TWR Lanka strengthens churches with radio homes

The Christ-followers meet at night, after the day’s work has been done.

Three men and three women, one holding a toddler, sing together. One lifts his hands in praise, his shadow crossing the wall of the small living area. Returning to their seats, they share thanksgivings and petitions, then bow together in prayer.

The leader then places a small black cylinder on the coffee table and turns a switch. The teaching time for the night begins, as a voice in their Sinhalese language speaks truth from the Word of God. After, they’ll discuss the teachings, sing another song and break up for the night so they can rest up for the day’s labors ahead.

Known as a radio home, it meets in a town near the western coast. Many such groups have been set up in the nation within the past three years, according to Vinsanda,* TWR Lanka’s audio relations supervisor. They’ve been birthed in both Sinhala- and Tamil-speaking communities.

Vinsanda, whose responsibilities include serving the groups, was a guest on this particular evening, along with his colleague Mewan,* social media coordinator for TWR Lanka, TWR’s partner on the island. Also present: Alex Lemus and Clay Perry of the Cary, North Carolina-based TWR Global Marketing and Communications video team.

Perry and Lemus were documenting Sri Lanka’s radio home groups in January on behalf of TWR Canada, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. TWR Canada has been helping fund the startup of radio home groups in South Asia, said Daryl Renshaw, TWR vice president for Asia. After two years, TWR expects local sponsors, including churches, to sustain radio homes.

The groups, typically consisting of five to eight people, provide opportunities for spiritual growth built around sound biblical teaching from a media player.

This supplements, but doesn’t replace, the work of the local church.

“[TWR Canada President] Dan Reese made it clear to us that the home group is not supposed to replace the local church,” Perry said. “It’s supposed to come alongside the local church.”

Renshaw said the groups help expand awareness about TWR Lanka’s broadcast programs and provide essential feedback. The radio homes are birthed in collaboration between TWR Lanka and local churches, where they exist, and the groups connect participants to churches for shepherding.

In January, Perry and Lemus with their TWR Lanka hosts, traveled around the southern half of the island, which is about the same size as the U.S. state of West Virginia. TWR Lanka develops its own programs for the groups, so its staff includes two experts in Christian theology to make sure the teaching is sound, Lemus said. They also rely on native Bible teachers to ensure that the content is accurate and speaks to the needs of local listeners.

Some pastors attend radio home groups so they will have biblical truth to share with their congregations, Perry said.

One purpose of the groups is to train believers to bring others to Christ, Perry said. He shared one account of a man named Dilip who first really understood the gospel at a radio home. Dilip then shared the gospel with a childhood friend, and he prayed for healing when his friend became seriously ill. When the friend recovered, he was much more receptive. Dilip again shared the gospel, and his friend came to faith. Then his friend shared the gospel with a family who also accepted Christ.

“So you just see this multiplication happening, and that’s just one story,” Perry said.

The pair met others whose lives had been transformed through radio home groups. One group includes a former Hindu priest who came to know the Lord. Another is led by the daughter of an Aboriginal chief.

Illiterate laborers will listen to their radio players while working in the rice paddy fields and meet up later to discuss what they’ve heard, Perry said.

* For security purposes, we are using pseudonyms for the TWR Lanka team members.

About Sri Lanka

Population: 23.3 million

Languages:
Sinhalese – 87%
Tamil – 28.5%
English – 23.8%
(Many Sri Lankans speak more than one language.)

Religious groups:
Buddhist – 70.2%
Hindus – 12.6%
Muslims – 9.7%
Evangelicals – 1.2% 

Sources: 2012 Sri Lanka Census; CIA World Factbook; Operation World