1. In 1998 FEBC’s Chinese broadcasters organized two Praise and Thanksgiving festivals (special programs) in the Radio Church series. It lasted for a whole week. Every day they had one hour to express praise and thanks to their Heavenly Father together with their audience by using hymns and short messages. This was a kind of celebration and the response was good. They are considering adding similar programs to encourage listeners to worship and pass on the Good News.
2. FEBC Korea has done a lot of work with choral music, sponsoring choir festivals and putting these on the air or streaming via the Internet.

3. In the Philippines we find one of the best models of what can be done through praise music.

   The Papuri! (Praise!) project was set up in 1979 to encourage the development of authentic musical expressions of Christian faith within the Filipino culture. For too long the Filipino church had depended on western music.

   FEBC-Philippines staff felt the time had come for change (this, by the way, does not only apply to the Philippines!). Project organisers encouraged Filipino Christians to write their own songs in a national competition. A panel selected the best fourteen entries from around 300 submitted. Accomplished musicians arranged the music and the resulting songs were recorded in the FEBC music studio. A cassette album, launched at a series of concerts, was compiled from the winning entries and was accompanied by a songbook with complete music and lyrics. This became an annual event. The cassette albums are sold in department store chains and other outlets throughout the Philippines, and among Filipino migrant workers in the Middle East.

   The quality of music, style and depth of expression improved and changed over the years. In the beginning the music tended to reflect personal testimony. Since then, the range has widened to include themes such as praise and worship, missions, Christmas and children's music. Sometimes, in response to certain social trends in the nation, the competition was based on a central theme. For example, during the turbulent years of political and social unrest in the Philippines in the mid-1980s, the 1986 Papuri! theme was ‘The Sufficiency of God.’ In 1989, a new emphasis on praise and worship music brought about the start of the Salmo series. This resulted in 7 albums of contemporary choruses that churches were quickly able to integrate into their services.

   Popularity of the music also prompted the development of an award-winning radio program of the same name. This program was made available to other radio stations and helped them satisfy the government requirement for a daily minimum of original Filipino music. Another by-product of the project has been the concerts it spawned in local churches. Papuri! singers formed themselves into an association. They are drawn from both FEBC and non-FEBC staff and are guaranteed a minimum number of performances a year. Churches contact FEBC, requesting Papuri! singers to perform at special events such as anniversaries.

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Last updated 15 Jul 2009