1. In one Asian country, several churches were planted due to an agricultural program that contained no religious content or reference to Christianity. Farmers began listening to Christian programs before and after the agriculture program. A local pastor reported that he was now welcome in the farmers' community because he was known as the friend of the program producer. As part of a co-ordinated, balanced, program schedule community development programs can have a significant impact.

2. FEBC’s Chinese broadcasts strategically avoid putting emphasis on the practice of making English-teaching programs. But they never abandoned it completely. In 1999 they were supplied with Let's Talk in English by ORTV — Overseas Radio And Television in Taipei. They also designed a Chinese-English bilingual program J A Club in order to respond to the needs of this generation. This program was hosted by an American and a Chinese, and English sacred songs are being played in the program. The two program hosts share comment on the lyrics and make discussion relevant to their listeners.

3. The classic example of this in FEBC has been the long-standing Bible School curriculum that has been taught to Christians in China since 1980. After careful research and planning the 3-year Village Bible School (VBS) was put on-air on both medium– and short-wave for two hours each night. Four courses were taught at the rate of three lessons per week and repeated the following evening. Literature and cassette materials used to maximise the teaching were distributed inside China to those who enrolled. After two cycles VBS was upgraded to a 4-year course under the name of Voice of Friendship Seminary (VFS).

   The curriculum of VFS keeps on improving to adapt to the needs of the churches in China and the current situation. In 1995 it was shortened into a two-year certificate course. In the beginning of 1998, there were already 63 lay leaders who had finished the certificate course. They were awarded a certificate and a Bible with study aids to encourage them. In every quarter, these students had to mail their examination papers to the station and the papers were then marked and commented on by co-workers.

   The project has been a co-operative one from the start as FEBC has worked with other Christian organisations (which also provided program materials).

4. FEBC’s Chinese department receives a number of letters indicating that some of their listeners came to know more about Christian faith and were converted to Jesus Christ through listening to Voice of Friendship Seminary. In the mainland of China, there were many scholars and intellectuals who organized Bible study groups spontaneously. They studied the Bible on their own without the help of a believer. These groups were especially popular after the Tien An Men Square incident in 1989. Similar Bible study programs to guide those in the audience who really seek the truth are also being produced. At the time of writing Bible and Living and In Search of Life perform this role.

   Churches in China rely heavily on FEBC’s broadcasts and take their teachings as the standard and a plumb–line for discerning heresies. The broadcast team see their mission as being to correctly handle the word of truth. This means keeping up-to-date: many of the expository sermons and exegesis programs of Radio Church were produced long ago. It is necessary to constantly renew them to suit the current needs of today.

5. In the refugee camps of Southeast Asia following the Vietnam War there were frequent problems among the new believers. Hmong pastors would write to FEBC asking for teaching that would address the issues — in the knowledge that what was taught by radio had high credibility.

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Last updated 15 Jul 2009