Let the Earth Hear His Voice ...

What a historic day! Today was a great day. I have loved living today.

Today we had the groundbreaking service for the new FEBC Radio Station here at Sefton. For those of you who don't know ...here's the story! In 1999, whilst here on our first visit to Sefton, on the day that we knew God was calling us here ... the Lord woke me up in the middle of the night and showed me a vision.

He told me, "Sefton Village will become a centre of fire." In this vision, as real as watching a movie, He showed me many things. He showed me children praying with tears. I saw young people prophesying and reaching out. I saw SBTC students going with fire torches into the darkness. I saw many being healed. And I saw a Radio Station. In the vision, I saw someone speaking into a microphone and at the same time I saw people listening to the radio, falling to their knees and accepting Christ as their Saviour. I was amazed.

As we went around the churches in 2000, I told them, "One day we will have a Radio Station at Sefton Village!" In truth, it seemed almost impossible and very unlikely. I know absolutely about Radio Stations, construction or programming. I had no contacts in the media world. But I had a vision ... and I knew that someday it would come to pass.

In 2003, still nothing had happened with the Radio Station vision. I remember thinking, "Lord, I am not going to push this vision right now ( I was so busy with SBTC & the Fire Centre building) ... but if it is of you ... show me what to do." A few weeks later I was invited to a presentation by FEBC radio here in Santiago. Well, as I sat in that church, the Lord spoke to me and said, "This is the time for the birth of my vision." At the end of the service I stood up, went to the front and said, "Don't worry, I know were your Radio Station is meant to be!" Kinda bold (especially as they thought they had land to build a Radio Station at Cauayan - a town 30 miles away!)


I met the FEBC guys and asked them to pray. Another 18 months passed .... nothing much happening. I heard that FEBC had a new Director - Mr Dan Andrew Cura - who I knew and recognised from the TV. He was a very well known News presenter on the Philippines' biggest channel. We met ... and became friends with a mission. We have met many times since over the last few years and have taken things step by step.

We leased a large portion of land to them at no cost for the next 50 years. I am pretty sure I won't be at Sefton at that time but if I am, we will sign it again for another 50! Pass me my zimmer ...

Over the last 18 months FEBC have sent up Radio Station managers to set up the ministry. They are a lovely couple called Em & Miriam Perez. They have ministered at FEBC for many years! They have trained many new programmers who speak many languages. This is the first Radio Station FEBC have started since the 1970's .. so we are all kinda new at this stuff!


The station is called DWMR 1143 they were joking today that MR stood for Mark Ritchie but actually it stands for Mission Radio!) The main aim of this station is to present the gospel in many different languages to many different people groups. Fantastic. There are around 5 or 6 Cornerstone Pastors who have already been trained.

So today we all met together to thank the Lord and break the ground. We met beside the new school building and many were there - Pastors, SBTC students, Programmers, Politicians, FEBC Staff and Board Members etc. We had a short service where many spoke, encouraged and shared. I was meant to give the Welcome Address but it almost turned into a preach! Only 7 minutes though ... good for me! I felt so fulfilled and delighted.


We went down to the actual place where they will build and broke the ground and cut the ribbon. I was so excited. The vision, though it lingered, was coming to pass before my eyes. They are expecting to complete all the buildings in 5 months and start going full time on air by May. Almost all of the northern Philippines will hear Christian Radio ... all the way from Sefton Village! Can you believe it? God's words are sure and his promises will come to pass.

I leave you with the words of the one and only song we sang today. But these words are a declaration that the world WILL hear about the Lord.

Be blessed ... dream, and don't doubt!

To God be the glory, great things He has done;
So loved He the world that He gave us His Son,
Who yielded His life an atonement for sin,
And opened the life gate that all may go in.

Praise the Lord, praise the Lord,
Let the earth hear His voice!
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord,
Let the people rejoice!
O come to the Father, through Jesus the Son,
And give Him the glory, great things He has done.

O perfect redemption, the purchase of blood,
To every believer the promise of God;
The vilest offender who truly believes,
That moment from Jesus a pardon receives.

Great things He has taught us, great things He has done,
And great our rejoicing through Jesus the Son;
But purer, and higher, and greater will be
Our wonder, our transport, when Jesus we see.

FEBC ... All Systems Go!

Last week was an exciting week because after 4 years of planning, waiting and talking, we finally signed the contract leasing FEBC some of our land. The photo above shows me signing the legal contract along with Em Perez from FEBC and Pastor Laurence Nanglegan of the AoG District. At the bottom of Sefton Village a large radio antenna will be built. They will also build a studio building for recording all the radio shows.

We have had several meetings with FEBC Director Dan Cura and I have become good friends with him. The first time we met was in 2003 and it was a hoot. I never knew who Dan was but he was the new FEBC Director. He wanted to meet me and so when I was in Manila we planned a meeting. I decided to go early and sat at a small table across from a guy I thought I recognised. After ten minutes I asked him, "Aren't you the guy who reads the news on Channel 35?" He said, "Yes, are you Pastor Mark Ritchie?" Then I felt like a real twit. I had literally watched Dan read the national news every night for 3 years on the biggest TV Station in the Philippines and I still didn't realise that this was the same Dan Cura as I was going to meet. We still have a good laugh about that meeting!

There is a lovely couple called Em & Miriam Perez and they have worked for FEBC for 30 years. They have been assigned the responsibility of setting up the new radio station. They have had many training events for potential programmers here at Sefton. They have also been involved in a lot of the practical details of setting things up. There is a guy from FEBC called Peter MacIntyre and he is from Edinburgh ... and his wife from Tain just north of Inverness. He came to train our programmers once and couldn't believe that we were also Scottish and that Mary was from Wick! Small world!

The plan is that we will start to build in Jan/Feb. We hope to start recording radio programmes by Easter and go on air in June 2008. Many of our Cornerstone pastors & leaders (Winston, Marlou, James Bastian, August, Danny, Jane) are going to have their own shows and they have went through all the training. They all speak different dialects and will reach out to their own people groups. It is so exciting!

We have leased out the land on a 50 year lease at P1 per year! I want to make sure that the radio station will have no problems even when I am no longer at Sefton. So when I am 88, if I am still around, I can come to the Philippines to see how the new negotiations are going!!

You have to realise that there is absolutely no Christian Radio any more in the Northern Philippines. Many pastors and leader had their own shows on local FM radio stations but a false prophet (all self proclaimed messiah) bought up the rights for all local radio in the Philippines and the first thing he did was remove Christian Radio. So for three years there has been no proclamation of the gospel or christian music.


The Radio Station is called Cagayan Valley Missionary Radio an the frequency will be 1143 AM. It will reach out for hundreds of miles and most of Northern Luzon will hear that 'Jesus Christ is Lord' again! This is not a radio station to tick the ears of Christians ... its main purpose is to share the gospel for very people group in northern Luzon. That is about to change ...

In 1999 the Lord showed me in a vision that one day we would have a radio station at Sefton Village. At that time I had absolutely no idea how it would come to pass. But I knew what God had showed me and believed it with all my heart. And now, I have been amazed at the faithfulness and plan of the Lord in bringing this exciting project to pass.

Whatever the dream or vision God has shown you ... don't give up! You don't have to know how God will do it, when He will do it or even what he will do. Just believe. Hold on. Survive the storm. Don't give up ... the fulfillment is coming!

Here is a verse to encourage you today: "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." (Gal 6:9 - NIV)