“Text your questions to 35487.”
Those were the last words of our last break on a Friday.
Over the weekend, Brant Hansen would be interviewing the late Sy Rogers – a prolific speaker that had a ministry focused on God and sexual brokenness. Sy agreed to take questions posed by listeners, which was wonderful. What was not so wonderful was the fact we had to solicit those questions.
How in the world were we going to do that? On CHRISTIAN radio?
One of Brant’s many gifts is saying something unbelievably profound, quickly. I’ve never heard anyone do it better. So, he did it. I can’t remember exactly what he said. I remember it took less than 35 seconds and he said it once at the end of our shift. What happened next still shakes me to my core…
I was watching the Text App screen. It was my job to assemble all the questions, sort through them, pick 10 or so and have them ready for the interview the next day. I honestly didn’t expect many. I thought we would be lucky if we even got 10 questions. Then I remember a lump in both my throat and stomach, simultaneously, as I started to see the texts come in. POUR IN. Our last break was at approximately 4:52 P.M. The questions didn’t slow down until about 7 P.M. Hundreds and hundreds of questions. I was struggling to keep up with printing them all.
Finally, when they were all printed out, I left for home. I hadn’t read any of them yet. It was a beautiful California evening so I remember going out to the tiny little balcony of my tiny little apartment to read the plethora of texts from our listeners. I had some snacks and a beverage as I wasn’t expecting anything emotional. I was the producer of a radio show. I was prepping questions for the host’s interview the next day. I thought that was it; just the mundane side of producing a radio show.
When I read the first question, I felt my stomach churn. Not because it was disgusting or graphic but because it was so honest. I felt the excruciating pain the person had to be feeling when they typed each letter on their touch-tone keypad. As I continued reading text after text my stomach churning turned into full-on tears (and I am not one by any means given to frivolous tears). I was holding people’s pain in my hand. They texted the deepest, darkest, scariest, most humiliating, and gut-wrenching details of their lives to 35487.
Can you imagine the desperation? The despair? The agony?
We were on in afternoon drive so that means these texts, presumably, are coming from people on their way home from work…or a mom at a stoplight taking her kid to band practice…or a pastor on his way to church to read a little more before Bible Study.
The things they most assuredly wouldn’t raise their hand and say in Sunday School or small group they text to a 5-digit number. Such was their desperation for hope and healing.
That day forever changed the way I looked at our audience. Until that time, I have to admit I was a little fearful of them. I believed them to be morally superior to me. Some of the calls and emails we would get certainly did imply so. Perhaps, subconsciously, I was always looking for language that proved to them that I was at least trying to be as spiritual as they were. Except for a flash of anger in traffic, a cross word to their spouse, or a missed early morning meditation time, I thought they were fairly sinless. But there on that balcony, staring into the California night sky, I had an epiphany:
“Sheesh, they’re as screwed up as I am!”
So, my approach to this format changed. I moved from fear to encouragement. I didn’t have to talk like I belonged to some pristine Christian Country Club. There is no Country Club and if there were, I certainly couldn’t belong to it and neither could our listeners.
Thus, the beauty of Calvary.
It frees me from guilt and shame and at that moment I knew our audience, no matter the Christian veneer, needed freeing, too. So, then it became about how many wonderful ways I can communicate what Christ did. How many fun, interesting, and entertaining ways can I convey this beautiful refrain of our Savior:
“Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.”
That’s not just a message for the ‘unsaved’ or the ‘unchurched.’ It’s for all of us. We need it every single day. There are burdens and weights that our listeners are carrying that no one knows about. It’s brokenness they dare not utter. And with great joy, we get to tell them: “No matter your sickness or brokenness, there is a GREAT PHYSICIAN!!”
Every once in a while, we need reminding…this is a pretty awesome job.
Sherri Lynn
Co-host & Producer, The Brant Hansen Show
Sherri Lynn has been a radio professional for decades and is the producer of The Brant Hansen Show. She has her degree in Communications as well as Biblical Studies and is a writer, comedienne, and former youth pastor. She wrote and produced a comedy DVD entitled “The Very Funny Church Comedy Show: Together We Laugh”, wrote and starred in the stage play musical “The Bold and the Sanctified” which starred American Idol Winner Ruben Studdard, and authored the book “I Want To Punch You In The Face But I Love Jesus.”
Life 102.5 has a heart for Madison! For the 4
Spirit 92.9 continued its commitment of blessing the central Minnesota community through intentional service projects. As the pandemic affected another year, station listeners rose to the challenge of uplifting and encouraging those feeling loss, loneliness, or burnout. Thanks to the help of generous listeners and business partners, Spirit 92.9 raised more than $8,000 in an online tip jar that blessed the staff at 19 local restaurants returning to work full time with huge tips during the Big Tip promotion. The restaurant workers were grateful for the visibility and appreciation. Numerous area teachers nominated by their students and families received special honor at the end of the school year with flowers and $500 VISA gift cards as part of “Thank A Teacher” organized by Spirit 92.9. In the fall, Spirit 92.9 partnered with two local ministries and provided free holiday meals to the community. During the ‘More Than A Meal’ event, the station worked with community members who donated enough to provide 6,000 meals and give help to people in need. Station team members also prepared and served meals together at the local homeless mission. At Christmastime, 11 community members wrote Spirit 92.9 and shared the story of someone they believed deserved some extra joy due to personal hardships. The individuals received $1000 to bless that person during Spirit 92.9’s Share The Joy promotion. Phone calls were made to hundreds of listeners to offer prayer and encouragement. Prayer support and a personal response is offered all year long.
Jim Campbell, Founder & Network President of Radio Training Network, Inc. began his radio career in commercial radio in Tennessee in 1964. In 1966 he moved his family to Lakeland, Florida to attend college, and upon graduation he joined the staff at First Assembly of God Church where he and the church launched in the mid 1970s the first Contemporary Christian Radio Station in the nation, WCIE-FM. The station grew in both market impression and influence not just in Lakeland, but around the country inspiring others to follow Jim’s lead. In 1989 Jim left the church and founded Radio Training Network, Inc. (RTN) and over the next 30+ years, he oversaw the acquisition and development of 40+ stations plus translators. With 130 team members, RTN stations serve the Carolinas, Georgia, Alabama, Florida, and Missouri. These stations are well recognized in their respective markets thanks to the servant leadership of the staff, aggressive marketing, and a commitment to a strong emphasis on Jesus first. At present RTN has some two million listeners each week on air and approximately the same number online.
Andrea Kleid is a 24-year veteran of radio and records. She began her career working in Christian radio at WNLT in Cincinnati, and then moved onto WAY-FM in West Palm Beach working in programming and promotions. Her next stop took her to JOY-FM in Tampa where she served as the Promotions Director. In 2004, Andrea moved to Nashville to begin her music industry career in radio promotion under Grant Hubbard at Capitol CMG. In 2008, Andrea became the Vice President of Promotion at Word Label Group where she led one of the most successful and influential radio promotion teams in the Christian music industry. Through her signature brand of honesty, passion for Christian music, and focus on relationships, Andrea developed a reputation for successfully launching new artists’ careers including for KING and COUNTRY, NEEDTOBREATHE and Francesca Battistelli. This year, Andrea celebrates her fifth year as the President of her own company, Boxer Poet. An advocate for both radio and artists, Andrea continues to zealously host conversations around further representation for women and people of color on Christian radio.
Jason Sharp has a rich history with CCM radio and leadership. His early years at WONU/Chicagoland and The Bridge/Delaware gave flight to his passion for great programming and innovative promotions. As Program Director of WCQR/Johnson City and eventually the network PD for Positive Alternative Radio, Jason’s influence grew across the industry. In 2007, Jason joined the team at Northwestern Media as Program Director and then Station Manager of KTIS, Minneapolis/St Paul. In 2015, Jason furthered his formal education and earned his master’s degree in organizational leadership. Applying his leadership knowledge and skills to work, he now serves as Senior Vice President of Broadcasting at Northwestern Media’s 23 stations in 14 markets across ten states that service 1.5 million listeners each week. Jason also served Christian Music Broadcasters, first as a charter member and eventually as the lead of CMB’s educational track at Momentum for more than ten years. He then served as the organization’s board chairman from 2017-2020. Jason continues to inspire others within Christian media toward excellence and compassion through a Christ-centered attitude, education, and practical application.
In 1972, while serving in the U.S. Air Force in Orlando, Johnny Stone dreamt of a second kind of “air force,” that of radio. He took an overnight position at WDIZ-FM, the station where Z88.3 now stands. In the past 50 years of his career, Johnny’s work and personality raised the bar for other programmers in markets ranging from New York City, Chicago, Dallas/Fort Worth, San Diego, Tampa, Atlanta, Tucson, and Minneapolis/St. Paul. During his stint as Program Director and Morning Show host at Star 99.1 New York, his team won the NAB Crystal Radio Award and CMB Station of the Year. Presently, Johnny serves as afternoon host with his wife, Stacey, at 91.9 WGTS in Washington D.C. winner of the 2021 NAB Marconi Award for Religious Station of the Year. Owner of StoneStudios, LLC. and as a 22-year veteran in Christian media, Johnny mentored several on-air talents. Today, along with his on-air role at WGTS, he mentors college students at CMBU, teaching and modeling the belief that “you have to win in the hallways to win on the airwaves.”
Lisa Williams was called to Christian radio while praying in 1990. She walked into KCVO in Camdenton, Missouri and started on the air that same week. Over the past 32 years, Lisa served in various roles in on-air, programming, fundraising, and station management at radio stations and networks including K-LOVE, Z88.3, Star 99.1, KCVO, and KCWN. As an on-air personality, Lisa earned several number one ratings in several markets and was the recipient of three industry awards. Lisa now serves as the Network Talent Coach for Northwestern Media, owner of 23 stations in 14 markets across ten states that service 1.5 million listeners each week. While at Northwestern, Lisa hosted the nationally syndicated show Life with Lisa Williams from 2016-2021. She stepped away from the show to focus on coaching more than 90 on-air talents, encouraging and nurturing them to shine the light of Christ through excellent radio. When she’s not coaching talent, Lisa helps stations raise money for their operations. She also hosts a Facebook group for women on-air in Christian radio called GodsRadioGirls and helps facilitate their annual retreat.