Informing, Entertaining and Educating West Africa

French-speakers across West Africa are growing in faith through the Discipleship Essentials radio program. The program discusses church-related matters and doctrinal topics such as regeneration to encourage and equip local communities of believers. Read on to learn about the importance of radio in spreading God’s Word.

Happy World Radio Day! 
 
The theme of World Radio Day 2024 focuses on radio’s remarkable past, relevant present and promise of a dynamic future. At TWR Canada, we are praising God for over 50 years of distributing biblical information, sharing stories and providing spiritual education! TWR Canada’s ministry started with the most cutting-edge technology at the time, which was radio. Today, we continue to use the most appropriate technology, depending on where in the world we are reaching and what the people group’s spiritual needs call us to address. And in some places, that is radio, which continues to be an important part of how we speak hope to the world. 

UNESCO shares in their observations of World Radio Day that radio serves “as a grassroots catalyst for connectedness within underserved groups including immigrant, religious, minority and poverty-stricken populations.”¹ As we look forward to continuing to serve these groups through radio into the promising future, this week we are casting a spotlight on speaking hope to West Africa through our Discipleship Essentials radio program. Broadcast to French-speaking communities, this program sheds light on church-related matters and doctrinal topics such as regeneration. Through radio, God fosters a community of believers who are growing in their faith, and restoring marriages, families and individuals from destructive lifestyles.  

While younger generations tend to utilize social media and digital platforms, radio continues to be an accessible and relatively inexpensive way for many in rural communities to be able to hear and share the gospel. Inviting people to understand and share the message of salvation also often requires more than simply broadcasting the message using one-sided communication. That’s why the team in West Africa also meets and follows up with listeners in person, as well as by phone and text message. These listeners share their stories, and together we pray and praise God for blessing so many lives. Here are some recent responses from listeners in Côte d'Ivoire: 

“Thank you, pastor, for your preaching, especially the advice you gave, which helped me to trust the Lord and give him my life. Even through the airwaves, the Lord does great things. Thank you, Lord, for your servants who, through your Holy Spirit, make us eat true spiritual food that quenches our thirst for life in you.” 

“By listening to Discipleship Essentials, I understand that whatever situations we go through every day, we must keep the Word of hope in our hearts, that the Lord our God neither sleeps nor slumbers. It is to him alone that we owe our lives, because his son Jesus has already given his life to save our miserable lives. Thank you for bringing hope back to my heart, which was already despondent.” 

“I know how Jesus saved me. It is through the Discipleship Essentials program I have been listening to. I appreciate this program because it answered all my concerns. I accepted the Lord but every time I asked myself questions like: ‘Am I really saved?’ ‘If I die, will I go to heaven?’ I keep your advice in mind, and I am a child of God redeemed and saved by Jesus Christ. Thank you.” 

Over the past 50 years, radio has been a relevant and effective means for TWR Canada to share the gospel and encourage listeners in places like West Africa to learn, grow and express their faith in listener groups so they can experience spiritual community together. Join us in praising God and looking towards a dynamic future of continuing to speak hope through radio! 

¹ https://www.unesco.org/en/days/world-radio/radio-next-century