African Radio More Information


African Radio Ministries Report Our Vision: Bring Christ to the peoples of the world by means of mass media, trusting God to use these efforts to build new worship communities and to strengthen existing congregations. ARM’s beginnings: Together with LCMS mission contacts in St. Louis and in Africa the Duitsmans began ARM after their retirement in 2003. After making accounting arrangements with LCMS World Mission, offices were set up in Monrovia, Liberia and in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Those offices have been producing programs and sending Bibles and materials to listeners since January 2005. Dr. Tilahun Mekonnen of Mobile, Alabama and Rev. Jeff Johnson from Cleveland have served as key ARM advisors since 2004. Rev. Kenety Gee, Rev. Jackson Jaylah and Mr. Joe Boway also contributed wisdom and guidance along with many others too numerous to name here. Concordia Lutheran Church’s partnership: Concordia Lutheran Church of Barstow, California gave support to ARM at a critical time when the organization began. Pastor Anderson and Concordia members have been important partners since that time. New Partners: In addition to financial support from Concordia and Duitsman family members, donations also come from former Lutheran Bible Translators supporters and missionary friends of the Duitsmans. Currently, however, approximately eighty percent of all donations are generated by fund raising efforts of Gary Thies of Mapleton, Iowa. Gary, a retired banker and farmer, donates his time to raise support for LCMS mission projects. He feels strongly as we do that ARM worship programs stand out for effectiveness in touching large numbers of people at relatively low cost. Gary also assists the ARM work by receiving donations, accounting for them and forwarding them to the ARM account in St. Louis. Financial Policy: An important feature of ARM which is attractive to donors is its policy to send 100% of all donations overseas. No donated funds are used for LCMS administration nor for any expenses in the U.S. All U.S. expenses and work are done and paid for by volunteers. Regular Donations are needed: One of the problems that ARM faces is the need for an income stream that is more consistent. The farmers and business people in Iowa and Nebraska respond to Gary Thies’ appeals for one-time gifts but there are only a few people that give more than once per year. Our prayer is that we can get a regular support base for future work. Donations can be sent to: ARM c/o Gary Thies 40718 Hwy E16 Mapleton, IA 51034 God’s Faithfulness: ARM began broadcasting in January of 2005 in Liberian English and in two Ethiopian languages. Since that time all financial obligations to the office staff, radio preachers and to the stations have been miraculously met. God’s Tool: The ARM programs are designed to create worship groups or house churches with the radio pastor as their leader and teacher. So far about five hundred and twenty worship groups have written to tell us that they have formed house churches. This is an amazing figure that surprised all of us. But the big story is that this is only the number of those who wrote. Many groups are worshipping but do not contact the offices. Present Need is for Bibles: Individuals also write asking for prayer and for Christian study materials. People write from prisons, from schools, remote villages and towns. Many are even writing from Muslim areas. Often they request Bibles and Small Catechisms. About thirty Bibles and about two hundred other pieces of literature are sent out monthly. Bibles in English, Oromo or Amharic cost $5.50 each. Some Catechisms are free but cost .75 cents to ship. Other materials cost between .75 cents and $1.50. (Includes shipping.) New Directions: ARM has been asked to play a key role in the reformation of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. The thirty-five million member church needs to place more emphasis upon Christ and salvation by him alone. The Ethiopian Martin Luther, Priest Getacho, is trying to reform the church from within using ARM programs which began in March ’07. Last week Getacho received a letter from the monastery in Gondar, Ethiopia. Twelve monks are listening to the teaching and asking that the programs be longer so they can learn more. The interesting thing here is that Gondar is a holy city for the Orthodox people, like the Vatican is for Roman Catholics. It is a great honor to have a part in this reformation. With God this and all things are possible! Submitted by Rev. John Duitsman

African Radio Ministries Report

Our Vision:
     Bring Christ to the peoples of the world by means of mass media, trusting God to use these efforts to build new worship communities and to strengthen existing congregations.

ARM’s beginnings:
     Together with LCMS mission contacts in St. Louis and in Africa the Duitsmans began ARM after their retirement in 2003. After making accounting arrangements with LCMS World Mission, offices were set up in Monrovia, Liberia and in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Those offices have been producing programs and sending Bibles and materials to listeners since January 2005.
     Dr. Tilahun Mekonnen of Mobile, Alabama and Rev. Jeff Johnson from Cleveland have served as key ARM advisors since 2004. Rev. Kenety Gee, Rev. Jackson Jaylah and Mr. Joe Boway also contributed wisdom and guidance along with many others too numerous to name here.

Concordia Lutheran Church’s partnership:
     Concordia Lutheran Church of Barstow, California gave support to ARM at a critical time when the organization began. Pastor Anderson and Concordia members have been important partners since that time.

New Partners:
     In addition to financial support from Concordia and Duitsman family members, donations also come from former Lutheran Bible Translators supporters and missionary friends of the Duitsmans. Currently, however, approximately eighty percent of all donations are generated by fund raising efforts of Gary Thies of Mapleton, Iowa. Gary, a retired banker and farmer, donates his time to raise support for LCMS mission projects. He feels strongly as we do that ARM worship programs stand out for effectiveness in touching large numbers of people at relatively low cost. Gary also assists the ARM work by receiving donations, accounting for them and forwarding them to the ARM account in St. Louis.

Financial Policy:
     An important feature of ARM which is attractive to donors is its policy to send 100% of all donations overseas. No donated funds are used for LCMS administration nor for any expenses in the U.S. All U.S. expenses and work are done and paid for by volunteers.

Regular Donations are needed:
     One of the problems that ARM faces is the need for an income stream that is more consistent. The farmers and business people in Iowa and Nebraska respond to Gary Thies’ appeals for one-time gifts but there are only a few people that give more than once per year. Our prayer is that we can get a regular support base for future work.
Donations can be sent to:

ARM c/o Gary Thies
40718 Hwy E16
Mapleton, IA 51034

God’s Faithfulness:
     ARM began broadcasting in January of 2005 in Liberian English and in two Ethiopian languages. Since that time all financial obligations to the office staff, radio preachers and to the stations have been miraculously met.

God’s Tool:
     The ARM programs are designed to create worship groups or house churches with the radio pastor as their leader and teacher. So far about five hundred and twenty worship groups have written to tell us that they have formed house churches. This is an amazing figure that surprised all of us. But the big story is that this is only the number of those who wrote. Many groups are worshipping but do not contact the offices.

Present Need is for Bibles:
     Individuals also write asking for prayer and for Christian study materials. People write from prisons, from schools, remote villages and towns. Many are even writing from Muslim areas. Often they request Bibles and Small Catechisms. About thirty Bibles and about two hundred other pieces of literature are sent out monthly.

     Bibles in English, Oromo or Amharic cost $5.50 each. Some Catechisms are free but cost .75 cents to ship. Other materials cost between .75 cents and $1.50. (Includes shipping.)

New Directions:
     ARM has been asked to play a key role in the reformation of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. The thirty-five million member church needs to place more emphasis upon Christ and salvation by him alone. The Ethiopian Martin Luther, Priest Getacho, is trying to reform the church from within using ARM programs which began in March ’07.

     Last week Getacho received a letter from the monastery in Gondar, Ethiopia. Twelve monks are listening to the teaching and asking that the programs be longer so they can learn more. The interesting thing here is that Gondar is a holy city for the Orthodox people, like the Vatican is for Roman Catholics.

It is a great honor to have a part in this reformation.

With God this and all things are possible!

Submitted by
Rev. John Duitsman