Ed and Wayne discuss the major challenges of 2020 and how God guided FEBC through this difficult year. We’ll hear stories from around the world about life change through the Gospel. You won’t want to miss a powerful story how COVID-19 shaped the spiritual growth of a man in China.…Until All Have Heard.
Podcast Transcript
[Ed]…So many people, I think, Wayne, are looking at 2020 and saying, “I’m so glad it’s over,” with all the political unrest around the world, and of course, the coronavirus, but I take a little bit different approach, what can we learn by the experiences we’ve had in this most unusual year? I think there are no accidents, and God’s trying to speak to each of our hearts in a different way about all this stuff. I know FEBC will not be the same next year as it has been in the past because of what we’ve learned, what we do differently, and in many cases, Wayne, so many more people are listening on different platforms that we’ve kind of innovated because of this opportunity.
[Wayne] Yes. With the coronavirus topping the news almost constantly now for many months, there are some stories around the world that have not received enough attention, I don’t believe…and we have a testimony from a listener I want everyone to hear. It’s voiced by one of our Chinese broadcasters. We call him Joshua Sun. Let’s listen as he tells the story of this listener.
[Prerecorded Testimony] “In 1990, when I was a senior high student, I heard the voice of FEBC on my radio and came to know Jesus Christ. At a high school graduation, I thought of going to a seminary to prepare myself for full-time service, but that did not happen. I drifted away from God for worldly things and, as a result, suffered much anguish, torment, and pain. I thank the Lord for looking after me and hearing my prayers in times of difficulties, saving me from danger and misery. I fully know that it was I who deserted God, but He never deserted me. Thank God, because of this coronavirus pandemic in 2020, I isolated myself at home and from the world. The Holy Spirit moved me to come back to God once again and, thus, received much grace from Him. Leading the whole family to know God was the greatest joy and satisfaction I and my family can enjoy. Praise the Lord. You would never abandon even one, and You always take care of smallest lamb, not to lose even one. Hallelujah, praise the Lord, and thank you FEBC for preaching the gospel in all of China.”
[Ed] What a wonderful story. I love listening to the testimonies of people whose lives are changed by the Gospel of Jesus Christ. What a privilege it is for FEBC to even have a small part of that miraculous transformation. This listener, Wayne, like many that we’ve heard of during the coronavirus, turned back to God. We don’t know for sure that it was because of the radio, but we know so many people in this isolation period had no other voice to listen to, yet the faithful broadcasters of FEBC are always there. Our radio broadcaster continuing to go out and penetrate into even the most isolated of lives through barriers of walls, governments, and nothing stops these radio broadcast. Like this man, many are alone, scared, anxious, maybe walking away from God, and the radio is the voice that brings them back to home.
[Wayne] We know that because – this is just one story. Can you put any number at all on how many responses we get out of China for instance?
[Ed] Out of China, we used to measure our responses by the number of handwritten letters we received. Of course, over time, that’s transitioned to emails and now to text messages and to following, but the last year, we just measured handwritten letters. It was 879,000…We have most recently started evaluating text messages and messages on social media. The most recent number that we’ve seen is 12 million per month…It is astounding. We see numbers of people going to the web, numbers of people downloading our social media apps, and a number of people following regularly on social media. So, the number really isn’t the goal to us…Our goal is to hear stories like the one you just heard where someone’s life is actually transformed by the gospel, and that’s the message that we’re focusing on getting out…
[Wayne] Here’s another note, email, I assume, that comes from China. “FEBC distributes radios to our church free of charge. After receiving a radio, I started listening to the programs. Through the radio, God’s Word taught me, accompanied me, and led me through the most painful days of my life.”
[Ed] You know, our broadcasters understand full well that because our broadcasts contain the powerful message of the gospel, it will have the effect that God wants it to when people hear it. But in many cases, the limitation to people hearing that message on the radio is that they don’t have a radio. So, it’s not a core part of our ministry; however, we do distribute radios, especially to places where we know there’s very few listeners. When one radio is given out, what we find is hundreds of people respond because they’re listening in groups. They share the radio. They find other ways to get radios, and it just expands our ministry significantly…
[Ed] …Well, as we wrap up this 2020 year, this year of unusual life all around the world. Let us pray that next year would be a year of opportunity. Maybe less difficulty and more glorious presence of God through the radio and in the lives of many people. So let’s pray that 2021 be the year of the Lord, a year of revelation, and revival all around the world so that many can come to know His Son, Jesus Christ.
[Wayne]We’re with you on that, Ed. Thanks to everyone for your support of the Far East Broadcasting Company. Thank you for listening. Pass the word along about this podcast, “Until All Have Heard.” We’d love to have others join us as well. Thanks for listening to “Until All Have Heard” from the Far East Broadcasting Company. More information at FEBC.org.
