HOPE Channel - News

Satellite Change for North and Inter-America

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 14:30:00 +0000

Dear Friends,

NOTE: This message is applicable only for Hope Channel, Esperanza TV, and Hope Church Channel viewers in North and Inter-America watching on the AMC 4 satellite. This message does not affect viewers watching Hope Channel online, on a Glorystar dual LNB system, or on DIRECTV channel 368.

At the present time, viewers do not have to change their satellite dish to continue enjoying Christ-centered, family-friendly programming on Hope Channel. Please tell your friends.

Potential Changes
We recognize the convenience to our viewers of Hope Channel, Esperanza TV, and Hope Church Channel being on the same satellite with other Adventist networks such as 3ABN and LLBN.

Hope Channel is actively working through legal and budgeting issues to make it possible for Hope Channel to also be on the Galaxy 19 (G19) satellite. However, there is no hurry for viewers to make a change. You will be notified before a change is made. Should you wish to upgrade from a single LNB system to a dual LNB system that receives AMC4 and G19, please contact Adventist Satellite at 888-393-HOPE (4673).

Our Plan
Hope Channel will continue to broadcast on our current satellite – AMC4. Viewers do not need to change their satellite dish to continue to receive Hope Channel. We have been assured that AMC 4 will last for many more months. As soon as we are able to finalize arrangements, our goal is to transition to G 19. We will inform you as soon as possible once these arrangements are made.

In summary,

You do not need to change your satellite dish to continue to receive Hope Channel. Hope Channel is continuing to broadcast as normal on our current satellite.
Please watch for further announcements from Hope Channel on air, through the mail, and at www.HopeTV.org. If God providentially provides the funding and we can clear other obstacles, we will move to G19 so that everyone has the option of viewing all the Adventist channels on one satellite.
We invite your financial support. As we plan for our move to G19, significant additional funding for Hope Channel will be required.

Thank you again for your prayerful and sacrificial support of the Hope Channel network. This is an expanding ministry. We currently broadcast ten separate channels to a worldwide audience and are in the final stages of adding new satellite channels for the Middle East, Russia, India, and China. The world needs to know that Jesus is coming soon and we’re going to tell them!

Sincerely, in His service,

Brad Thorp, President

Loophole opens way in Canada

Wed, 23 Dec 2009 09:43:00 +0000

God has provided a new avenue to take the gospel message into communities where there is little to no religious programming either on television or radio. A recently discovered loophole in Canadian law opened the doors for broadcasting Hope Channel and Esperanza TV in 12 communities in British Columbia, and soon across the country.

   “I was searching on the Canadian Radio-television Telecommunications Commission (similar to the FCC) website for information concerning the 25 VOAR (Voice of Adventist Radio) radio stations that are approved for broadcasting and are we installing throughout British Columbia,” says Stan Jensen, communication director for the British Columbia Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. “I was amazed to find a special exemption that will allow us to broadcast programming on small cable companies.”

   The exemption allows cable companies with less than 6000 subscribers to carry up to five religious channels on their network without having to receive CRTC approval. Normally, religious programming within Canada must be produced within the country but this exemption does not have that particular requirement.

   “I was shocked to find this opening,” says Jensen. “I was even more shocked to find that it is not being used. There are around 90 communities just within British Columbia that fit the necessary profile, enabling us to broadcast within their territory.”

One cable company was extremely eager to begin airing both Hope Channel and Experanza TV in about a dozen towns.

In this area there are 11 communities of First Nations people. “There are about 800 tribal elders who oversee the governing of these groups,” says Jensen. “They have been so impressed with the work of the Adventists in their communities that they are now requesting to have Adventist media broadcasts.”
“Being born and raised in British Columbia, I know the broadcasting challenges that have been faced in the past throughout Canada,” says Brad Thorp, Hope Channel president. “I am thrilled with this breakthrough that is a blessing from God.”

To support Hope Channel’s global work of spreading the Gospel, please click the green button on the right.

Chinese Hope Channel Moves Ahead with Production

Wed, 23 Dec 2009 09:40:00 +0000

Reaching more than one billion people in China with the gospel is becoming reality through God’s honoring of prayers and financial support by Hope Channel viewers. Plans to launch Hope Channel China in early 2010 remain on track. Through Hope Channel’s “Project Hope Chinese” initiative in Loma Linda, California, combined with recent production from studios in New Zealand, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and mainland China, more than 1000 programs are ready in inventory—thanks to God’s blessing on circumstances and the hard work of countless volunteers. Topics include health, parenting, inspirational programming, music, and a children’s series.

“Following the production of shows in March, Hope Channel was incredibly blessed with an amazing offer,” says Kandus Thorp. “One generous family provided a location for a permanent production set on the West Coast.”

    Three of the new programs include “Total Health: Mind, Body, and Spirit,” produced by Dr. Andy Ng of Pacific Health Education Center and hosted by Dr. Helen Beck from Loma Linda Medical University; “Garden of Christianity,” a devotional program featuring leaders Timothy Zhao, Dr. Paul Cho, Pastor Doris Foo, and Pastor Matthew Yuen from Loma Linda and Los Angeles area Chinese churches; and a series on marriage, produced by Jenny Hung that will include couples who speak about their personal experiences in marriage and offer solutions to strengthen relationships.

    “It is hard to reach through closed doors in China because of the current political climate,” says Ivy Ng, project coordinator, “but Project Hope Chinese is creating programs that will spread the gospel throughout China.”

    To support the new Hope Channel China, contact Hope Channel at 888-4-Hope-TV.

To support Hope Channel’s global work of spreading the Gospel, please click the green button on the right.

Mathematical Miracles

Wed, 23 Dec 2009 09:36:00 +0000

Many of us struggled with our multiplication tables in grade school. 2x2 was the same as 2+2, but for some reason 3x3 wasn’t the same as 3+3. It got more confusing from there. Somehow, tipping that plus sign made numbers get bigger faster.

In a much more profound and complex way, God does the same thing for Hope Channel. Not only does He multiply the impact of your financial support, He seems to multiply the effects of your prayers.

A year ago we requested your prayers for a major breakthrough in distributing Hope Channel across the United States. It happened…in a huge way! Hope Channel went on DIRECTV on April 29, 2009.

We expected our call volume to increase, and that more people would request Bible study materials. God tripled it! Because of the increased viewership He brought, we now get three times the calls and requests for resources than we did a year ago. Your network is doing more and more ministry every day!

It seems God blessed DIRECTV too. They’ve grown by 1.3 million households since adding Hope Channel. To help this multiply further, tell your neighbors with DIRECTV (about 1 out of 6 homes in America) to watch channel 368. If they’re unable because they have older equipment, tell them to call DIRECTV at 877-HOPE-620 and mention Hope Channel for a great deal on an upgrade package so they can watch your favorite DIRECTV channel.

But multiplication doesn’t stop there. When you support Hope Channel, we’re able to help other ministries deliver their excellent programming to multiplied millions around the world on our growing number of channels.

Because of God’s great multiplication program more than
2 million souls have been baptized into God’s end- time church in connection to Hope Channel’s ministry. This is why we believe Hope Channel provides more successful global ministry for your missionary investment, and reaches more spiritual seekers, marginalized members, shut-ins, newly baptized individuals, and countless others who need to meet Jesus or grow in their relationship with Him.

Your regular, heartfelt prayers and generous financial support shows that you want to see these successes continue to grow and flourish. Together, and by God’s grace, we are reaching the world with the love and truth of Jesus as quickly and efficiently as possible—through the miracle of multiplication!
May God multiply your blessings as you support Hope Channel in 2010!

To support Hope Channel’s global work of spreading the Gospel, please click the green button on the right.

Revelation: Hope, Meaning, and Purpose

Wed, 23 Dec 2009 09:31:00 +0000

Early in our church history, Seventh-day Adventists became known as “people of the Word.” Those church pioneers spent time digging out Biblical truth and gaining insights that helped to form the foundation of our beliefs.

Hope Channel is pleased to announce that a new series titled “Revelation: Hope, Meaning and Purpose” will begin in early 2010. “This is a 24 one-hour episode series that is a chapter by chapter and verse by verse exegetical study of the book of Revelation,” says Kandus Thorp, Hope Channel vice president for programming and international development. “Viewers will visit the locations of the seven churches of Revelation as well as learn details that will draw them into a deeper spiritual understanding of the message of the book of Revelation for today’s society.”

The South Pacific Division of Seventh-day Adventists commissioned Jon Paulien, PhD, Dean of the School of Theology at Loma Linda University, to write an in-depth study guide on the book of Revelation. “This timely and relevant new series heavily integrates the material from the study guides,” says Thorp.

Paulien, a leading scholar of the book of Revelation, co-hosts the series with Graham Bradford, professor of evangelism at Avondale College in Australia. “We must recognize that there have been two massive societal shifts in our world,” says Paulien. “During the early days of our church history, many people were Bible students who already knew basic truths. That is no longer the case for most of society today.”

Many people, especially youth, can be drawn to a study of Revelation, because of the drama and the scope of what it portrays. “When properly presented we can use Revelation as an entering wedge to introduce people to Christ,” says Paulien.

The series “Revelation: Hope, Meaning, and Purpose” was designed to reach people who know Christ and the Bible as well as those who don’t.

“Miles is a neighbor who has no understanding of spiritual matters,” says Paulien. “As we were filming the series, I kept thinking, How can I make this practical so that it will reach Miles and others like him?”

During preparation for the series, Paulien and Bradford developed three criteria they wanted to achieve with the series.

“We wanted to make our study of Revelation Christ-centered, gospel oriented, and with applications of what the book of Revelation has to say about the issues people face today,” says Paulien.
Study materials will also be available for home and group Bible studies. “There is much intrigue and mystery that surrounds the book of Revelation,” says Thorp. “Hope Channel is excited about this opportunity to tell the story of Jesus through Revelation and to share this message with the world.”

To support Hope Channel’s global work of spreading the Gospel, please click the green button on the right.

Hope Channel given OK to blanket India

Wed, 23 Dec 2009 09:29:00 +0000

God has orchestrated a series of miracles in India because of the faithful prayer support of viewers like you—and the hard work of Hope Channel’s coordinator in India, Pastor Swamidas Johnson!

On October 10, 2009, India’s Minister of Information and Broadcasting signed the necessary documents allowing Hope Channel to begin broadcasting down-linked programming throughout this country of 1.3 billion people.

Then, on November 25, Pastor Johnson began negotiations to include Hope Channel in distribution systems seen by 500 million viewers—nearly all TV viewers in India!

   “This is nothing short of an absolute miracle and will be a phenomenal opportunity for sharing the gospel and message of Hope with sincere seekers in India. Obtaining this permission has been a long, difficult process,” says Brad Thorp, Hope Channel president. “We are seeing the answer to the multitude of prayers by our faithful Hope Channel supporters. Their financial and prayer support will once again bear fruit in a populous country within the 10/40 window.”

With an initial investment of $5000, which provided a camera and microphone, Johnson and a team of faithful volunteers produced more than 1000 programs in the three major languages Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu.

   The Tamil programs, broadcast on local cable in Chennai, have produced a massive response with thousands of letters requesting prayer, asking Bible questions, and sharing stories of how programs have touched lives. Television shows in the Hindi language have been broadcast outside India and are also reaping big results.

   “We have come a long way since the early days of this project,” says Thorp. “Generous supporters helped to raise the $50,000 needed to obtain licensing for Hope Channel India to operate. God has blessed and the gospel commission will be fulfilled in India. However, the project is at a financial crossroads and needs additional support. We moved ahead in faith through the doors opened by the Lord, and He has blessed—but now it’s time for additional financial support from you to reach this single largest audience in our short history.”

Johnson believes that with Hope Channel India programming, the gospel message will reach into millions of homes that are currently inaccessible.

   “Although the caste system was outlawed, the mindset still exists within our country,” says Johnson. “High caste people consider Christians to be of a low caste and generally will not mix with them. That makes reaching them with the gospel almost impossible. Now we can go through doors that we would never be able to walk through physically.”

   Various programs on Hope Channel India will attract viewers who would never attend a traditional evangelistic campaign.

“The citizens of India are particularly attracted to information about education, medical concerns, and parenting,” says Johnson. “These are the areas where we will place much of our focus. Hope Channel India will seek to remove barriers that lend to mistrust and misunderstanding,” he adds.

   As Hope Channel India begins to expand its operations, a media center is currently under construction in Chennai for future productions.

“We plan to move into full-time production in March 2010 and begin broadcasts on Hope Channel India by May 2010,” says Johnson. “This will be 24/7 programming reaching into the hearts and lives of countless Indian homes across the nation.”

   One of the challenges of working on the Indian continent is the vast array of languages. More than 1000 languages and dialects are spoken there. Hope Channel is targeting the three largest language groups—Hindi, Tamil and Telugu. English is also widely spoken, and many of Hope Channel’s best English programs will help fill the schedule. Additional programming in other languages and dialects will be added as it becomes feasible.

   Seventh-day Adventists across India are preparing for the expected response when Hope Channel India begins broadcasting. Members and Bible workers are preparing to follow-up on requests for prayer, Bible study, and other activities. A call center to receive viewer requests is under development and staff training is taking place.

“We plan to begin full evangelistic outreach as a result of Hope Channel India as early as 2011,” says Johnson.

   Prayer support is also still needed for the Hope Channel India project. Specifically ask for God’s Spirit to be poured out on the two million Seventh-day Adventists living in India. Also pray for those involved with the production of shows and that the hearts of new viewers will be open to hearing about a God who wants to draw near to them and share His love and forgiveness.

To support Hope Channel’s global work of spreading the Gospel, please click the green button on the right.

“Our Children First” to help parents raise well-grounded kids

Wed, 23 Dec 2009 09:16:00 +0000

I needed guidance and input from others who had wisdom from experience as parents,” says Katherine Walton, a mother of three, “I wasn’t finding the resources that I needed. I was thrilled when Hope Channel offered me the opportunity to produce a television series that addresses contemporary parenting issues.”

   Hope Channel recognizes that parents in the post-modern world face unprecedented issues and concerns, and how these things impact the spiritual and moral health of children and parents.

“Our Children First” will feature ordinary people from various ethnic and social backgrounds who will share insights from personal and professional backgrounds. The program will help open the dialogue between parents, church, and school as to how to minister physically, spiritually, and mentally to children from birth through young adult.

   “The generation of parents who is raising children today are the latchkey children of yesterday,” says Walton. “One of our goals is to help parents think about the changes they need to make their family life and then help them implement the change.”

   The series tackles tough questions and examines how families can become susceptible to secular influences creeping into their homes. Other topics include how to protect children from predators, the inroads that spiritualism is making into families through media, faith and character development in children, teaching children financial management principles, and how to engage teens and young adults in service relevant to their faith experience. The series will also examine how to communicate Seventh-day Adventist beliefs in a positive manner to children and young adults.

   “Families don’t have a lot of time these days,” says Walton. “Each of the 30-minute episodes will examine a specific topic and help parents identify Bible principles that meet their challenges with practical applications and ideas to apply the spiritual principles in creative and meaningful ways.”

   Please pray for the parents who are seeking help as they raise moral and spiritually strong children. Ask specifically that God will direct them to Hope Channel and discover how important it is to put “Our Children First.” Your prayers make the difference in the lives of families, which will in turn impact the world for good.

To support Hope Channel’s global work of spreading the Gospel, please click the green button on the right.

Art and culture meet spirituality: new programs coming to Hope Channel

Wed, 23 Dec 2009 09:11:00 +0000

Art. Music. Food. Bring them together and it could be a cultural extravaganza.

Feature them in the context of highlighting Christ and His principles for a blessed life, and you’ve got three new series of inspirational, informative programs on Hope Channel.

Viewers can look forward to “The Master’s Brush,” “Naturally Gourmet,” and a new season of “My Story, My Song” beginning in 2010.

“The Master’s Brush” features the paintings of Nathan Greene and the stories behind his art that often portray Jesus in modern day settings,” says Kandus Thorp, Hope Channel’s vice president for programming and international development. “Viewers will learn the stories behind the art, why the works were commissioned, and who was affected.”

Another feature of the series will be a behind-the-scenes look at Greene’s creative process and his use of living models.

“Naturally Gourmet” is a 14-part cooking series that will be released in January featuring Karen Houghton, RN and nutrition educator. Dr. Wes Youngberg, a founding director of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine, will share information on health studies as well as nutritional facts in this upbeat cooking show that combines healthy eating with good taste. A companion cookbook will also be available.

The return of “My Story, My Song” Hope Channel’s popular inspiration and music program, will feature artists from around the world including the Dan Oliver family, Chris Picco, and the music ministry at Loma Linda University Campus Church. There will also be 20 shows featuring music by Brazilian Adventist artists.

Hope Channel continues to find ways to reach a broad audience with programming that appeals to different segments of the population. Hope Channel’s producers and their teams appreciate your prayers and support as they continue to tell the story of Jesus and bring people closer to Him.

To support Hope Channel’s global work of spreading the Gospel, please click the green button on the right.

Reaching 500 Million Souls

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 15:07:00 +0000

How long does it take to count to a million? If you said one number every second, that would be more than 16,000 minutes, or nearly 278 hours, which is just over 11-and-a-half days—and that’s without stopping!

What about counting to 500 million? That would require counting non-stop—no sleeping or eating—for about 5800 days…nearly 16 years!

500 million. That’s how many people Hope Channel could be reaching in India by the middle of next year! But we need your help.

And in this holiday season, maybe we can help you too.

You know that person on your gift list that is impossible to buy for? The one who has everything they need? Here’s a suggestion from Hope Channel…

Give them a symbol of 500 million.

When you make a donation of $10 to Hope Channel to help fund the construction and the work of the new media center in Chennai, India—the media center that will help reach 500 million people—you will receive a certificate of appreciation from Hope Channel.

You might even want to wrap your certificate along with a brick from a local home improvement store to really make an impact on the person. Your brick of love will help develop new culturally-relevant programming in multiple languages for this country of 1.3 billion. And, because of how the Lord is miraculously blessing Hope Channel in India, we soon could be on every cable system in the country—reaching half of this huge population!

In this holiday season as our hearts turn toward home and family, we’d like to thank you so much for partnering with the mission of Hope Channel. It’s been an incredible year. 2010 stands to be even more amazing—and with your support it will. So while you’re deciding what to get for that person who has everything, impress them with 500 million. In fact, why not make a contribution of support in the names of several people?

Your certificate acknowledges you, or the person in whose name you give the gift, as a contributor to the foundation of Hope Channel’s missionary efforts in India through the Hope Channel Media Center in Chennai, India. Your contribution will make it possible to reach 500 MILLION SOULS by producing and distributing programs that share God’s end-time message of love and hope in culturally appropriate ways.

If you’d like to be a key building block in this ground-breaking new ministry CLICK HERE to contribute securely online and be able to print your own certificate, or call 888-4-HOPE-TV in the US or +1-269-471-6050 from outside the US and a certificate will be mailed to you. May God bless you with a special touch of heaven for your sacrifice and dedication.

Own your own Hope Channel TV station

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 07:13:00 +0000

You, your church, or your conference or union can own and operate your own TV station. Imagine the possibilities that will result from sharing the Christ-centered, family-friendly programming of Hope Channel and Esperanza TV with your community.
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in the United States has opened a rare window of opportunity and is now accepting applications for broadcast construction permits for transmitter sites in rural areas that are more than 75 miles away from the 100 largest television  markets in the US. As of January 25, 2010, the geographic restriction will be dropped and people may apply for specific antenna sites anywhere in the nation.
Hope Channel viewers wishing to pursue a TV license and launch their own Hope Channel station must act quickly. Many applications are already in process.
“Applications will be cut-off on a daily basis. That means that they will be protected from competing applications the day after they are filed. Conflicts between applications filed on the same day will be resolved by competitive bidding (auction),” says Don Martin, an FCC law expert and attorney who has helped Hope Channel and many Adventists who own radio or TV stations.
“This opportunity is limited to new digital-only LPTV and TV translator stations, for changes to existing analog and digital stations, and in the case of established analog stations, for new digital companion channel stations,” explains Martin.
Once an applicant has been granted a license, Hope Channel will provide its signals—for Hope Channel and the Spanish language Esperanza TV—free. We can also assist with a certain amount of expertise and equipment. Digital TV stations can operate with as many as four channels simultaneously, meaning a station could carry English and Spanish program streams at the same time.
“The FCC will charge a $705.00 filing fee for applications for new digital stations and for digital and analog major change applications. There is no filing fee for analog-to-digital, digital companion channel or digital replacement applications,” says Martin.
“There is some amount of technical knowledge required, and the applications require a lot of specific information. Enlisting the assistance of a broadcast consulting engineer to find available channels in a specific community will be helpful,” adds Martin.
If you or your church feels led by the Lord to pursue this kind of ministry, contact Don Martin at dempc@prodigy.net, call 703-642-2344, or write P.O. Box 8433, Falls Church, Virginia 22041.

To support Hope Channel’s global work of spreading the Gospel, please click the green button on the right.

Hope Channel wins Tellys - again!

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 07:09:00 +0000

This is the second year in a row that the church’s official television network has received Telly awards, bringing the total to six Tellys in just two years for the six-year-old Hope Channel production center.
This year, My Story, My Song—Australia, our music and testimonies program; My Story, His Story, featuring compelling life testimonies; Life’s Beat, a healthful living program with Drs. Allan Handysides and Peter Landless; and Un Buen Momento (A Good Moment), an uplifting women’s program on Esperanza TV, each won a bronze award—the top award for its category.
“This recognition for the church and its television network is significant because these awards add huge credibility to the church’s work in the world. Each program is popular with our viewers, and helps to build bridges to those who may not be spiritually inclined, enticing them to watch our other programs that will lead them into a deep, abiding relationship with Jesus,” said Hope Channel president, Brad Thorp.
The Telly Awards are judged by top advertising and production professionals, and past winners. Each year, some 14,000 advertising agencies, production companies, television stations, cable companies, and corporations from around the world enter their work for consideration. Award categories only include bronze and silver designations.
“It is an honor for Hope Channel to win these awards and the recognition it represents from the television industry,” said Joe Sloan, director of the productions. “These awards show that the quality of programming that comes from Hope Channel and its production centers is equal to that of the best and the largest TV producers in the U.S.”
For Hope Channel scheduling and program information, visit www.HopeTV.org.

To support Hope Channel’s global work of spreading the Gospel, please click the green button on the right.

One family, half a world away, makes incredible discovery

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 06:56:00 +0000

Daniel and Monique (all names changed) live in a very rural area of Western South Africa. They began watching Hope Channel, became convicted regarding the Sabbath message, and started to keep the Sabbath on their own. They thought they were the only ones keeping the Bible Sabbath on Saturday. As they continued to view Hope Channel they ordered a special DVD series. This led them to a church nearly 40 kilometers away. Eventually they were baptized. They bought more sets of the DVD series and began to share them with their friends.
Meanwhile they wondered how to share their new faith with their son Andrew who lives in New Zealand. They began praying and asking God to help them win him and his family to Jesus. Finally, during a phone call, they broke their news. They explained how they had been watching Hope Channel and learned Bible truths that changed their lives.
There was a long silence.
Then Andrew shared that he too had found Hope Channel and had faithfully watched the very same programs. He also discovered the Sabbath message, was baptized, and wondered how he would ever tell his parents about the changes in his life! He even ordered the same DVDs his parents watched to share with friends. He also prayed for several months, asking God to open the door to witness to his parents. Though separated by oceans and continents, little did these Hope Channel viewers know that God had planned for them to find the same Bible truth and unite them in faith.
As amazing as this story is, it gets even better! Five Dutch Reform Afrikaan ministers also discovered Hope Channel and are now Seventh-day Adventists studying at South Africa’s Helderberg College, taking specialized theology courses before full ordination as Adventist pastors.
God has His faithful and spiritually receptive, honest people around the world responding to the love and truth of Jesus as presented on Hope Channel!

To support Hope Channel’s global work of spreading the Gospel, please click the green button on the right.

support-hope/

Hope to cover Philippines

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 06:46:00 +0000

Hope Channel Philippines purchased a media franchise in Metro Manila earlier this year, enabling us to get a license and an exclusive channel number. The license includes provisions for radio broadcast as well, opening the way to apply for TV and radio frequencies in towns and cities all over the country.
“We thank the Lord for allowing us to come this far and we will surely depend on His guidance, direction, and help to obtain frequencies so we can go on air soon,” said Dr. Jonathan C. Catolico, communication director for the church in the southern Asia-Pacific region.
“While the process may take considerable amount of time and money, the church is happy that a license has been granted and soon our broadcasts will go nationwide,” he added.
“Procuring this license is truly a miracle of God. The significance is that Hope Channel will now become a ‘must-carry’ channel for all cable stations across the nation, putting Hope Channel in the reach of millions of people. We thank God for the initiative of our Philippine leadership,” says Kandus Thorp, vice president for programming and international development.
The Hope Channel studio facility in Cagayan de Oro City will serve as headquarters for Hope Channel Philippines. Other production studios in northern and central Philippines will boost production for national and international broadcasts.

To support Hope Channel’s global work of spreading the Gospel, please click the green button on the right.

Who is Parker... and what is his puzzle?

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 06:43:00 +0000

Parker’s Puzzle is the newest program from Hope Channel that will absolutely delight children, their parents, and grandparents beginning in early 2010. It will air on Hope Channel in North America, Hope Channel Europe, and Hope Channel International.
Parker and his friends will teach children ages 7 through 10 principles for a positive Christian lifestyle.“We’ve put a lot of research, prayer, and planning into this series. Children’s TV shows take a ton of work and resources, and we wanted to invest in a series that had a lot of substance. Parker’s Puzzle encompasses fun and lively elements with clues and intrigue, and very solid Bible truth. Judging by the reaction of the kids and their parents during the taping, the series will be popular with Hope Channel viewers,” says Kandus Thorp, Hope Channel’s vice president for programming and international development.
So, who is Parker…and what is his puzzle?
Parker is an animated parrot whose antics help teach life lessons with the assistance of the program’s very exuberant host, Richard Silíe, a teacher from Spencerville Adventist Academy in Maryland. Parker’s four-piece puzzle is made up of the four interlocking segments of each episode: exercise, healthy diet, heart-to-heart discussions on today’s challenges, and Bible study. When the puzzle comes together, children get a clear picture of a life that glorifies Jesus.
Parker’s Puzzle is produced by Larissa Preuss, a 2003 graduate of Southwestern Adventist University who has produced and hosted many programs for Novo Tempo, Hope Channel’s Portuguese channel. Preuss has successfully produced 29 half-hour episodes that cover topics such as health, peer pressure, and family relationships.“
Hope Channel is blessed to have Larissa ‘on loan’ for a year,” says Thorp. “When we met her in Brazil, and after she helped with Project Hope in Angola, we knew we needed her here for some very special projects.”“We want to bring out principles from the Bible, and the 28 fundamental beliefs of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, that children can grasp,” says Preuss. “I am very happy to work with children. The earlier children learn about God the easier it is for them to handle things in life.”
Some concepts, such as death and the resurrection, have proven to be more of a challenge and required extra creativity to get across to such young viewers—without watering down the truth. But according to Preuss, God provided an idea each time she prayed.
“This couldn’t have come together like it did without the Lord’s blessing,” says Preuss.Preuss was assisted by an army of volunteers who coordinated the activities of more than 70 children during three weeks of production. Volunteers cooked and prepared food for the cooking segments, shuttled kids to a park for the outdoor exercise segments, and kept the children quiet and reverent during the Bible study and prayer segments
.Visit Hope Channel’s online schedule at www.HopeTV.org. You can see a sample clip of the program at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q2WGu1ByMR0

To support Hope Channel’s global work of spreading the Gospel, please click the green button on the right.

Hope Channel's New Video Missionaries — Faith, Trust, and Reality

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 06:36:00 +0000

Blend one part youthful enthusiasm, one part adventure, a splash of mission work in an impoverished country, throw together a handful of strangers, add some video cameras, and mix for one year. The result? A recipe for “reality television,” Adventist style.
Three young and talented individuals with a heart for mission work accepted Hope Channel’s challenge to spend one full year at Maluti Adventist Hospital in Lesotho (pronounced Leh-SOO-too), a sovereign country surrounded by South Africa. While there, they will chronicle the lives of two medical missionary families and the lives of those they care for. Viewers can expect a deeply spiritual, life-enriching series, full of surprises and insights unavailable through any other TV program.
“This is a joint collaboration between Hope Channel and the student missionary program at Southern Adventist University. Gordon Bietz, Southern’s president, has strongly supported this new initiative and God has blessed in the launch of the project. These student video missionaries will create a 13-part reality TV series with a sub-plot highlighting their own reaction to all they are experiencing,” explains Kandus Thorp, vice president for programming and international development.
Derek Taylor, a junior in the film production program at Southern will produce and direct the series. Xavier Hazen, a graphic artist, brings with him expertise in the area of design and visual arts. He will contribute significantly in these areas, but will also be deeply involved with many aspects of production. Carolyn Taylor, a biology major, will develop storylines and may frequently appear on camera to provide explanations and pull elements together. The team plans to deliver a complete series to Hope Channel in the summer of 2010.
Carolyn
A self-described missionary kid, who grew up in the Philippines and Mexico, is not letting her lack of formal training in TV production prevent her from “showing how God works and how He loves all people.”“To me, mission means service,” she explains. “You’ve got to be willing to let God use you in whatever way He wants or needs.
“This project will be astounding. I will learn to adapt daily to a new culture. Plus, I get to do research on disease migration for my college major and do the kind of work I want to do when I graduate.”Incidentally, Lesotho has one of the highest per capita rates of HIV/AIDS. There are about 400 villages nearby that depend on the hospital where the students are going.
Derek
“I want this to be cinematically beautiful and spiritually uplifting. I want to tell the stories from a visceral level and connect the viewers to the reality of the missionary’s work and the reality of life in Lesotho,” says Derek, who agreed to the project “because I instantly recognized the potential to pioneer something brand new.”
“My ultimate objective with this project is to capture the beauty that can arise through changed lives in foreign culture. I’d like to bring to the screen the things God is doing and put a face on the reality of medical missionary work.”
Xavier
Though he has experience with design for print and multimedia, Xavier says he is not yet an expert in television media and will be learning editing and production on the fly. He looks forward to the opportunity to expand on his already vast array of artistic talents.
“Our goal is to develop positive exposure for the hospital and the people, as well as for the Seventh-day Adventist organization in that area,” Xavier explains. “We will look for and share the needs and good news of success there. Lesotho is a poor country but it is a beautiful place with nice people who are in great need.”
Reality—experienced and portrayed
The team anticipates being way outside their comfort zone, developing a closer walk with God, and learning how to depend on Him more to get them through the lonely times when they miss family and friends. They have not planned to receive any vacation or furlough time during the project.“I’ll spend more time reading my Bible. All this will result in more humility and I’ll appreciate more what I have in my life—and will want to share more,” adds Xavier.
“We hope this project will portray the reality of medical missionary work and raise awareness of what missionaries face,” adds Carolyn. “We want to connect on a personal level with the local people, experience life in this environment, meet the needs of people, and show them Jesus.”
“This will enlarge our worldview and hopefully that of our audience. We will see, learn, and express how locals deal with disease, poverty, and yet have love and happiness in their lives,” Derek explains.

To support Hope Channel’s global work of spreading the Gospel, please click the green button on the right.

ANNUAL COUNCIL- SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH

Fri, 09 Oct 2009 05:58:00 +0000

Follow the events live from the Adventist Church world headquarters in Silver Spring, Maryland.

Join the Hope Channel network for the music, devotionals, prayers, and inspirational mission stories from around the world on Friday; and for Sabbath School, more excellent music, and the divine worship hour featuring a sermon by Seventh-day Adventist Church president Jan Paulsen on Sabbath.

Friday, October 9
6:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m. Eastern Time (22h30-23h30 GMT) – on Hope Channel, Hope Church Channel, Hope Channel Europe & Hope Channel International

Sabbath, October 10
9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Eastern Time (13h30-16h30 GMT) - on Hope Channel, Hope Church Channel & Hope Channel International

Go Direct to Hope!

Thu, 24 Sep 2009 14:28:00 +0000

Hope Channel, the official television network of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, is pleased to announce it is now on DIRECTV channel 368, and available everywhere in the United States. This is the largest media breakthrough for the Church in North America, and a huge opportunity to share God’s life changing message with millions—including your friends and neighbors. People who want to switch to or subscribe to DIRECTV can call 877-HOPE-620 and mention the promotional code “Hope” for money-saving offers.

Note for Current Subscribers:
Current subscribers with older equipment or a single LNB system who are unable to get Hope Channel will need to call 800-531-5000 and order the Hope Channel upgrade package. For just $49 current subscribers can get a new dish, receiver, and installation. Subscribers must have a minimum of three LNBs (the little round things at the end of the arm on the dish that point back to the dish), one of which receives the signal from satellite 119. If that sounds complicated, it’s really not—especially when you’re talking to an installer or customer service representative from DIRECTV.

BONUS! Hope Channel Referral Program
For a limited time, DIRECTV customers can receive $10 off their monthly bill for 10 months for every new customer they refer. Refer as many as 10 friends a year to compound the savings. To get started helping others find Hope, provide them with your DIRECTV account number and have them call 866-GIFT-2-U (866-443-8869)to subscribe. They will also receive $10 off their bill for 10 months. Make sure they mention promotional code “Hope” to lock in savings and to tell DIRECTV that people are excited about Hope Channel. This is an outreach opportunity that can’t be beat!

Unprecedented Outreach Opportunity
“We are delighted to partner with DIRECTV! This is a big opportunity that allows about 50 million viewers in North America to receive God’s life changing messages on Hope Channel,” says Brad Thorp, Hope channel president. “We’re encouraging church members who have cable to make the easy switch and go ‘DIRECT to HOPE’. By doing so, they will support Hope Channel so millions of others can begin to benefit from our Christ-centered, family-friendly programs. And, when their friends and family switch, they’re supporting Hope Channel too…and they’re getting the same great inspiring, truth-filled programming.”

“With more than 18 million subscriber households representing some 50 million people, approximately one out of every six home in the U.S. receives DIRECTV. As Channel 368, Hope Channel is near several leading news and education channels, and among other religious networks where God’s special end-time message will really stand out. And, we are already seeing results! People are calling and asking for resources that will help them in their relationship with Jesus,” says Gary Gibbs, Hope Channel vice president.

“This is big news for a six-year old donor-supported network. This signifies a huge blessing from God, a huge step in recognition by the industry for the quality of programming we offer. Roughly 75 percent of what we air is exclusive to Hope Channel. That’s a lot of programming that viewers just can’t get anywhere else,” says Kandus Thorp, Hope Channel vice president for programming and international development.

“Worldwide, an estimated 600 million to a billion people can watch Hope Channel in South America, Africa, Europe, the Middle East, and elsewhere. Our global growth over the past five years has been astounding. And the results in changed lives are more amazing. Now, God has opened the door to America,” said Brad Thorp.

What You Can Do
Please share this exciting news with family and friends! We can’t do without you. Contact Hope Channel and we can provide special flyers, door hangers, and cards that you can use in your community. “GO DIRECTV TO HOPE” and learn more about switching or subscribing to DIRECTV. Call our exclusive number 877-HOPE-620 and mention promo code “Hope” to help finish God’s work in our day!

Seventh-day Adventist Church leadership endorses this effort so that millions of people in North America can benefit from Hope Channel’s family-friendly, spiritual, healthy living, history, nature, finance, educational, and music programs. Hope Channel’s holistic approach to enhancing a person’s mind, body, and spirit will immediately appeal to DIRECTV viewers.

“We realize that not every Adventist household has TV, but many do; and we ask those who currently have cable or other services to seriously consider switching to DIRECTV right away so they can watch Hope Channel,” said Don Schneider, president of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in North America and host of the “Really Living” program on Hope Channel.

Celebration of Creation

Wed, 23 Sep 2009 08:14:00 +0000

If you’ve ever had your belief in creation challenged, or had doubts of your own, you need to tune in to Hope Church Channel for a live, faith-affirming broadcast on Friday and Saturday, October 23 and 24, of the landmark “Celebration of Creation” event from Loma Linda University Church. This dynamic, interactive event is sponsored by the General Conference Faith and Science Council and Hope Channel.

Christians, and especially Seventh-day Adventists, believe in the Creator God of the Bible and the Biblical account of a recent six-day creation. The creation and the Creator will be specially celebrated during this event that will feature research on the key issues of origins by scientists and theologians from Loma Linda University, Andrews University, and Southwestern Adventist University as well as special guests from the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists and others. The presentations will be anything but dry, boring academic recitations.

“The Celebration of Creation is a not-to-be missed symposium offering a unique opportunity to understand the Biblical account of origins,” says Gerry Karst, a Vice President of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists and chair of the Faith and Science Council that is sponsoring the event. Seventh-day Adventists worship the Creator God of the Bible, celebrating the creation each Sabbath.

Topics to be covered include: “Reasons to trust God’s Word,” “The evidence and the Book,” “Getting science right—Geology and Biology,” “How can a good God allow evil?,” The scope and limits of evolution,” “The scientific advantage of a fresh worldview,” and “What does it all mean?”

The event will be broadcast live on Hope Church Channel and rebroadcast at a future date on Hope Channel. See note at the end of this article for tune-in instructions for Hope Church Channel.

October 23 – 7pm-9pm PT/10pm-11pm ET (Oct 24 – 02h00-04h00 GMT)
October 24 –10am-10:50am PT/1pm-1:50pm ET (17h00-17h50 GMT)
October 24 –2pm-5:15pm PT/5pm-8:15pm ET (21h00-00h15 GMT)
October 24 –6pm-8pm PT/9pm-11pm ET (Oct 25 - 01h00-03h00 GMT)

Currently, a partial list of guest speakers includes:

Dick Davidson, Andrews University
JoAnn Davidson, Andrews University
Leonard Brand, Loma Linda University
Cliff Goldstein, author, General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists
Randy Younker, Horn Archaeological Museum
Jim Gibson, Geoscience Research Institute
Art Chadwick, Southwestern Adventist University
Tim Standish, Geoscience Research Institute
John Baldwin, Andrews University
Raul Esperante, Geoscience Research Institute
Ed Zinke, Adventist Scholar
Ronny Nalin, Geoscience Research Institute

“The Celebration of Creation promises to be a very exciting and spiritually uplifting event. It will focus on our bedrock belief in God as the Creator with the power to accomplish the creation in six literal, 24 hour, consecutive days of recent origin,” says Ted N. C. Wilson, another vice-president of the General Conference.

Seventh-day Adventist doctrines are spelled out in a statement of 28 fundamental beliefs. The sixth of these beliefs focuses on the creation. It states, in part, “God is Creator of all things, and has revealed in Scripture the authentic account of His creative activity. In six days the Lord made the heaven and the earth and all living things upon the earth, and rested on the seventh day of that first week. Because God rested on the seventh day of the creation week, Adventists follow the Biblical commandment to also rest on the seventh-day Sabbath and remember that He is the creator of all things.”

“We have held conferences in the past that explore alternatives to the Adventist doctrine of creation,” says Timothy Standish, a research scientist at the Geoscience Research Institute. “The Celebration of Creation allows us an opportunity to move beyond some of the inherent acrimony these involve. As Adventists, we know we don’t have all the answers to all the questions, but we do have some very good answers to some questions, and the Biblical creation is an answer worth celebrating.”

“The Celebration of Creation is an opportunity for us to unite together in praise and worship of our awesome Creator God.” Wilson adds, “As Seventh-day Adventists, we believe that the culmination of the creation week with the Sabbath is of profound importance, not only to our present worship of God, but also to our belief that the Sabbath is the sign and seal of God’s people at the end of time just before Christ’s soon return. The Celebration of Creation will provide faith-affirming presentations from scientists, theologians, and others who base their faith on the Biblical account of creation. As you attend these meetings, you will be encouraged as God is lifted up as our Creator.”

For more information on the event, or to learn how to attend the local event, visit www.fscsda.org www.creationsabbath.net.

NOTE:

Hope Church Channel is a supporting channel of the Hope Channel network and carries special event programming such as conferences, training seminars, and camp meetings. It is on the same satellite (AMC 4) as Hope Channel.

For instructions on how to tune your satellite receiver to get Hope Church Channel, call 888-4-HOPE-TV (888-446-7388). Or, you may write to info(at)hopetv(dot)org, put "Hope Church Channel" in the Subject Line, and submit your name, address, phone number, and type of receiver. Instructions will be sent to you promptly. In some cases it may be necessary to contact the company from which you purchased your system.

Parameters:

Satellite: AMC-4 @ 101W
D/L Frequency: 12115.90 MHz (or 12116 on many receivers)
Pole: Horizontal
SR: 3.1000 Msps (or 3100 on many receivers)
FEC: 1/2

Hope for China

Tue, 23 Jun 2009 06:36:00 +0000

Hope for China

Imagine…reaching the 1.3 billion people of China with the love, peace, and hope of Jesus.
Add to that the millions of other non-Christian Chinese living around the world, and you see the enormity of the task at hand. But fear not.
Our Lord, in His power and providence, is preparing the way to make that dream come true through Hope Channel and the work of some very dedicated volunteers in Southern California. Doctors, professors, pastors, musicians, children, and others with a heart and mind to share Jesus with Chinese people around the globe came together in March to complete 120 half-hour programs in just 24 production days. Programs will be edited for broadcast by our media center in Taiwan.
Local Chinese Adventist members brushed up their Mandarin and participated in the first-ever “Chinese Project Hope” in two locations in Southern California. The project was originally planned for the Loma Linda Chinese church, but when members and doctors from the Los Angeles Chinese church were contacted to participate, they did not want to miss the opportunity of this unique evangelism outreach. Instead of having all of them battle cross-town traffic twice a day, Hope Channel vice president Kandus Thorp decided to have one week of production in the fellowship hall of their church.
The result? An additional 33 programs covering diabetes, cancer, and preventive medicine—in just one week—made possible by the enthusiastic support of church leadership and participating medical personnel. And in an example of the depth of dedication involved, volunteer coordinator Doris Foo cheerfully coordinated a steady stream of hosts, specialists, and volunteers—despite dislocating her shoulder the week before the production.
Given the interest among the world’s Chinese population for up-to-date health information, programs featuring heart disease, health education, and nutrition were a major focus of this “Project Hope.” More than 50 programs titled Modern Man, Modern Disease were taped by 16 doctors under the coordination of Andy Wongworawat, MD. Most of the physicians are graduates of Loma Linda University (LLU) and some are currently part of the staff of the hospital and medical school. Former LLU professor, Benjamin Lau, MD, and his wife drove all the way from near Long Beach, California, to participate. Each one expressed their excitement and joy over being able to share in developing these new TV programs for the Chinese Hope Channel.
Parents, the technical team, and others witnessed a special miracle on the first afternoon of taping the children’s show when the Indonesian children repeated Bible verses perfectly in the Mandarin language. Director Andrew Hunt summed up the experience saying, “God blesses Hope Channel! We’ve just seen another miracle!”
The month flew by with hours of music tapings, the children’s series, a parenting series hosted by Linda Koh, Ph.D.; and a marriage series with G.T. Ng, Ph.D., Eugene Hsu, Ph.D., and Mei Mei Cho, Ph. D., among the presenters. Pastor Jerry Chi gathered active and retired pastors and speakers including Samuel Young, Ph.D., for an inspirational series.
Members as young as Stephen Young, 13, of the Loma Linda Chinese church faithfully assisted Ivy Ng, “Chinese Project Hope” coordinator each day to serve lunch, paint props, pray, and work alongside the technical team. A special blessing came when one local member shared beautiful Chinese artwork, vases, and handmade Chinese music instruments to enhance the Asian-themed sets. The whole event would have been impossible without the enthusiastic visionary support of members such as Valerie Chu-Yeoh who sacrificially served as project manager.
“It’s been a joy helping out the ‘Chinese Project Hope’. I enjoy doing the Lord’s work and it’s my prayer that through this ministry, many will be able to come to know our wonderful God. It’s wonderful to see so many people volunteering their valuable time as guest speakers, and helping to make this a success,” says Chu-Yeoh.

If you’d like to support Hope Channel’s effort to produce and distribute programs that reach the Chinese, or any other people groups, please contact us at 888-4-HOPE-TV.

World Church breaks ground for new Hope Channel studios

Thu, 02 Apr 2009 19:51:00 +0000

Since its launch in 2003, Hope Channel has operated out of a 20-by-20 foot basement studio and a handful of very modest offices at the church's headquarters in Silver Spring, Maryland.

However, the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists broke ground on a major expansion of its world headquarters in Silver Spring during a special ceremony Tuesday, March 24. The three-story extension of the main building will primarily house Hope Channel, the denomination’s official global TV network.

The new multiple-use building with 3,000 square-feet of studio space and room for up to six different sets is expected to help Hope Channel achieve more efficiency and productivity. The current studio floor has enough space for one set, and staff need up to half a day to change designs for different shows.

“Our portion of this new building will allow for improved efficiency, quality, and quantity of production for live and recorded programs—and creates a context for all GC departments to communicate in new and creative ways to the world field,” said Brad Thorp, Hope Channel president.

“Hope Channel’s mission is to deliver the gospel of Jesus Christ to everyone, everywhere. We thank church leadership for their part in supporting and growing Hope Channel to accomplish this mission,” added Thorp.

Because the church provides funds for offices, overhead, and salaries, donor’s contributions are able to go directly to the production and distribution of Christ-centered, family-friendly programming worldwide. Hope Channel produces programs on spirituality, healthy living, sacred history, and music in contexts appropriate for every people, language, and culture.

World church President Jan Paulsen marked the occasion by using a 70,000-pound excavator to dig into the south lawn on headquarters property as church vice presidents and construction company representatives used hand shovels to ceremoniously break ground.

"You look over the past six years and it's amazing how far we've come," Paulsen said of the network.

From occasional programs on one satellite to 24-hour broadcasting over 10 channels on 11 different satellites, Hope Channel now produces programming in about two dozen languages around the world.

Beginning April 29, 2009, Hope Channel will join DIRECTV, the largest satellite television provider in the United States, with 18 million homes and more than 45 million viewers.

"We have to dramatically improve the quality of our programs because we are now competing with the great giants of television," said Mark Finley, Hope Channel's board chair.

But it’s not competition for competition’s sake; it’s about competing for the short attention span of TV viewers with fast fingers on their remote controls. When programs look good, they capture more people’s attention and make it possible to deliver the excellent quality content Hope Channel is known for.

The new studio will also be able to link with the 50 Adventist media centers around the world.

The new building is expected to provide a total of 24,000 square-foot of space. Plans include two stories and a basement for a studio control room and storage. The roof is designed to support live vegetation, which will absorb storm water and help reduce runoff.

"This is an exciting building for us," said Don Smith, president of Conewago Enterprises, construction company in charge of the project.

Several years ago, church project leaders considered several sites within the headquarters building for the studio, including the atrium, cafeteria, and work areas, according to Bob Lemon, world church treasurer and building committee chair.

The building is scheduled for completion within 300 days of the groundbreaking ceremony. Lemon said the project should be on budget as construction costs have recently declined.

Reporting from Hope Channel staff with Adventist News Network (http://news.adventist.org) staff

My Name is Buddy Davis… Baptize Me

Wed, 18 Mar 2009 10:18:17 +0000

Discoveries ’08, carried live by Hope Channel October 24-November 9, 2008, was a life-changing experience for Buddy Davis. A passive observer at first, Davis became convicted after watching several episodes on television.

“Discoveries ’08 brought me to full repentance,” he said. “I realized that I had a death charge against me. But then I heard the good news that I had a Savior who was willing to offer me a prepaid plan of forgiveness and salvation. I fell on my knees, crying uncontrollably. I felt the intense weight of my sin pressing down on my body like a heavy load. I asked Jesus to forgive me of all my sins, past, present, and future. I finally stopped crying and a peace settled over me like nothing I have ever experienced before.”

Davis made his way to the Forest Lake Seventh-day Adventist Church, host site for Discoveries ’08, in Apopka, Florida. Shortly after stepping on campus, he walked directly to Pastor Mark Finley, featured speaker for the series. Buddy reached out his hand and said, “Hi, I’m Buddy Davis, and I want to be baptized.”

On January 24, Davis helped preach the sermon at Forest Lake Church. Davis has also launched a new ministry to NASCAR (National Association for Stock Car Automobile Racing) fans called, “Race to Victory.” Thousands of individuals are going to hear the Good News about Jesus as a result of one life that was changed.

More than 120,000 hours of sermons were downloaded for viewing online and more than 2,000 prayer requests were sent in. Responses came from more than 150 countries. Finley and his staff prayed for every single one of the prayer requests they received.

Discoveries ’08 was also the first time viewers submitted questions to the speaker via video clips, which they posted online and were played live during the broadcast. In addition, 1,200 host sites rebroadcast the series at their local churches. Through the Discoveries ‘08 series, more than 1,000 people were baptized in Florida alone.

One woman who lived in a Muslim country had been watching, but had never met a real-life Adventist. She could not openly admit she believed for fear of losing her life, but she told Pastor Finley, “When you made the appeal the other night, I raised my hand.” She told Pastor Finley she is very grateful for Adventist media.

A mother and daughter from the Apopka area were attending regularly when a family event required them to drive to Tennessee. They looked up the list of download sites and were able to continue attending by watching Hope Channel at another church.

“Partnering with Hope Channel for Discoveries ’08 was a life-changing experience for me as a pastor and for our entire church family,” said Derek Morris, senior pastor of the Forest Lake Church. “When you join the Lord of the harvest in His work, you will see miracles! Just like the early disciples of Jesus after their first missionary journey, our church family returned with joy.”

To support Hope Channel’s global work of spreading the Gospel, please click the green button on the right.

The Charitable Gift Annuity For You and Your Children

Wed, 18 Mar 2009 10:17:23 +0000

Jim is a hard working farmer and a saver. During the past two years, he watched the return on his CDs drop significantly. He needed more income AND wanted to provide income to his children.
One day while viewing Hope Channel, he heard about a Charitable Gift Annuity (CGA) that would do exactly what he wanted.
“I called Hope Channel and asked Dr. Navarro about a CGA. He proposed an annuity for me and an annuity for each of my four children. I was excited to discover that my CGA, based on my age, would pay me 8.8%,” said Jim. The four annuities for his children were easy to set up and will provide an average payout rate of 5.7% first to Jim, then to his children. He transferred money from his matured CDs into each annuity.
“My accountant is also delighted with the percentage of my payments that are income-tax free. Best of all, I know my gift annuities enable Hope Channel to do what it does best, win souls for the Savior.”
Fixed payments for Jim from the gift annuities are about two times what he was receiving from his one-year certificate of deposit. Here is an example of an annuity like Jim’s.

If you would like a Charitable Gift Annuity for yourself and/or your children that ultimately helps Hope Channel, give Dr. Navarro a call today at 888-339-PLAN (7526)

To support Hope Channel’s global work of spreading the Gospel, please click the green button on the right.

Multiplying Loaves and Fishes

Wed, 18 Mar 2009 10:15:00 +0000

With its diverse religions and languages, and a population of more than one billion, India represents a huge challenge to Christians seeking to fulfill the Great Commission. Television offers unequaled potential for taking up that challenge, and Hope Channel is poised to step into the gap.
Geoff Rippingale, a volunteer from Australia who was project manager for “Project Hope Australia,” is overseeing the development of a media center in Chennai (southwest India) and making contact with businesses and cable companies.
Obtaining a license to broadcast in India is a long and difficult process, and we need your prayers for the final stages of this process.
Three years ago Pastor Ron Watts, special assistant to the president of Southern Asian region of the Adventist Church, approached Hope Channel president Brad Thorp asking Hope Channel to assist with local TV production. Hope Channel provided Pastor Swamidas Johnson with a small Sony 150 camera, a microphone, and a few hours in the studio with Hope Channel studio manager Joe Sloan to learn how to use the equipment. Hope Channel also gave him a tape deck so he could prepare broadcast tapes of his programs.
“With an investment of just $5,000, God has used Pastor Johnson and his team of volunteers to produce an amazing amount of contextualized programming for Hope Channel,” said Thorp. “Keep in mind he is doing all this with one camera and one microphone. This is evidence of how God uses what we have and multiplies it.”
To date, Pastor Johnson and his team of volunteers have produced 740 programs in Tamil, Hindi, and Telugu. In addition, the Tamil programs have been broadcast on local cable in Chennai, and have generated thousands of letters from people requesting prayer, asking questions about the Bible, sharing their personal stories, and thanking him for the programs.
In fact, one day shortly after boarding a plane in New Delhi, Pastor Johnson bowed his head in prayer as was his custom, without realizing that another passenger was watching him closely. When he finished praying, this gentleman approached him and said, “I knew you were Pastor Johnson. I watch your programs on TV.” This viewer is a businessman based in Yemen who watches Pastor Johnson every week on Hope Channel International.
Earlier this year, Kandus Thorp, vice president for international development, visited Pastor Johnson and his team to assess the viability of Hope Channel India. She met with church leaders regarding the development of this new channel. Hope Channel India will feature programming in Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu along with relevant English programming subtitled in these languages.
“A new Hope Channel for India represents a huge step of faith and enormous evangelistic opportunity,” she added. “India is a country that needs to hear and see the gospel and Bible truth in their own language and culture. Hope Channel India is a dream and by God’s grace we will realize this dream.”
Hope Channel’s Indian programs can be seen on Hope Channel International. We thank all our donors who have given financially to Hope Channel India, and we need your continued support to complete what God has inspired us to do.

To support Hope Channel’s global work of spreading the Gospel, please click the green button on the right.

Hope Channel brings hope to war-torn Angola

Wed, 18 Mar 2009 10:11:10 +0000

After nearly 30 years of civil war, Angola is a country on the rebound, looking for hope. And your television network is there to provide it.
Though the war officially ended in 2002, this former Portuguese colony is still rebuilding through oil and diamond revenues, and tourism. Yet this African country of more than 12 million residents still struggles with adult illiteracy, proper sanitation, and a high incidence of food, water, and animal-borne disease. In addition, only about half of Angola’s population claims Christianity as its religion: 38 percent Roman Catholic and 15 percent Protestant; and nearly as many, 47 percent, practice indigenous beliefs.
Angola needs hope. And thanks to your ongoing support of Hope Channel and initiatives like “Project Hope,” these lovely-yet-beleaguered people will soon have high-profile television programs that address the country’s most pressing spiritual, social, and health needs.
By God’s grace and your sacrificial involvement, Hope Channel and its Brazil-based Portuguese Novo Tempo (New Times) channel, have become an integral part of restoring hope to the hope-starved population. “Project Hope Angola” produced more than 100 life-changing programs in 20 production days, ending on February 4!
“We finished 13 sermon programs in a day and a half. On another day we taped eight half-hour episodes of “It Happened in Angola,” a series featuring heart-touching testimonies of faith and inspired courage from survivors of the Angolan war,” said Kandus Thorp, Hope Channel’s vice president for international development.
“The first story in the series was amazing. It featured a now-successful businessman from Luanda who was living with his family in the slum,” said Thorp.
“He was a poorly paid waiter. His employer told him to work on Sabbath or lose his job. He told his employer that his relationship with God is more important and he refused to work, even though it meant the family would starve. Then God ‘spoke’ to him and told him he should start a school for children in the slum. He moved his family into the kitchen of his shanty house and started a school in the other room. God honored his faith and now he is financially blessed, and operates a school for 5,000 students,” Thorp explained.
“And now we’re starting to hear even more incredible stories. The testimonies of those on the program will exult Jesus and change lives. ‘It Happened in Angola’ will be a very powerful program,” Thorp added.
The production list for “Project Hope Angola” is long, and included programs for women, children, and families; featured local musicians and Bible teachers; and involved people from every province of the country.
“God really brought together another hardworking, dedicated group of volunteers who want to reach their countrymen with the Gospel. Our donor’s support is going a long, long ways,” said Thorp.
“Project Hope” has always seen the Lord stretch resources in amazing ways. More than 1,000 half-hour programs have been produced in 18 months, in eight locations, through this initiative at an average cost of under $700 per episode. That’s amazing when you factor in all the actual costs of producing a program.
The sheer number of different programs and series produced during these sessions required a new set nearly every other day—and the resourcefullness and creativity to match. Through it all, God blessed in jaw-dropping ways.
“Local artists with amazing talent simply showed up without invitation and painted beautiful artwork for the sets. God arranged so many providential blessings, and participation in this production meant so much to these dear people who seem to come to us from all over the country,” said Thorp. “I am still completely humbled and moved. It was worth all the challenges.”
The afternoon weather in Huambo provided another big challenge. Dark clouds would gather and just around 4:00 p.m. it would pour rain for about an hour. Thorp led the team in prayer each day to ask God to hold back the thunderstorms so they wouldn’t interrupt production. He was faithful, sometimes allowing the afternoon rain to come during the set changes between programs.
Even through bad weather, power outages, and overheating generators, God watched over the details, the equipment, and the crew; and rewarded the faith of His people who worked so hard to bring Him honor and glory.
“God is good and we are grateful for His blessing on this project. We are grateful for the prayers and financial commitment of our supporters. We continued, each day, forward on our knees,” said Thorp.

“Project Hope” is Hope Channel’s initiative to produce culturally relevant programs in a wide variety of the world’s languages so people of all nations can learn about, accept, and follow Jesus. Each “Project Hope” experience is full of miracles rich with stories of hardworking volunteers, spartan conditions, low budgets, and huge amounts of creativity—all of which produce some of the best looking, most inspiring Christian programming available on television. And we’re able to say that only because of God’s great blessings! Be assured that your financial support is being stretched to miraculous proportions in the hands of faithful stewards working for a faithful God.

Kandus,

Each time that I see your pictures from Angola I am amazed and grateful to the Lord; I am assured that from now on Angola will no longer be the same. I want to thank Hope Channel and Novo Tempo from the bottom of my heart for your faith, love, perseverance, and endurance. I do know that God will bless you 10 times more.

Sincerely
Gilberto Carlos Araujo
Vice President, Southern Africa-Indian Ocean Division

To support Hope Channel’s global work of spreading the Gospel, please click the green button on the right.

HOPE CHANNEL JOINS DIRECTV LINEUP

Wed, 18 Mar 2009 10:10:05 +0000

Hope Channel, the official television network of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, is pleased to announce its partnership with DIRECTV for broadcast to the continental United States, Hawaii, and Alaska. Hope Channel is scheduled to be added to the basic DIRECTV lineup April 29 on channel 368.“We are delighted to partner with DIRECTV! This allows millions of viewers in North America to receive the life changing messages of Hope Channel,” said Hope Channel president Brad Thorp. “We also want to thank the management team at DIRECTV for their gracious reception and cooperation in adding us to their excellent line-up of channels in more than 17 million homes.”“This is big news for a five-year-old donor-supported network. This signifies a huge step in recognition by the industry for the quality of content we offer the public. Roughly 75 percent of what we air is original to our network. That’s a lot of exclusive content that will benefit viewers that they just can’t get anywhere else,” said Kandus Thorp, Hope Channel International Director and Director for Program Development Scheduling.“We’re encouraging church members who have cable to make the easy switch to DIRECTV. By doing so, they will support Hope Channel so millions of others can begin to benefit from our family-friendly programs. And when their friends and family switch, they’re supporting Hope Channel too…and they’re getting the same great inspiring, truth-filled programming you do,” said Gary Gibbs, Hope Channel vice president.“17 Million homes is the largest satellite TV audience in North America! This is a very providential development! This is largest media break through for the Church in North America. We are encouraging members to grasp the huge opportunity to share Jesus through the Hope Channel on DIRECTV,” explained Mark Finley, Chairman of the Hope Channel Board of Directors. “I’m telling my neighbors to switch or subscribe and watch my favorite – Hope Channel!”Seventh-day Adventist Church leadership endorses this effort so that millions of people in North America can benefit from Hope Channel’s family-friendly, spiritual, healthy living, history, nature, finance, educational, and music programs. Hope Channel’s holistic approach to enhancing a person’s mind, body, and spirit will immediately appeal to DIRECTV viewers.“We realize that not every Adventist household has TV, but many do; and we ask those who currently have cable to seriously consider switching to DIRECTV right away so they can watch Hope Channel,” said Don Schneider, president of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in North America and Host of the “Really Living” program on Hope Channel.DIRECTV’s basic home service package starts at just $29.99 per month and includes more than 150 channels, including Hope Channel—130 of which are in HD. As Channel 368, Hope Channel will be placed among several leading news and educational channels. And best of all, viewers can choose which ones their family watches with easy-to-use controls.Watch for future announcements on how to subscribe to DIRECTV.

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