberta communities.
And other Christian workers are wondering how they can begin something
like this in their area.
The Sandstroms are already close to seeing CIAM broadcasting
worldwide via the internet.
GROUNDWORK ON THE AIR
Is all this radio outreach worth the effort? While reports trickle
back of listeners finding Christ, missionaries believe that, besides
being an important encouragement to believers, radio is also laying an
important groundwork in the hearts of unbelievers.
Tim Gradin recalls people saying they "liked" his radio program.
Some people were pretty antagonistic to missionaries at that point,
explains Tim, so even saying that was significant.
Gilbert Bekkatla knows that radio has opened closed doors. "We do
not have enough staff to live in all these villages," he says, adding
that, though peer pressure keeps many Native people away from contact
with evangelicals, at home they will listen.
Back in Pinehouse, Carl Epp meets a boy on the road who tells him he
just heard him on the radio. "Anyone else in your house listening?"
asks Carl. "Oh, yeah," he replies, "everyone."
RADIO CLIPS
TV VERSUS RADIO?
Twenty years ago some people thought that TV would be replacing
radio. It didn't happen. In fact, worldwide and in Canada, too, the
number of radio stations has mushroomed.
Radio vs. TV ... it's not an either/or thing. Northern homes tune
in to both. One of our missionaries tells of an older First Nations
friend who consistently sat in front of her TV with the sound off
(because she did not understand English well) ... and with her radio
always on.
Our Tribal Trails TV program is broadcast on radio, too -- on CFWE
(Aboriginal Radio Network) in Alberta.
RADIO RANKINGS
The Dene Gospel Broadcast airs on MBC (Missinipi) -- a network of FM
radio stations broadcasting in the Cree, Dene and English languages.
About the station's audience, MBC says:
-- MBC has the largest adult listening audience of any radio station
covering Northern Saskatchewan. In 44 of the 46 communities surveyed MBC
ranked #1 in total listeners.
-- Among all stations serving Northern Saskatchewan, MBC ranks #1
with Aboriginal listeners aged 20 to 65+; and #1 with all young
Aboriginals aged 10-20+.
COUGHING CLIPS
Reel-to-reel tape recorders were standard equipment for preparing
radio messages in NCEM's studio in Meadow Lake in the 60s and 70s.
Editing was done with a razor blade and tape -- unwanted sounds were
simply cut out.
Some of these clips didn't get trashed, however, and a pair of
missionaries (who shall remain unnamed) were found responsible for
connecting these short pieces of recorded tape together.
It was at a staff gathering that the coughing, throat-clearing, "um"-ing
and "ah"-ing production was played!
HE MENTIONED "IT"
When learning a new language, it's bad enough making a blunder in
front of a few people. What about on the radio?
Carl Sonnichsen tells about reading from 1 John 4 on a broadcast.
After his message aired, a listener called to say that one of the
Inuktitut words he used made reference to the unmentionable!
Though quite embarrassed, Carl was still grateful to know that people
were listening. There is still a sense that God is working "through
even our major slip-ups," says Carl.
STILL NEED TO "GO"?
Though media ministries have significant advantages, they can't
replace personal ministries.
"All media have limitations in light of Jesus' command to GO into
all the world and preach the gospel," says radio teacher Woodrow Kroll
of Back to the Bible (in a 2001 interview with Christianity Today
magazine). "There will always be a need for live bodies."
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