One of the perplexing questions facing the church in North America is that of reaching the 30 million people who read, speak, think, and write in some language other than English as their mother tongue. To this number we need to add 6 million Jews, most of whom are without the Messianic hope of salvation. One-half million of these Jewish people use Yiddish, and nothing has been done for them.
At the present time we are publishing in twenty-two languages, and Bible correspondence courses are available in twenty of these languages. However, it seems that the means of making direct contact with this great mass of humanity in the North American Division field who speak in a language other than English has eluded us. But has it eluded us, or are we willfully ignorant of the avenues open to us? We cannot shrug off 30 million people, which is just about one in seven persons in this division, and deny them their God-given right to an opportunity of hearing the truths of God for today.
One of the most penetrating avenues is that of the voice of radio, for it reaches into practically every home in America. Evangelism for the foreign born and the Jews should include the radio broadcasts. The 1964 census indicates that 600 stations in the United States are using some forty languages. There are one or more of these broadcasts in every conference territory.
Let's take a look at what we are doing in this field of modern communications.
The Spanish broadcasts, operating under the capable, well-organized Voice of Prophecy system of broadcasting, are operative on twenty-five of the 283 stations. Results are accruing constantly. There is a potential of approximately 5 million Spanish listeners spread across the United States.Pastor Gerhard E. Suckert, of the German Manhattan church, New York City, has prepared tapes for use in New York and Cleveland. A recent letter from Pastor Suckert carries this note of encouragement:
"A Greek Catholic nun and former countess found the truth exclusively through our radio program. Another couple is anticipating baptism, having made their decision just by listening to the broadcasts and through personal correspondence. . . . It would be a shame if our blessed hope could not be broadcast to 880,000 people here in Greater New York who speak and understand the German language."
Charles J. Sohlmann, pastor of the Hungarian churches of New York City and Bridgeport, Connecticut, has developed a ten-minute capsule for Hungarian radio listeners, which is heard in New York; Cleveland, Ohio; Norwalk, Connecticut; and Montreal, Canada, with a total potential listening audience of 150,000. Another broadcaster wrote:
"What is most pleasing is not that we Protestants, but our Catholic friends love it very much. . .. It would be a great honor for me to shake the hand of such an expositor of Christ."
Three of our Japanese ministers—Elders Aso, Toronto; Okohira, Colorado; and Iwahashi, California—are conducting radio broadcasts. There is a listening potential of approximately 70,000 in the greater San Francisco Bay area. Many are tuning in regularly, but it is with difficulty that a Shintoist or a Buddhist makes the decision to forsake his religion and turn to Christ. However, converts are being made.
Some time ago Pastor Aso baptized a Japanese Shinto priest who had been sent to Canada as leader of the Shintoists. The contact was made through radio.
For several years the small Yugoslavian church in New York City has sponsored a fifteen-minute radio program in the Yugoslavian language with Pastor Branes Kanachky, as "Voice." In 1964 the broadcast was heard in Hammond, Indiana, and New York City. Already six persons have been baptized. The listening area potential for both broadcasts is 80,000.
The Ukrainian broadcasts are being operated from two sources. Pastor Nicholas Ilchuk is heard at present over nine stations. And what a listening potential—about 615,000! Two hundred thousand of these are in New York City. Interestingly enough, the new Ukrainian Bible Correspondence Course has enrolled 650 persons.
P. E. Uniat, Ukrainian evangelist in Alberta, Canada, conducts his personal radio program. He reports that twenty-three persons have been baptized, and his listening potential is around 150,000.
Latest is the breakthrough on TV in Mexico. Joseph Espinosa, Spanish-language evangelist in the Southeastern California Conference, succeeded in obtaining permission for putting on the first religious broadcast in the Mexican Republic, reaching an area comprising Tia Juana, Mexico, and San Diego. Presenting the full message, Pastor Espinosa reports 173 have taken their stand for baptism. This is indeed a marvelous indication of things to come in our day.
Dr. Joshua A. Fishman, director of Language Resources Project, financed by the United States Government, says about the potential of power in the foreign-language people of this country:
"It is important that we recognize the linguistic gold mines that we have in our midst, and it is particularly important that first- and second-generation Americans recognize the value of preserving this precious heritage of their parents and grandparents. In doing so, they will be helping their country as well as enriching their own lives."—American Council Press Release, Dec. 31, 1961.
Seventh-day Adventists in North America might study well the implications involved in this statement.
In behalf of the millions of untouched people of other tongues and of the Jews, we would voice the profound question, "How shall they hear without a preacher?" Radio evangelism stands in a tall pulpit. Let's do more preaching from it.
I have gone with the same prayer, dedication; and purpose that my "assistants" have —that together, under God's guidance, we could win some souls for the kingdom.
The results have been most rewarding. Only eternity will tell the full story. Without a doubt, multitudes will credit their new-found hope to these two witnesses.
Every Seventh-day Adventist pastor has found people who have said point-blank, "I have no church, but if and when I do join a church, it will be the Voice of Prophecy church or the Faith for Today people." We also know of scattered multitudes who privately and systematically listen to and/ or watch these pulpits, and who earnestly feed and drink from their messages. There is no community in America that has escaped their blessing in one way or another. There is no Seventh-day Adventist congregation that has not been blessed by their ministry.
Whenever I can I like to play up my team. The more I put them in the spotlight the more effective is the entire program. I do this by advertising Faith for Today and the Voice of Prophecy in my church bulletin, in the newspapers as our budget allows, and by organizing our church members in the distribution of radio and television logs. I feel that the better known these programs are the better results my church and I will have.
I do the same with the Bible correspondence courses. I encourage my members to secure enrollments both in individual as well as door-to-door contacts. Here again, the more people studying the lessons, the more interests I will have. The more interests I have the more baptisms will result.
I thank God for these two "assistants."
