WASHINGTON, DC— On October 23, NRB Membership presented an exclusive webinar featuring three NRB members who recently collaborated to bring the Gospel to areas in Kenya via 1,000 handheld radios tuned to local Christian stations and loaded with audio Bibles and Christian teaching.

NRB membership director Melissa Sturgis was joined by Roger Lonnquist, president and general manager of Your Network of Praise (YNOP)/New Life Africa Networks; Bonnie Sala, president & CEO of Guidelines International; and Tim Whitehead, executive director of Galcom International Inc. Canada.

The leaders shared insight and advice on innovating to advance the Gospel through media and leading successful collaborations with likeminded organizations.

At the 2023 NRB Convention, Lonnquist and his Africa director met with the operators of Pearl and Lulu FM, local Christian stations in Kenya, who approached YNOP with the need for more radios to receive their programming. Immediately, Lonnquist took the next step of reaching out to Sala for content and Whitehead for the devices. Whitehead was also attending the 2023 NRBConvention, so when Lonnquist approached him on the exhibit floor, “I said yes right away, because that’s why we exist—to help radio ministries,” Whitehead said.

The collaboration—composed of Sala providing the teaching content, Lonnquist handling the translation and distribution, and Whitehead supplying the necessary devices—has proven to be a perfect fit. This partnership has been effective in enhancing joint capabilities and filling gaps where organizations may otherwise be unable to accomplish such a project alone.

The areas in Kenya where they distributed radios face a variety of barriers to the Gospel, like illiteracy, untrained pastors, limited churches, persecution, and terrorism, making these devices especially indispensable. Each radio was priced around $34, with Galcom underwriting half the cost of the project and YNOP and Guidelines covering the remaining portion. YNOP also took care of the shipping expenses.

“We’re just trying to kind of fill in needs as we see them,” Lonnquist said. Recognizing a lack of short-form Swahili programming, he approached Sala to access Guidelines’ concise Bible teachings of five minutes or less that would be readily accessible to listeners. This month, YNOP will have successfully translated 700 episodes of Sala’s program.

Lonnquist shared how YNOP started 40 years ago as only one small station in rural Montana and through a leap of faith and God’s grace, has since grown to about 80 stations in the US along with broadcasting in Africa from two satellite radio channels broadcasting in Swahili, French, and English.

Sala highlighted Guidelines International’s 60+ years of ministry, having the longest-running five-minute program in Christian radio. They specialize in producing short audio devotionals which they give to translators to produce and share around the world in over 25 languages.

“We work through partnerships to reach the unreached and to encourage and equip new believers and those who are living under persecution,” Sala said. “We are all about assisting and coming alongside and advocating for our brothers and sisters in Christ that have these media ministries trying to reach people in their heart language.”

Whitehead shared stories from Galcom’s 35-year history, having distributed 1.6 million solar-powered fixed-tuned radios with mp3 capability around the world, from Greenland to Indonesia. Whitehead contributed this technology for the collaboration project.

“There are thousands of Christian radio ministries all over the world, doing their best to get the Gospel out,” said Whitehead, “and we believe radio is the most efficient way to do it. One person with the right equipment can reach tens of thousands of people with the Gospel if they only have ears to hear.” He shared that Galcom can provide any number of radios a ministry might need, whether that be 20 or 20,000 handhelds.

The leaders provided helpful guidance for anyone hoping to break into global outreach with their ministries.

Lonnquist spoke toward organizations that might be hesitant to take the plunge of going global with their ministry, worrying about finances or audience engagement. In fact, he found that listeners donated more when they heard about the global partnership opportunity and were excited to join the vision and pray for the mission.

“It creates a very special dynamic between the station and its listeners,” Lonnquist said. “Now we’re partnering together to go and carry out the Great Commission in a special way.”

“It’s really important to just stand back and think about the why,” Sala emphasized. “As broadcasters, you have an incredibly powerful opportunity to build the kingdom by expanding the worldviews of your listeners. And this is something that Roger has done at YNOP in such an exciting way. He has given his listeners incredible missional awareness, the joy of Great Commission living.”

The leaders point out that global outreach projects come in various forms and sizes, making them accessible to individuals and organizations of all backgrounds and abilities. They encouraged all participants to attend the Great Commission forum on Monday, February 24, at the 2025 NRB Convention, where they will be available to make introductions and facilitate new connections.

NRB members have exclusive access to the full webinar recording.

Galcom International has been an NRB member since 2008. Guidelines International has been an NRB member since 1977. Your Network of Praise (YNOP)/New Life Africa Networks has been an NRB member since 1993, and Lonnquist is a member of the NRB Executive Committee and the NRB President’s Council.

Read more news on Non Profit / Faith Based Organizations, Radio and Christian Broadcast Ministry on Missions Box.