TWR partners with more than 200 global organizations to proclaim the gospel, including broadcaster The Word Today.
Our Shepherd Lutheran Church of Greendale, Wisconsin, is the birthplace of The Word Today radio ministry. Its 540 members are led by Pastor Paul R. Schroeder, speaker on The Word Today, and his son, Administrative Pastor Douglas W. Schroeder. In 1978, the church supported Pastor Schroeder’s vision of utilizing radio to reach the world for Christ through The Word Today. The purpose of the ministry is to bring God’s Word to the world, to clearly apply His truths to daily life and to praise Him for the gift of salvation through Christ.
“I don’t feel we have much time left to reach the world,” said Pastor Schroeder, “and that’s why using radio is such a deep conviction of mine. We became interested in finding those groups who haven’t anything yet, and [focusing on] where the need is greatest.”
In addition to broadcasting in all 50 states, The Word Today partners with TWR to air programs in 16 languages throughout China, India, Nepal, Myanmar, Russia, the Caribbean and several African countries. Each program of The Word Today explains a word or theme from God’s Word to listeners, enabling them to know Christ and grow in knowledge of the Scriptures.
“I believe Christian churches should set the Great Commission as a priority,” said Schroeder. “We’ve been supportive of Trans World Radio’s radio distribution in India in particular. We sent money to buy 5,000 radios because we believe that’s the most effective way to reach them.”
For instance, he recalled that two years ago, The Word Today initiated a 15-minute program for the Koya people of India, even though they’d been forewarned that they more than likely wouldn’t receive any response. “This was a group that had no prior Christian training or radio programs,” he said. “That year, they had over 850 responses and requests for additional information.” Schroeder added that Vishwa Vani, TWR’s church-planting arm in India, started five congregations in the area as a result of one year of broadcasting to the Koya people. “Whenever someone responds, chances are there are four or five more that are involved there,” he said. “That’s why I like taking radios there.”
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