| ‘Beyond the Call’ Radio Program Marks 10th Anniversary |
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Oct. 5, 2006 “Beyond the Call” (BTC), a daily one-minute radio program hosted by Ron Cline, HCJB World Radio’s board chairman and former president, celebrates its 10th anniversary on Saturday, Oct. 7. BTC was the brainchild of former staff members Jack Harrison and Pam Hargis who “wanted to get the mission’s name out to the public” and inspire believers to do something great for God. “It means going beyond what God saved you from,” Cline said. “It’s all about taking that next step. That’s why it’s called, ‘Beyond the Call.’” BTC was launched as a three-minute, question-and-answer program with queries from listeners such as, “How can I keep my temper under control?”, “How can I witness to people who are caught up in cults?”, “What can I do to get more fired up about reading the Bible?” and “Exactly how do you go about fasting?” In each program Cline gave a short, Bible-based answer and a practical suggestion about how believers could “go beyond the call” in their Christian life. A call center was set up at HCJB World Radio’s international headquarters so listeners could ask questions and order a wide variety of resources. “Many people called in with great questions, and this offered an opportunity to interact with the audience,” Cline said. However, putting together the three-minute program became a strain on the mission’s resources, and the changing market demanded a shorter format. The team went back to the drawing board, and with encouragement from Ambassador Advertising Agency, they came up with the idea of a one-minute program with a punchy story and a call to action, giving true stories of how real people went “beyond the call” in their Christian lives. “The idea of ‘Beyond the Call’ was to show that when you do something small out of obedience to God, He often does something astounding,” Cline says. The format worked, and the shorter version, which began in early 1998, has remained in place ever since. Telling an often-complicated story in 130 words or less has proved to be a challenge, but the staff has risen to the occasion, putting together nearly 2,600 programs in the last 10 years. “We have to leave out a lot of the details and just get right to the heart of the story,” Cline explains. “Our writers have done very well to find these stories and boil them down to less than a minute each.” Moving to the one-minute format caused an explosion of interest in the program among Christian stations nationwide. Originally airing on a few dozen stations, BTC is now carried on nearly 1,000 outlets and is heard more than 1,100 times daily on partner stations. It’s also being podcast and is available worldwide via the Internet at beyondthecall.org. “This is definitely one of the most well-used one-minute features in our experience,” says Peggy Campbell, vice president of marketing at Ambassador Advertising Agency which oversees distribution of the program. “Given the trend to less talk—even one-minute programs—as well as the reality that no station is compensated for airtime, the distribution/coverage is truly a remarkable accomplishment,” she said. “It’s indicative of the value stations place on HCJB World Radio’s reputation—the substantive content being delivered to audiences and the ability of Ron Cline to communicate in a compelling style that resonates with listeners.” Chris Staley, manager of networking programming at KSOS in Las Vegas, Nev., one of the original 14 stations to carry the program, said the station has stuck with the program because of the compelling stories. “The power of a testimony is undeniable,” she explained. “‘Beyond the Call’ brings real-life stories that show how listeners can do something that matters for the kingdom of God.” Wayne Pederson, vice president of broadcasting at Moody Broadcasting Network in Chicago and a member of HCJB World Radio’s board of trustees, says stories are a great way to inspire Christians to a deeper walk with Christ. “We’re always looking for ways to encourage believers to be more all-out for God, and who can issue that call better than Ron Cline in ‘Beyond the Call’? The stories are such a compelling way to help believers effectively serve Jesus Christ. They are life-changing.” Chris Lemke, general manager of WCSG in Grand Rapids, Mich., agrees. “It’s a great tool for us to use. It’s brief, yet it’s effective. It’s a great little package, packing a lot into 60 seconds, but Ron has a way of doing it—he cuts right to the chase. We’re thrilled to have his program!” Jim Kirkland, general manager of WMIT/Blue Ridge Broadcasting in Black Mountain, N.C., describes Cline’s style as “simple, yet compelling. The stories he shares about people making a difference are pure inspiration. I count his program a highlight of our daily ministry to listeners.” Although officially retired, Cline says he’s eager to keep hosting the program as long as he’s able and the demand is there. “I’ll do it as long as it’s worthwhile,” he said. “As long as it’s encouraging people to do something special with their lives, we’ll keep producing it. There’s certainly no lack of stories, and it’s a great forum to present what God is doing around the world.” (HCJB World Radio) |
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