NRB
Calendar
of Events

June 13-16, 2004
Midwestern NRB
St. Paul, MN

July 22-24, 2004
Southwestern NRB
Dallas, TX

August 29-31, 2004
Western NRB
San Diego, CA

September 23-25, 2004
Eastern NRB
Philadelphia, PA

October 7-10, 2004
Fellowship of European Broadcasters
Bratislava, Slovakia

October 27-29, 2004
Southeastern NRB
Asheville, NC

February 11-16, 2005
NRB 2005
Anaheim, CA

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Inside this Edition: March 17, 2004                              Vol. 7   Issue 10

Sharing Christ in Northwest Michigan
News From Washington:
Powell To Accelerate DTV
News from FEB

Precept Ministries Dedicates New World Communications Center

NRB Member News:
Peter Warren Passed Away
Annual MovieGuide Awards March 24
Puerto Rico Stations Streaming Live
E-Store Book of the Week

It's the kind of story that we all like to hear. Churches uniting together with one purpose and one goal: to further the spread of the Gospel, reaching out to the lost in their own communities. This story is unique to NRB in that it involves a partnership of local ministries, backed with the broadcasting power of local Christian Radio station WLJN-FM/Traverse City, MI.

Just a little over three years ago a group of Christians in Northwest Michigan decided to get together with the specific purpose of mailing out 100,000 JESUS videos to area residents. It was part of Campus Crusade's JESUS Video Project America (JVPA) and quickly became a successful model for the desired goal of distributing an additional 3.5 million videos to the entire state. The Northwest project covered a six county region, with more than 150 churches supporting the effort in some way. In all, $260,000 was raised for the mass mailing, an incredible accomplishment noted by many in the community. However, early on in the endeavor volunteers became discouraged with the massive task at hand and they began to drop out of the project en masse. During this same period of time Doug Van Dyke (pictured above), of The Navigators, says that he felt a strong urging of God to help out. In 2002, as Executive Director of the Northwest Michigan JESUS Ministry (NMJM), Van Dyke took over the reins of the entire project. He stated that this new ministry "helped develop an infrastructure and mobilized area churches in a manner never before experienced. In many cases, this [JESUS] video represented the first time people have been able to hear the accurate story of who Jesus is." 

Van Dyke admits that the project  was dead in the water until he received a call from NRB member station WLJN. In particular, WLJN's GM, Brian Harcey (pictured left) and its Program/News Director Pete Lathrop were very interested to help in any way. Lathrop encouraged Van Dyke, sharing the important role that radio could play in helping muster community support. Harcey and Lathrop invited him to be a guest on both their morning show and mid-day programs. Lathrop also encouraged Van Dyke to record 60 second PSAs that aired 4-5 times daily to reinforce the importance of the JESUS video project. In essence, Van Dyke says, the radio presence rallied the troops and by August 2002 all 100,000 videos had been mailed out.

The immediate goal after the mailing was to help local churches learn how to welcome new believers into their congregations. WLJN once again stepped up, offering to Van Dyke its facility, the Good News Ministry Christian Center, for conducting courses in evangelism, follow-up and other sessions. Harcey says that the vision for their building is an "education center for the community, with future hopes of use for financial training and teaching, besides the discipleship training currently existing. We want to work with churches, helping to train and educate in any way possible."

The partnership between NMJM and WLJN continues today. WLJN offers its facility for training local pastors and lay people in effective ways of reaching their communities for Christ. Van Dyke tells Inside NRB that more than 150 people have been trained. This week he is leading Evangelism as a Process. WLJN continues to put out PSAs. In addition to people coming to Christ through these efforts, local pastors are coming together to pray for and with each other. Looking back on the last few years, Van Dyke says, "It is highly motivational to see how the body of Christ has come together." He indicated that NMJM has become a role model not only for all JESUS video projects, but also as an example of how local churches and Christian radio can effectively work together. For more information on this article, e-mail dvandyke@chartermi.net or brianh@wljn.com. For more information regarding the JESUS Video Project America, log on to www.jesusvideo.org.
 

Powell Wants to Accelerate DTV Transition
According to Broadcasting & Cable, FCC Chairman Michael Powell wants to "greatly accelerate the transition to all-digital TV and bring closer the day when broadcasters' old analog channels are reclaimed by the government and auctioned for billions of dollars to wireless companies and others developing cutting-edge services." The article from March 14 says that many television stations could be forced to give up their analog signals sooner than expected. Powell also has plans that would redefine the 85% level currently required for the analog takeback. At the present time, only those Americans who have purchased DTV sets or equipment are counted toward the government's 85% goal. Powell's thinking now suggests that Americans would be counted when their "'stations' DTV broadcasts have been converted by cable or satellite companies from the old analog format." This would greatly accelerate the takeback. B&C says, however, that talk on the Hill indicates a less than 50% chance of this meeting congressional approval. 

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Precept Ministries Dedicates New State-of-the-Art Media Center
Precept Ministries International dedicated its new World Communications Center, located on the existing 32-acre campus in Chattanooga, TN, on March 14. Co-founders Jack and Kay Arthur, along with their staff, dedicated the new facility to the glory of God for television, radio and Web content production in many languages. Their ministry goal remains the same, teaching people how to study the Bible for themselves. The 14,000-square-foot building contains state-of-the-art digital studios for audio and video programming, plus editing and working stations for the staff of Precepts for Life (NRB 2003 Best Television Program of the Year). The ministry's daily radio programs air on more than 850 stations across the U.S.

Fiber optic and satellite hook-up capabilities in the new building will speed up distribution of programs and allow for live feeds when needed. Precepts VP of Media & Technology Joe Sindorf said, "I am thankful for the great team working on this project ... and I am grateful to Precept Ministries' worldwide family for giving sacrificially to bring this vision to reality. We dedicated this World Communications Center to the glory of God, to carry the message of His Word around the world." Precept Ministries International is now working in 119 countries with materials in 67 languages. For more information, email ksindorf@precept.org.

Well Known LPTV Member With Christ
Pete Warren passed away March 13 after falling through the attic of his daughter's home in Dallas, TX. Apparently, he was helping her install an antenna. Although NRB HQ has limited details at this point, the funeral will be held on Friday (details below). NRB Chairman/CEO Glenn Plummer, among others, knew Warren well. He shares these thoughts, "Pete was a broadcast engineer who helped many Christian television broadcasters get on the air, including helping me get my first TV station on the air in July of 1991. He also helped Christian Television Network with its fourth FCC TV license in New Orleans. This news is so sad." Warren's wife, Sarah, was with him when the tragedy occurred.

The funeral will take place on Friday, March 19 at Coronado Baptist Church: 501 Thunderbird, El Paso, TX  79912.  

Annual MovieGuide Awards March 24 in Los Angeles
The Christian Film and Television Commission's 2004 annual MovieGuide Awards program will take place March 24 in Los Angeles. This year's ceremony will be hosted by Entertainment Tonight weekend anchor Mark Steines, along with his wife, former Miss America Leanza Cornett. CFTC says that the 12th annual MovieGuide Awards "continues to present a symbol of excellence and merit to the films, television productions, producers, directors, writers, studio executives and creative talent that best extol moral values and Christian principles while in pursuit of entertainment." Rebecca St. James will be the first artist to perform at this event. CFTC was founded by NRB Board Member Dr. Ted Baehr in 1978. The program will be taped for later airing on PAX TV. For more information, log on to www.movieguide.org.

Puerto Rico's WBMJ-WIVV Now Streaming Live
Calvary Evangelistic Mission's WBMJ-AM/WIVV-AM in San Juan, PR, is now streaming their broadcasts live on the Web. The group's VP/COO Janet Lutrell says that as they are developing their Web presence, the live-stream is one of the first steps. Listen by logging on to www.therockradio.org.
 

WRBS-FM, Baltimore, is seeking a Sales Manager to lead a dynamic and growing team of Account Executives. Responsibilities include creating/implementing the sales plan; account list mgmt, AE recruitment and training, creating sales packages, managing and tracking revenue projections, and conducting sales meetings. We're looking for a spiritually mature evangelical Christian with both spiritual and business leadership skills and abilities. E-mail resume and cover letter to: Steve Lawhon, GM at: slawhon@wrbs.com. WRBS is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Women and minorities are encouraged to apply.

The Fellowship of European Broadcasters (FEB) will hold its annual conference at the City Hotel in Bratislava, Slovakia, October 7 - 14. Some of the speakers include: Dr. Jan Juran, Chief of the Division of Religious Affairs/Slovakian Department of Culture; Ignatius Meimaris, Director of Interbalken Institute for Education and Economic Development in Greece; Peter Senger, Director of Marketing for Deutsche Welle and Chairman of Digital Radio Mondiale in Germany; Peter Blackman, Director of the Churches Media Council; and Jeff Fountain, Regional Director of YWAM Europe. FEB is encouraging early registration online at www.feb.org.

Act now to reserve space in the June issue! Get potential clients thinking about your services, products and programs. Share your ministry milestone anniversary with our industry in NRB Magazine as well. The contract deadline for the June issue is April 9. Discounts available. Contact Steve Cross now to plan your ad strategy for the summer: 703-330-7000, ext. 518, or scross@nrb.org.

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For more information, go the NRB e-Store at www.nrb.org. For great discounts on other products use the special NRB member log-in info found in the side bar of this newsletter.