GREENFIELD — They’re tuning in. Singapore. Hungary. Greenfield.
Leaders of World Renewal Global Radio, launched in the fall, hope to build their base of programming during 2021 to engage with listeners around the world through their station on the Live 365 app.
Mission sending agency World Renewal International, with headquarters in Greenfield, has had a presence on app radio for a couple of years. It was largely Christian music without other programming.
That changed during 2020, as the coronavirus and accompanying quarantines changed how people connect with the world and how ministries engage with people.
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Gary Wright, president and founder of World Renewal, said he was inspired by mission partners in Brazil who started an internet radio station. During the onset of COVID-19, he said, it became the most-listened-to station in its state.
Listeners were getting in touch, sharing stories about how they’d been helped by what they heard. Local churches were following up with those people, some of them prompted to become Christians by what they’d heard.
Wright told all this to Mike Dalka, the producer of Wright’s "Conversations with Gary" podcast. Dalka started researching what World Renewal would have to do to generate programming itself. Wright found funding for the monthly fee — which covers royalties for songs, for example — and they embarked on adding some programs.
"We try to come alongside people and help them accomplish what God’s called them to do," Wright said.
For example, men’s ministry leader Brent Henderson is used to speaking at more than 40 events a year, such as retreats, church services and men’s wild game dinners. The Anderson resident, known to some as part of the vocal trio One that toured with Sandi Patty decades ago, is the author of "Into the Wilds." Another book, "The Roar Within," releases in May.
Yet during 2020, many events for speakers were canceled.
"There were no places to speak," Wright said. "(We’re) trying to give him an opportunity to let his ministry take place on the air."
Other examples of programs on World Renewal Global Radio include a bluegrass show and "Me and My 88 Friends." The latter features pianist Lawrence Chewning, who wrote "The Anchor Holds," presenting songs and stories.
The hope moving forward is to add programs and incorporate some international shows in other languages.
"While we’re sleeping in North America, they could be listening," Wright said.
The music could also have more of an international flair, said Dalka, station manager of wrgr.live. (Those are not call letters; they stand for World Renewal Global Radio.)
"Our hope is we can make people feel more connected to missionaries in the field," Dalka said. "We can let people hear the music that Christians in other countries are listening to."
Dalka said listener statistics have proved interesting thus far. About half of those listening are in countries outside of the 52 where World Renewal has a presence. About 20% are listening through a proxy, he said, perhaps to obscure where they’re listening from.
Wright and Dalka both say they’re hoping to offer something distinctive from the Christian radio options already available to people, which they say are doing a good job and are not to be viewed as competitors. As long as expenses are covered for the World Renewal station, they’re not concerned about it making a profit — preferring that it makes an impact.
Dalka cites information from the Joshua Project, which gathers data on Gospel message penetration around the globe; it considers nearly 17% of people groups in the United States unreached with that message.
He thinks music not peppered with commercials, coupled with original positive programming, has the potential to be engaging.
"We want to reach individuals in their homes and give them good information about why the Christian life is different. … Make Jesus someone everyone in the U.S. has heard about," Dalka said.
Wright also hopes the station will have good reach.
"It’s not about, ‘Let’s see if we can grow World Renewal,’" he said. "We are trying to grow the kingdom of God."
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Connect with World Renewal Global Radio at wrgr.live for a pop-up player.
Or download the Live 365 app on your device and search for "World Renewal."
Find a programming schedule on Facebook at "World Renewal Global Radio."
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