“God tested us thoroughly to make sure we were qualified to be trusted with this Message. Be assured that when we speak to you, we’re not after crowd approval—only God’s approval”.
This text of the letter sent by the apostle Paul to the believers in Thessalonica touched me because it shows that the situation at that time was not much different from what I experienced as a founder and CEO of Family Media.
He continued: “Since we’ve been put through that battery of tests, you’re guaranteed that both we and the Message are free of error, mixed motives, or hidden agendas. We never used words to butter you up”.
I remember the so-called “man of God” visits and their advice how to get more money to let the ministry grow. I needed to show more miracles and broadcasting great healing happenings! But I ignored their advice.
I am not in for using massive miracles and healings to make TV and radio attractive enough to give money. And I never asked anybody to pay for a prayer.
So instead, I trusted God and did that for the last 24 years that we have been on air uninterrupted.
Christian Media, in my and God’s eyes, is not a money-making ministry, but it is like the apostle wrote to the believers in Thessalonica:
“You saw with your own eyes how discreet and courteous we were among you, with a keen sensitivity to you as fellow believers. And God knows we weren’t freeloaders! You experienced it all firsthand. With each of you, we were like a father with his child, holding your hand, whispering encouragement, showing you step-by-step how to live well before God, who called us into his own kingdom, into this delightful life.”
That has been my award when interviewing partners and listening to their testimonies about how God has changed their lives for the best. I believe thousands of people have been changed by the message of Jesus Christ through our radio and TV that we did not butter up to get more income.
But being so principled also has its flip side. Indeed we never made any profit. All the money God provided us through our friends and partners in Kenya is used to get on to more platforms. We expanded the mission from Nairobi to all over the world. We never bought buildings when we were able to rent. Our employers had to work hard because we could only pay a few.
But now Kenya has come into an economic disaster.
Everybody feels the pain. Companies are closing down, and more people are jobless. Big media organizations are struggling to pay the employees, and at Family Media, we are puzzling about what platforms to close down.
I understand that your challenge is probably more significant than mine. So I leave it to you to decide if there is any way you can help us to keep Jesus on the airwaves, particularly in a time like this.
Please pray for us, and we will pray for you.
Trusting in Jesus,
Leo Slingerland
Founder & CEO of Family Media.
