Christian Radio’s Response to Hurricane Helene
“Here when you need us.” “Right song, right time.” “Positive, Uplifting, Encouraging, Hopeful…” If you’ve worked in Christian radio for any length of time, you’ve heard brand promises like these before and shared them with your listeners. While these and other statements like them are meaningful to them, when was the last time they meant something to YOU?
Living in Western North Carolina, I came face-to-face with this question over the last week and a half as I saw Hurricane Helene rip through my childhood town, the city where I attended college, and the community where I’m raising my children. Without power, water, and cell service, the sense of isolation was palpable, and yet one source of encouragement remained: Christian radio. From providing the only consistent place to receive reliable updates on where to find food, water, and other essential supplies to reminders about the promises of God when it all seems too much, Christian radio proved, yet again, to be the essential lifeline it has always been.
What’s even more, God showed His faithfulness to the stations He positioned at just the right place at just the right time by meeting their tangible needs when they needed it most. As my friend Kelly Brandon shared about The Light FM’s experience, “God has moved in so many incredible ways! He met every need just at the right time. So many “fail points” were divinely and miraculously fixed before it took us down. We have been the only news source for many because other radio stations went off the air and no one has power for TV, internet, or cell service. Incredible opportunity to share Hope and Peace in the person of Jesus Himself.”
Christian Radio, while the X’s and O’s of what you do every day will always be important, never underestimate how God is the one who positioned and empowered you to be right where you are for a reason. The ministry that He set in place and that you carry forward is a lifeline to so many searching for hope. Take it from one listener who needed you more than you can realize over the last week and a half: you were there when I needed you with the right song and information at the right time to encourage and uplift me. Simply put, I can’t imagine what these days would look like without you.
Please join CMB as we thank the many who faithfully serve their areas and continue to be the calm in the storm. We ask that you pray for those still impacted by Hurricane Helene and for those in the path of Hurricane Milton.
