God At Work In Vietnam

The first time I met Vietnamese pastor Rev. Dinh Thien Tu, “Pastor Elisha”, was about 3 years ago when he came to meet Joe Stowell at Moody Bible Institute. I bumped into David Hunt and Pastor Elisha that day and they instantly showed me a map of Vietnam which indicated that the place where the Vietnamese church was growing the fastest was in the same place where the persecution since 1975 had been the greatest. THAT got my attention.

Then, in April of 2007, I got to go to Vietnam with David, who grew up as a missionary kid there, and see Pastor Elisha on his home turf. It's an amazing church in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) with over 2000 member churches all over the country and spreading into Laos and Cambodia. Miraculously in late 2007, the communist government of Vietnam officially recognized this underground church and gave it legal status. The church Pastor Elisha went to jail for following the communist takeover is now legally recognized and continues to grow without compromise, even printing Bibles with permission. A significant factor in this growth has been its children's evangelistic ministry. For more see Envoy Ministries.

Well, I spent all day Friday with Pastor Elisha and his family in Wheaton. They came to Chicago to attend their daughter's graduation from Moody (another miracle story). It was a full and rewarding day as we were invited to sit with the news editors of Christianity Today for an interview, escort Pastor Elisha to Tyndale Publishing where he spoke in an employee chapel, and finally to my studio where Joe Carlson produced a series of interviews on the topic of "A Theology of Suffering" for use on the Moody Broadcasting Network in the future.

This Vietnamese brother and his wife are choice servants of Christ. Someday, we'll know the full price they and countless others have paid on behalf the Gospel.

God At Work In India

When you do audio interviews, many times you never get to meet the person you are talking to face-to-face. Sometimes they are on the phone or on an ISDN studio line. However, yesterday, Ralph Borde came to my office so we could finally meet. Ralph has been a guest on "In The Studio With Michael Card" several times. He is a very gifted young man whom God has called to the ministry of church planting, orphan care, child development, and micro enterprise develpment in India. He gave up a good and promising career at Motorola in order to be obedient to the call.

Ralph has founded Charasia which late last December opened their second orphanage, Faith Children's Home. The amazing thing is that this home is specifically designed to rescue children directly out of the Red Light District. He told me yesterday that even girls as young as 3 are targeted and held in bondage for the purpose of sexual slavery.

To hear our latest interview with Ralph and Michael Card, go here and click on program #309, dated 03/01/08.

How can you not admire people like Ralph who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose?

The New Adventures

As of today I have to change the name of this blog from “Adventures In Radio” to “Adventures in Audio”. Why? Well, the alliteration IS better. But that’s not the only reason. I got thinking about this while participating in a Dan O’Day tele-conference call with voiceover legends Pat Fraley and Dick Orkin. Towards the end of the call, Dick mentioned that even though his company is named “Radio Ranch”, digital technology has opened all kinds of new doors that have nothing to do with radio. I should know this as well as anybody. Since starting my company, all kinds of opportunities have cropped up that, when you stop and think about it, have little or nothing to do with radio. I don’t think radio is going away, but it’s exciting to add podcasts, audiobooks, Internet streaming, and who knows what else down the pike to what we do. As the old saying goes, “I’m not in the railroad business, I’m in the transportation business”. As for me and my house, we're in the audio business.

Out Of Season

Early in my broadcasting career, a tornado tore through the community where Becky and I lived and worked for WCDR radio. Soon after the storm blew past, I jumped into the station's news truck (really just a Ford Econoline van) and drove into Xenia, Ohio where the damage was the greatest. That was my first experience of figuring out what it meant to be a broadcaster in the midst of tragedy.

Many years later, on September 11, 2001, I was in my office when the nation was struck by terrorists. I spent the next several days working with the team at Moody Broadcasting and anchoring much of Moody's coverage of that event. One listener responded by saying that they first turned to the all news station to get the facts, then quickly returned to Christian radio to get God's perspective on the crisis.

I thought of all this as I've been listening to NPR's coverage of the earthquake in China. "All Things Considered" hosts Robert Siegel and Melissa Block are in Sichuan Province covering the massive earthquake. Not knowing that an earthquake was about to happen, the hosts were in Chengdu with producers Andrea Hsu and Art Silverman when the earth shook. They were preparing for a special week of China coverage that had been planned for next week, but quickly transitioned to coverage of the crisis. I haven't heard all of their reports yet, but plan to listen to as much online as I can. Their blog, Chengdu Diary, is extremely interesting and informative.

This is a good reminder to me and all broadcasters that we need to be prepared at all times. Paul told Timothy, "preach the word; be ready in season and out of season". Whether we are preaching or merely reporting, as broadcasters we sure need to be ready at all times to serve listeners, even when it catches us out of season.

May God comfort those who are suffering unbearable pain and loss this week.

Important Myanmar and China Updates

I just completed recording two interviews with David Hunt of Envoy Ministries which will be posted at their website later today.

First, regarding China's earthquake, not a lot is known at this point except that there has been a tremendous loss of life in the Sichuan Province and devastating damage. There is a large Christian population in the region, so as soon as communications lines are re-established, we should find out more from our friends in the house church movement. Funds are being collected now for aid and Envoy has committed 100% of what is designated for China will go there.

There is significant news coming out of Myanmar. David Hunt has been in constant contact with a Burmese pastor who has met with some of the military leaders and the Minister of Health. They have given their permission for aid by air and sea to be delivered to the church in Burma for distribution. This is a much needed window and Samaritan's Purse has already prepared an air shipment to be sent in through this channel. This will be a huge challenge for the Body of Christ in Burma, but think of the grateful people who are helped by their own Christian neighbors! Once again, anything gift given to Envoy will go in its entirety to the Myanmar relief effort and to those things the church is requesting.

These interviews will appear on the Envoy Ministries website later today and will be updated each day as new information reaches us. Any radio station who would like to make use of the audio interviews may do so as they have been posted to an ftp site. If you need access to the files, please email me at wshepherd@ameritech.net and I will give you the site and password.

That's What Friends Do

I first met Tom Sabella last September at the Making A Difference banquet in Cleveland when he came with his long-time friend, Phil Keaggy. Turns out that Tom, Phil, and Dave Zanotti (THE PUBLIC SQUARE) have a long history together. Somehow, I think I've only heard part of their story-- someday they will trust me enough to tell me the rest of the story :)

Tom is the man behind Page2Management and thoroughly knows the music business as you'll see when you visit his very cool website. Each time we get together, we enjoy sharing each other's connections and introducing each other to new friends.

Tom sent me a text message early Sunday about the passing of Dottie Rambo. So, when I got an email from another friend looking for a radio guest to talk about Dottie and her contribution to Gospel music, I knew exactly who to recommend. Tom came through with Terry Blackwood and Royce Taylor, two experienced voices in Southern Gospel Music. Tom has also blogged about the death of Dottie Rambo and you can read it here.

I hope you'll take some time to explore Tom's website, learn more about his book, and listen to the podcasts he offers, including Phil Keaggy's. It's great stuff.

Misery In Myanmar

I am so grateful to God that just before leaving Moody Broadcasting I got to know Dr. David Hunt as one of the many guests I interviewed. David grew up in Vietnam as a missionary kid and now is President of Envoy Ministries. Because of David, I now have had the privilege of traveling to Cuba, Vietnam, and China for a firsthand look at the Church in these countries. My global view and understanding of God at work in the world has increased significantly through our friendship.

The remarkable thing about David is the personal connections he has made in so many different countries. This week, there is no better example than when he made contact with a Burmese pastor who had made it out of the cyclone zone and into Bangkok, Thailand. Since the military rulers in Myanmar (Burma) will not allow and foreign visitors, even if they are bringing in relief supplies, many organizations and countries are frustrated. However, as David learned talking with this dear pastor, they will allow the churches of Myanmar to receive humanitarian aid for distribution-- and they have the approval of the Minister of Health to do so. David immediately started spreading the word to many Christian relief agencies that they could work with this trusted pastor to get much needed aid into the country. It is already making a difference tonight.

Envoy Ministries is sending cash and responding in other ways (purchasing chain saws and generators, for example). The church in Myanmar is also asking for a printing of THE MOST IMPORTANT STORY EVER TOLD as an evangelistic tool that they can use in addition to the humanitarian aid.

If you are looking for a place to send money-- online or otherwise--to assist Myanmar, I would urge you to consider Envoy Ministries at this critical time. David has pledged that 100% of what is received will be sent.

What Do We The People Do?

When I took my weekly trip to Cleveland this past Monday to host THE PUBLIC SQUARE radio program, I was aware of an issue that had surfaced a few days before in Ohio which, unfortunately, has national implications. On the heels of the resignation of the governor of New York for moral reasons, Ohio's Attorney General, Marc Dann, has admitted to an extra-martial affair. However, the difference in this case is that he refuses to do the honorable thing and resign his position. Even though Ohio's governor and members of Marc Dann's own political party have urged him to step down or face possible impeachment, and even though in campaigning for the office he explicitly invited voters to hold him to a high standard of conduct, Mr. Dann is stubbornly holding on. How should biblical Christians respond to issues such as this? This and many other issues are the things we deal with every day on THE PUBLIC SQUARE for a national audience. You can hear the program on this specific topic online. The complete archive of programs is here.

One thing that makes THE PUBLIC SQUARE so distinctive is not only the content, but also the fact that we usually feature at least 4 to 5 people around the mics representing different perspectives. The diversity, grounded in our common faith and biblical worldview, makes for great conversation and insight. It is a pleasure working with this team.

TV News and BILLY Movie

While I was on the production set of the Billy Graham movie last month in Watertown, TN, a Charlotte TV station sent one of their anchors, Jeff Campbell, and his cameraman to do a story on the making of the film. Dr. Graham, of course, is big news in Charlotte. Jeff's report aired last night and can be viewed online at WCNC's website.

There is also a slideshow of still photos, courtesy of Katherine Bomboy, the film's official photographer.

Will the BILLY Movie Be Authentic?

Filming is nearing the end in Tennessee for the movie about the early life of Dr. Billy Graham. The scene is being shot today when Dr. Graham, at a time when spiritual doubts were beginning to creep into his mind, decided to fully trust God and accept His Word as infallible.

One of the producers and the man who wrote the script for this movie, Bill McKay, was in Wheaton doing additional research at the Billy Graham Center this week. Bill came over to my studio and we sat down for a long conversation which I recorded for radio. You can hear the hour-long interview at wayneshepherd.net. It will be posted in the news window later today.

One of the first questions people ask me about the movie is whether or not it will be a true representation of the facts of Dr. Graham's life. In answering that question, Bill McKay told me of a meeting in 2000 he had in LA with Dr. Graham. Even though the movie was not being thought of at that time, Billy Graham made a statement that is guiding the producers today. He told Bill that his greatest concern towards the end of his life was that his image on film never eclipse that of Jesus. Bill took that to heart and vowed that this new movie will be authentic. Further, Bill told me that he and the other filmmakers are committed that no detail in this film about Dr. Graham's life between 1934 and 1949 would diminish him in any way or diminish the One he serves.

At this point, it is hoped that the film will be in theaters in September of '08. At that time we will see the results of this commitment to tell the story as it really happened.