SEND! magazine Fourth Quarter 2007: The Right Message at the Right Time

The Right Message at the Right Time

"Jesus said, 'If you do not speak, the stones will speak,' " says Narayan Sharma, Gospel for Asia's national leader in Nepal. "Radio parts are made from silicon—that's sand—and sand is from stone. So Jesus is telling us, 'If you are not sharing the Gospel, then the radios are going to share the Gospel.' I think this is very relevant to what's happening in our country, and I am going to do what Jesus said."

Narayan understands the value of GFA Radio broadcasts in his country, one that has been ravaged by more than a decade of civil fighting that has claimed close to 14,000 lives. In this mountainous land still marred by tension between rising subfactions, radio penetrates areas that are difficult for missionaries to reach.

GFA Radio broadcasts have a potential listening audience of more than half the country. And the listener response has been incredible. One man shared that his whole city had been impacted through the broadcast. Many who heard it began to seek out church congregations in their local areas.

Across South Asia, GFA Radio's 113 broadcasts (in 103 languages) receive more than 80,000 listener responses each month—a testimony to lives being impacted on a daily basis. Some call or write in to GFA's correspondence department nearest them, while others share their hearts in person.

The reasons for responding are as varied as the people. Some request prayer or seek counsel. Others share encouraging testimonies of how God ministered to them through the broadcast. Still others deeply yearn to know more about the Jesus they heard about on the radio. Each person receives a heartfelt response covered in prayer.

GFA missionaries often receive further encouraging feedback from the broadcasts. In many areas of South Asia, including remote parts of Nepal, GFA Radio broadcasts penetrate areas before missionaries can travel there. Sometimes a "radio church" is started as people receive Christ and are discipled through the regular broadcasts. They may gather faithfully each week—and when a GFA missionary reaches their village, he finds a "ready-made" church.

"This door has been opened for us in a very miraculous way," Narayan shares, "and we thank God for this wonderful opportunity. We believe our radio programs are bringing the right message at the right time to honor and propagate the love of Christ."

Read more about how lives are being impacted daily through GFA Radio.