THE NORTHERN KENTUCKY SEARCHER
"Search the scriptures: for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. " (John 5:39)

VOLUME 2, NUMBER 44, DECEMBER 1, 2002

ON THE AIR!!!  

            After a great deal of thought and discussion, the elders decided to begin a radio program to enhance our evangelistic efforts here at Northern Kentucky .  Currently, there are no radio programs on the air in the Greater Cincinnati broadcast area that I am aware of that present the Truth on a daily basis.  So, on Monday, November 25, Woody, Danny, and I met with the Station Manager of WTSJ, 1050 AM, to discuss beginning at radio program.  The discussion went well and a year’s contract was signed.  

            On January 6, 2003 , at 1:30 pm , we will begin a daily, Monday through Friday, call-in program.  It will last for 30 minutes (26 minutes of actual air time), and will be live.  I will host the program and (prayerfully) there will always be another person on the air with me.  I anticipate several different folks being on the air with me at different times, but that schedule has yet to be worked out.  

            Each program will begin with a short (5 – 10 minute) discussion on a particular topic, then the lines will be opened for calls.  While we hope that the calls will focus on the topic of that day, they will not be restricted.  In other words, any bible question will be acceptable.  We will be offering free bible correspondence courses, tracts and other study aids every day in order to come in contact with people who may be interested in additional bible study.  We will use the program to announce our services, special meetings, vacation bible school, and so on.  The program will be a work of the Northern Kentucky Church of Christ and all of us here have a hand in it.  

            WTSJ is a 1,000 watt, non-directional station.  It’s normal reach is as far west as Batesville, north as Kettering , south as Corinth , and east as Hillsboro .  I have heard the station clearly on a perfect day as far southwest as the Watterson Expressway in Louisville .  The total population within the normal broadcast contour is 1,965, 749 – give or take a few.   

            I know for certain that we will be requiring volunteers to help in various ways once the program gets started.  I know that we will need someone everyday to be at the church building from 1:30 to 2:15 to answer the phone in case we get request for materials. If the program goes as I pray that it will, there will be tracts to be assembled, correspondence courses to be personally returned, and home bible studies to be conducted.  

            One thing that will be most definitely needed, and about which I will have a great deal more to say, is phone calls to the program with questions.  In the beginning stages of the program, we will need you to call with questions. (Don’t make them too difficult!)  Your questions will stimulate the others listeners to call in.  I can’t emphasize enough how important that is.   

            So, brethren, be ready to start listening on January 6, 2003 , at 1:30 pm on WTSJ, 1050 on your AM dial.   Also, the way a program like this builds a listening audience is by word of mouth.  Tell your friends at the other congregations in town, tell your co-workers, and anybody else you can think of.  Each caller will be treated like I would like to be treated – with courtesy and respect.  Most importantly, pray that the Lord will bless this effort with success.

                                                            Greg Litmer

NUMBERS  

I must confess; I like numbers, the bigger the better.  I like to see large crowds.  I like to see large contributions.  I like to see a large number of responses to the gospel call.  I like to see Bible classes overflowing with folks. I just like numbers.  Give me statistics that indicate substantial numerical growth and chances are I will be one happy person.  Give me statistics that indicate at least a little numerical growth and I will still have a smile on my face.  Yes sir, there’s no way around it – I like numbers.  As a matter of fact, I often find myself evaluating my worth as a gospel preacher on the basis of numbers.

            The truth is, all those numbers mean a whole lot more to me than they do to God.  In Deut. 7:7 -8, we find, “The Lord did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people:  but because the Lord loved you, and because he would keep the oath which he had sworn unto your fathers, hath the Lord brought you out with a might hand, and redeemed you out of the house of bondmen, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.”  God certainly did not choose the people through whom the Messiah would come on the basis of numbers, did He?  If He made His decisions on the same basis as we do, or if God held to be of great importance the same things that we often do, doesn’t it seem that He would have selected one of the greatest, most numerous nations of the world and not one of the smallest?

            I believe the bible indicates that we should work as hard as we can to teach as many as we can.  But I have to constantly remind myself that numbers do not indicate success and that they certainly do not indicate faithfulness.  Numbers are in God’s hand.  “I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.  So then neither is he that planteth anything, neither he that watereth: but God that giveth the increase.”

(1 Cor. 3:6 & 7)                                                                    g.l.