“‘Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,’ which is translated, ‘God with us.'” Matthew 1:23 NKJV
When you realize who He is, you will understand why He came.
“Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” John 1:29 NKJV
On Christmas Eve 1906, wireless operators for the United Fruit Company and those for the U.S. Navy suddenly heard a human voice through their headphones, followed by singing and a violin solo. For the first time in history, Reginald Fessenden successfully transmitted voice and music over the air. He read the Biblical account of the birth of Christ from Luke chapter 2.
Reports were received from ships along the Atlantic Northeast coast and from shore stations as far south as Norfolk, Virginia.
Easter Sunday, April 20, 1930, was the inaugural of series of one-hour inspirational programs over Columbia Broadcasting System, the first time in radio history that an evangelist had utilized time over a network of stations. The program featured Paul Rader (Chicago Gospel Tabernacle pastor) as speaker, a chorus of 225 voices and a concert band of 42, and Homer Rodeheaver as trombone soloist.
In many cities, church auditoriums were equipped with radio receivers and opened to the public for the sunrise hour broadcast.
A ministry of the Evansville Rescue Mission, Camp Reveal opened at sunrise that Easter with loudspeakers installed to receive the program over Columbia Broadcasting System.
My senior year in high school (1949), I was invited to sing and speak on a live radio broadcast called “Echoes of Grace” over station WVMC, from 7:30 to 8:00 AM every Saturday.
“Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is no work or device or knowledge or wisdom in the grave where you are going.” Ecclesiastes 9:10 NKJV
In August 1961, sitting on a sand dune overlooking Lake Michigan at the Maranatha Bible Conference (originally founded by Paul Rader) with Dave Breese and Ken Anderson, Ken said, “The most opportune time to share the Gospel with the greatest results is during Holy Week – Palm Sunday through Easter.”
My major purpose in life is to communicate Christianity creatively. Telling The TRUTH to/through teenagers: winning them to Christ and training them for Christ, teaching them how to share their faith through their local churches, on their campuses, throughout their communities, and into their world, wherever God leads them in their future.
In 1969, putting together an evangelistic campaign that was to begin Easter Sunday at Evansville’s Roberts Stadium with Bill Glass, John Dunn and I met. He was handling publicity, and I was coordinating the youth involvement.
When asked why TTT did not have a regular local radio broadcast, my answer was that we did not have the finances. We were broadcasting over Milwaukee’s WBON free, compliments of Milwaukee Youth for Christ, directed by Vic Eliasen, and which later became “Wisconsin’s Voice of Christian Youth”, and now VCY America. But there was a charge to broadcast on Evansville stations. John Dunn challenged: “If a 30-minute time slot would be made available from 7:30 to 8 AM on Sunday mornings, how soon could you begin?” My answer: “Next Sunday.” John replied: “That’s too soon. could you begin one week from Sunday?” So we began broadcasting live on WROZ the following Sunday, and I drove to downtown Evansville to the studio above the Farmer’s Daughter restaurant each week, broadcasting every Sunday morning live for 11 years.
Every December Saturday, we celebrate Jesus at TTT. Saturday, January 4 begins the new year 2025. February 1, God willing, is to be TTT’s 59th birthday. March 1 through May 3 is “Hosanna Highway” presenting God’s redemption plan week by week. Hosanna Saturday is to be April 5, commemorating the week that changed everything for everyone: Palm Sunday to the betrayal, the cross, and the resurrection!
Telling The TRUTH daily radio broadcast is aired on 69 VCY America network stations, reaching listeners in 25 states. It also can be heard over WSJD, Mt Carmel, Illinois, and anywhere, anytime via podcast.
The message is the birth, the life, the death, the burial, and the resurrection of Jesus. God will be with you when you admit you have sinned and ask Him to forgive you, when you “believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.” Who will you tell that God is with us during Christmastime 2024?