60% of the world’s population lives in Asia Pacific, and many of the countries are closed to traditional missionary activity. But radio is changing lives as local believers and church planters have a passion to initiate radio ministries for evangelism and discipleship in their communities throughout Asia and the island nations of the Pacific.
Beginning with Shortwave
Our radio ministry to Asia Pacific began in 1961 when Japanese-language broadcasts were beamed around the world via shortwave from Ecuador to Japan. Broadcasts still continue, now transmitted from Australia, and are also available on the Internet.
Continuing with Local Partners
Since 1992, HCJB Global has been “radio planting” worldwide – in partnership with indigenous Christian organizations. We come alongside these local believers and mobilize them to begin missionary radio ministries by conducting training in how to produce effective evangelism and discipleship programs, the technical skills of broadcasting, and administration and leadership skills. We assist them to secure the necessary equipment, provide technical advice and installation – and then celebrate together as they go on the air.
HCJB Global started partnering with national Christians in this region in the mid-1990s. Since that time, we have collaborated with partners in Indonesia, Thailand, Nepal, Cambodia, Chuuk, Fiji, the Marshall Islands Papua New Guinea, Samoa and American Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Yap and several unnamed countries.
Current Opportunities
More recently, opportunities for Christian-operated community FM radio stations have blossomed in places that have surprised us.
We have helped plant 12 new stations and upgraded others in the past two years. Our partners have a vision to plant 100 stations throughout the country, engaging all of the provinces in the country as part of a larger church planting movement.
With 7 partners, HCJB Global has helped to launch more than 50 FM community stations among least-reached people.
We have worked to plant six stations with believers around this country, and a network of partners have a vision for 20 more!
HCJB Global’s SonSet® Radios program sponsors hand-held, solar-powered radios that are digitally fix-tuned to the frequency of our local Christian partner’s FM radio station. The local radio staff then distributes these “portable missionaries” in remote villages, to poor households who cannot afford radios, to places without electricity and to people who are isolated in prisons and hospitals. Over 9,550 of these radios have been distributed in Asia Pacific since 2006.
Impact of Radio Partnerships in Asia Pacific
We truly see radio as the gateway to Asia Pacific both for evangelism and discipleship and are thrilled with this opportunity to partner with Christ-followers throughout the region and to see the harvests resulting from the radio ministries that have been launched.
