Broadcast Evangelism (ft. Mark Reed)

Hello, everyone. Today is Monday, March the 27th. I'm Ryan Hill.

I'm John Galantis. And you're listening to Clear View Today with Dr. Abbadon Shah, the daily show that engages mind and heart for the gospel of Jesus Christ. You can visit us online at ClearViewTodayShow.com. If you have any questions or suggestions for future episodes, send us a text at 252-582-5028, or you can email us at contact at ClearViewTodayShow.com.

That's right. You guys can help us keep this conversation going by supporting this podcast, sharing it online, leaving us a good five-star review on iTunes or Spotify. We're going to leave a link in the description of the podcast so you can do just that. John, my friend, why don't you read the verse of the day? Well, I will, because it's coming from 1 Peter 3.15, one of my favorite verses. But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you with meekness and fear. This is the quintessential apologetics verse.

I'm sorry for what I believe. Apologetics is defending the faith. We talked about that on our Contends Day Wednesdays here on the show. We got one of those coming up this week.

We do. But apologetics isn't bulldozing over people. It's not just steamrolling people and like, this is the truth. Believe it or not, I'm going to hit you in the face with the Bible. Apologetics is meant to point to who Jesus is and how we should view the world as a result.

It's a worldview shift. It's not a matter of, you know, wagging your finger in somebody's face. It's a matter of showing them the hope that is within you.

Yeah. I mean, Jesus loved people enough to die for them. So he doesn't want us, the goal, like you said, is not to prove that I'm right.

Jesus is well beyond proving that he's correct. You know, it's about using that gentleness and that respect that we have towards people to lead them to his goodness, to lead them to the person that he is. So this passage is about having that prepared response, like you were saying, because the opportunity is going to come. And so it's not about, make sure you stand up for the faith and be strong. There are passages like that, but this is like, hey, the moment is coming. You don't be unprepared. Exactly. I love that. Be ready when the moment comes. Because it is coming.

That's right. We've got a great episode planned for you guys today. A very special guest for us to talk to about evangelizing the apologetics piece, doing that in the broadcast industry, the realm of radio, which is what we are passionate about. We're going to get Dr. Shawn, our special guest in just a minute. But if you have questions or suggestions for new topics, send us a text at 252-582-5028, or visit us online at cleaviewtodayshow.com.

We'll be right back. Well, good morning, afternoon, evening, Cleaview Today listeners. My name is Jon. And I'm David. And we just want to take a quick second and let you know about another way that you can keep in touch with Dr. Shah's work.

And that is his weekly podcast series, Sermons by Abidhan Shah, Ph.D. As a lot of you may know, or maybe some of you don't know. If you don't know, you do now. And if you don't know, then maybe just hop off the podcast. David, hop off the podcast. I'm just playing.

I'm just playing. Keep listening. Dr. Shah is actually the lead pastor of Clearview Church in North Carolina. Every single weekend, he preaches expository messages that challenge and inspire us to live God-honoring lives. One of the four core values of Clearview Church is that we're a Bible-believing church. So every sermon is coming directly from Scripture, which is great because that guarantees that there are timeless truths that are constantly applicable to our lives. This is a great resource because whether you're driving, whether you're cleaning the house, whether you're working out, you can always benefit from hearing the Word of God spoken into your life. And God's Word is always going to do something new for you every time you hear it.

Sometimes it's conviction and sometimes it's encouragement. But know that every time you listen to God's Word, you're inviting the Holy Spirit to move and work in your life. You guys can check out the Sermons by Abbadon Shah PhD podcast. First and foremost, check it out on our church app. That's the Clearview app. You can get that in the Google Play Store. You can get that on iTunes. But you can also find the podcast on the Apple Podcast app or on our website at ClearviewBC.org. And listen, if you've got a little extra time on your hands, you just want to do some further reading, you can also read the transcripts of those sermons.

Those are available on Dr. Shah's website, AbbadonShah.com. And we're going to leave you guys a little link in the description so you can follow it. But for right now, David, let's hop back in.

All right. Welcome back to Clear View Today with Dr. Abbadon Shah, the daily show that engages mind and heart for the gospel of Jesus Christ. You can visit us online at ClearViewTodayShow.com.

If you have any questions or suggestions for future episodes, send us a text at 252-582-5028. Dr. Shah, welcome to the studio today. Today's a very exciting day in the recording studio. Absolutely.

It's an exciting day, of course, because God has made the day. But also, there's a very special friend right here in our studios with us. And he may not believe that.

He may not even agree to it. But I think he has made a big impact on my life in a big way. Because God called me in the ministry not just to share the gospel with one or two people. I wanted to share the gospel with thousands.

And guess what? This individual helped make it happen. Of course, you guys do too.

So don't misunderstand. So anyways, he's here. Amen.

Amen. We're excited to talk to Mr. Mark Reed here in just one second. Before we do, we want to let you guys know who's coming at you this morning or this evening or this afternoon, whenever you might be listening. Dr. Abbadon Shah is a PhD in New Testament textual criticism, a professor at Carolina University, author, full-time pastor, and the host of today's episode. You can follow all of his work on his website.

That's abbadonshah.com. That's right. And like Dr. Shah mentioned, we have Mr. Mark Reed with us from the Truth Broadcasting Network. Welcome. We are so glad you're on the show today. Thank you, gentlemen. Pleasure to be here.

Honor to be here with you guys. We talk about this show a lot, and we refer to it as a podcast. But we always make sure to also refer to it, really primarily refer to it, as a radio show. Because that's the way that you guys kind of pitched it to us.

We met you and Mr. Stu Epperson, who was here a few weeks back. Months back. Months back. Yeah. At this point. That's true.

That's true. Time flies when you're having fun. I know, right?

When you're doing all these episodes. But we love the opportunity and the legitimacy that radio provided for us. Well, it's an honor to have you guys on the radio station. I don't know if we'll get to this or not as we talked today, but Pastor Shaw talks about someone that's changed lives. Pastor Shaw is very, very beneficial to me. When I started my walk with Christ, and when God was reaching out for me. So, just having you guys as part of the Truth Network is just wonderful.

For me, personally. Amen. Thank you so much. That means so much to hear you say that. We feel blessed to be a part of the Truth Network and to be able to partner with you and partner with Mr. Stu and all the broadcasting executives there, and reach as many people as possible. What we want to talk about today is radio, and why radio, specifically. I know that's your history, that's your background, Mr. Mark, and then, of course, you, Dr. Shaw, with your background in broadcast journalism. Why radio? Why this medium that most people would label as a dying medium?

Why invest here, and what have you seen as the return? Well, from my point of view, I can tell you that radio has played and still plays a huge role in getting the gospel out, not only here in our country, but across the world. One of our partners, one of my partners with the Truth Network is Transworld Radio. Transworld Radio, believe it or not, a lot of people don't know this, this is a huge operation for the gospel. Their headquarters actually is here in North Carolina, in Cary, North Carolina, and they broadcast in over 200 stations across the world with radio, with a radio signal, something you can't do with the other media to get into these countries. China, China, we partner with them quite often to reach nations on the African continent. Africa needs Jesus as a major undertaking that we do with these guys.

And we've helped them to raise funds, raise support and awareness for what they do. And this is totally a radio operation. One of the things that we've done in the past is we helped them to purchase battery-operated wind-up radios that they put in Africa.

You actually wind it up to charge the battery, and one of these radios, whole villages will converge to listen to the radio. And they'll hear the gospel in their language. Some of the classic men and women speakers for God in the gospel, their sermons and messages are translated, and that's worldwide. And here in America, radio still plays a major role in spreading the gospel. And even back in my secular days of radio, which is where I spent most of my life, the gospel was always a part of it. Even with what we call secular radio stations, there was always a gospel element to it in some way.

That's awesome. Right. When Mark, you mentioned about Transworld Radio, some weeks back when we talked about this young man was walking by, about to commit suicide, walking past his house and the radio was playing on Vishwawani. Vishwawani is Transworld Radio in India. That's what I was referring to. The founder passed away somewhere back in 2013. The founder is actually Emil Jebasingh, but he was really the regional director for South Asia's post of Transworld Radio.

So that's the one I was referring to. Amazing. That is incredible. Transworld Radio has made a big impact. And back in 2001, 2002, actually, after the World Trade Towers were destroyed by terrorists, I was called to come to Transworld Radio and record some messages that they were sending out, especially towards the Islamic world about Christ. And nothing offensive, but in a way to say, hey, you know, here's violence and here's peace.

You want to want peace? This is how it comes through Jesus Christ. And I don't know how much impact it made. But then again, with radio, sometimes you don't hear right away, but you hear years down the road, how so and so got saved. And now they're pastoring or missionary or seminary professors because of radio.

It's amazing. How did you get involved with it, Dr. Shah? I mean, we've talked about it on the show before, but just for new listeners, you came to America at 17 years old and then we enrolled in Toccoa Falls College and started pursuing broadcast. But you worked in the radio station there as well, right?

Right, I did. So growing up, my dad was always into technology. He loved technology. He loved gadgets. So anytime anybody would come, you know, like we're talking about our family, and we had a more advanced cassette player or a CD player or some other device, he'd be like, I'll buy that from you.

I know you can have it. And I mean, he had, you know, projector ministry. He would do all kinds of things. But when Campus Crusade for Christ, you know, Bill Bright produced the Jesus film. My brother and several young men in our church, I was kind of young at the time, but I would tag along, go through the villages showing the Jesus film, put up a big sheet and set up the projector with a generator and go announce in the village. Now today, it's unfortunate that there's a lot of militancy has come in, in India, the culture has shifted.

And I would say not towards good. But back then, he would go announce in the villages and in 30 minutes an hour, there would be a crowd of 300 people. So just picture this village scene of India and set up in the middle part of the village, this massive sheet and Jesus film.

So always it was there in my system. So when I came to Toccoa Falls College, remember, I wasn't going to the ministry, didn't want to go in the ministry. I looked for the most secular field. I said, show me the most secular thing that is here.

And the reason they had broadcasting at a Christian college is because for missionaries and pastors to do this. And I chose it. And in time, God, you know, reaffirmed that call that was always there on my life. And so, yeah, so I did work. I didn't work at WRAF, which is all over South Carolina and Georgia. But I worked on the campus radio station. I don't know if it's still operating or not.

How about you? How did you get started in broadcast just to begin with? Oh my goodness. Is that something you went to school for? I did not. And by the way, you don't have to go to school for it.

I did not go at all. I learned it the hard way by trial and error. I got into this business when I was 16 years old. I actually was finishing high school and working full time doing a radio airship from seven to midnight in a little small town in the mountains up in Northern Virginia. And that was the beginning of, I wanted to be cool and play records. I wanted to be a disc jockey. So that was the beginning of it.

Very young. And our connection happened through another radio station where we would have our sermon broadcast. And then during Christmas time, I would come out there and record these little two minute or maybe a minute long little promos talking about how Jesus is coming, changed the world, can change your life. And so Mark and I had communicated here and there because we also sponsored a gospel show that Mark was really heading it up.

Really? Well, you and I were communicating. You were communicating with me long before you met me. I was doing this gospel music show at 830 on Sunday mornings. And from 8 until 830, there was this pastor on. And while I was getting my show together prepping, that's what I was hearing every Sunday morning when I was getting ready to go on and play that gospel music. And I was Pastor Shaw and it was his broadcast from Clearview. And you know that for me, that was the beginning. I don't even know why I was doing a gospel music show, to be honest with you.

But I did. For some reason, I wanted to do that. And I think it's because, John, I'm an older guy and I wanted to hear some old man gospel, bathers, and that type of thing.

So that's what I was doing. But that's when I first started hearing the gospel from Pastor Shaw and that affected me. And I didn't know at the time. I know now that the Holy Spirit was convicting me. And I thought I was just getting very curious about all of this. But Ryan, I really didn't need it because I was really a good man. I was a great guy.

It took a while, but pretty soon I learned exactly who I was and exactly who God is. Around what time is this? Well, around what year is this happening? This was three years ago.

Wow. Three years ago from... Three years ago from right here. Actually, I would tell you that I think it was maybe March. No, it was February of three years ago.

I went to work for the Truth Network. So it was just around that time. Which is another story.

You want to hear this? Yeah. Of course. You ask a question.

I'm always ready with the names. I was working in secular radio head all my life. And radio is all I knew. That's how I fed my family, paid my bills, made a living. And so Jesus got a hold of me and changed me. And I realized at that point that, don't get me wrong, I was working for good companies and great people and that type of thing. But it wasn't what I needed to be doing now. Okay? And I knew that.

God made a path. I met Stu Epperson. You guys mentioned Stu Epperson. Stu Epperson Jr. Through a job search in Washington, D.C., I was introduced to Stu here in North Carolina.

Stu and I met and he wanted someone to be an ambassador for the network in the triangle area of North Carolina. So that's what I did. And God just put that right in front of me. It's just amazing. I know now, because over these three years, God has continued to work in my life. So I understand now that that's what he does. And, you know, it's been wonderful.

Yeah. I mean, when you look back at life, yes, there are so many things you would do differently and so many things. And that's good to have that sense of, hmm, I wish. But it's amazing how God uses even our failures, our mistakes and our misunderstandings to kind of train us and shape us into the person we are today. And when we get to this point, you know, you would think we would feel like we're making a great impact, because when I said those words, you made a big impact in my life and helping the ministry here. To you it's like, I don't know about that.

Because that's exactly how a response should be. But having been through those circumstances in life, we feel unworthy. We feel, you know, it's not me. And that's exactly how it's supposed to be. That's how God designs us. When we do make an impact because we are surrendered to him, we don't feel like we're doing it. And God says, great, that's what I want.

If we were to say, oh, I'm doing great things for God, then God says, I got to send more trials this way. One of the things that I think I've learned is, you know, the story of the soil, the seeds of the soil. But, you know, I think that soil, as you go through life and God gets a hold of you, the spirit of it, that soil can change, okay? And so I can think back, guys, to times in my life from years past that things that were said to me, things that I heard, didn't affect me then, but they mean so much to me now, you know? So one thing I've learned, you're talking about, you never know, you know, how it affects people or what an effect you can have on them is, you know, plant seeds where you can. Do what you can. It's up to God to grab it and grow it.

But you just never know. Something you say today might affect someone or have an effect on their life years from now. Yeah. And since we're talking about like time and the passing of time, you know, Dr. Shudd, there's a book that's in production right now. We've talked about it on the show before, but it's a book that you're writing.

It's in production. It's in, I would say, middle of production, but there's a, I'm not going to say too much on it, but there's a passage that you write in there about how God, a lot of times we as humans, we spend a good majority of our lives kind of wandering, trying to find our own way. And then later on in life, we wish that we had spent those earlier years in communion with Jesus. And part of God's mercy is that he makes those, he makes the time that we have left so much better than we could have ever imagined.

He balances out that time so that that time isn't wasted. It was getting us to here so he can shower us with mercy in those later years. And I would be the first to say, when people say things like, well, if I could go back, I'll do it all over again.

Oh no, there are a lot of things I wouldn't do it all over again. It's God's mercy that he takes even my mistakes and works them together for good. So it's really not that it all worked out. No, he worked it out when I gave it over to him. And he even restores those years that the canker worm, the locust have destroyed. But it's only because he stepped into that equation.

Without him, oh yeah, there's a bunch of stuff I want to redo, which, you know, we can do that. Talking about Stu Epperson, you know, that sounded so much like him because that's exactly what he says about, you know, the soil and throwing the seeds and how God uses it. One of his favorite passages is Hebrews 4.12.

And he always asks that and it's there in my head, but when he asks me on the spot I'm like, for God so loved the world. What is that passage? But the word of God is living and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

And there is no creature hidden from his sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of him to whom we must give account. But the point is the word of God is living and powerful and it does work way beyond our efforts. As long as we're faithful and obedient, the word of God takes that soil, you know, aerates it, you know, brings in the fertilizer, brings in whatever needs to come in so that the crops will grow. And some crops will grow beyond our life, you know, and in his timing and even in our families.

You may feel like, you know, I wish I could have done more. Sure, of course, we all have those thoughts, but once you turn things over to God, and especially your life, God even works there in his way, in his timing. Am I right on that, Mark? Mark Bailey Right, he does.

He does. You know, I've wondered a lot, speaking along those same lines, I've wondered, you know, why so late in my life. I went through so much in my life and I miss so much peace and joy.

I didn't realize I was missing it. You know, when you're sometimes in your life before you come to Christ, you think about the things you'd have to give up to come to him. And that's not true at all.

It's what you're giving up because you won't make that decision, because you won't heed the call. But, you know, praise God. Now I'm saved, and, you know, God can use me for whatever he can use an old man for.

That's the way I feel about it. Elder Smith Oh, he's doing great things. Mark Bailey You know, working for the Truth Network is something that I feel like that's where I should be, what I should be doing. And it's a blessing.

It's been a blessing for me and continues to be. Elder Smith And your lovely wife, Lisa, I met her at the same station. That's where our connection came, but she would call me up and say, you know, there's some opportunities, Dr. Shaw, Pastor Shaw, if you want to, you know, for this amount, you can do this, this and this.

And never realized years down the road, we would be sitting here together. And she's a wonderful woman. Mark Bailey Oh, she's wonderful. She's amazing and a very patient woman. Elder Smith Because she's with you, is that what it is? Mark Bailey Very, very patient woman. And another one of the blessings that God has, His grace, has just, that's, that's Lisa is a huge part of that. You know, thank you, God. She's, Elder Smith Praise the Lord.

Mark Bailey Praise God. Elder Smith We don't have a whole lot of time left, but I want to ask Dr. Shaw, you first and then, and then you, Mr. Mark, if somebody's listening and they find themselves interested in the world of broadcasting and the world of radio, they want to leverage that for the gospel. How, what approach should they take? What perspective should they have?

How can they leverage that interest for the gospel of Jesus? Dr. Shaw For one, I would say, you know, you have to abandon the myth. It's a myth. It's the myth that came, I believe, in the past couple of decades with the coming of the internet. Internet is powerful. Podcasting is amazing.

You can reach so many people all over the world. But the myth is that radio is gone. And that's not true. Radio is still around.

It's just that the way things are done is a little different. And once you understand that difference, it is a very powerful medium and it's going strong. So understand that the myth of radio not being as powerful, settle that. Secondly, it's about the word of God. Once you have the belief that the word of God will never return void and that when you speak, when you speak the truth, and that's what I'm talking about, the Bible from Genesis to Revelation, when you speak that truth, it will change lives and it never returns void.

Go with those two principles. Radio is still powerful. Word of God never comes back void. It'd be amazing for you to see how God will open doors and you can do amazing things. Mark? Dr. Justin Marchegiani Yeah, that.

Radio is a powerful media still, reaches thousands of people, if not millions of people with the gospel of Christ in many ways. And I would say if you have something that's pulling you in that direction, to pursue it and reach out to truthnetwork.com. We're glad to help.

That's right. Amazing. If you guys enjoyed today's episode or you have questions for future episodes, let us know by sending us the text at 252-582-5028.

Or you can visit us online at clearviewtodayshow.com and you can partner with us financially on that same website. Every gift that you give goes not only to building up this radio show, but countless other ministries for the kingdom of God. Amen. We've got a question coming in from Ms. Angela G. If you could learn any one language overnight, what language would that be? Oh, wow.

Wow. I mean, of course, Hebrew is an amazing language. I know some, but I would love to learn more. I'm getting into some Egyptian.

Yeah. I was going to say, you can read Hebrew, can't you? I can. I can read Hebrew, but I don't always understand everything I'm reading. So I got to have a concordant, I mean a lexicon, but Egyptian hieroglyphs. I would love to learn a little bit because I think there's a lot that's written in there that we're not talking about. That we're not talking about. Yeah.

What about you, Mr. Mark? I would love to learn Greek. Greek? Yeah. Modern Greek? Yeah. Or like new testament Greek. Well, new testament Greek. Yeah. Because I listen to a lot of pastors and they're always referring. Now in the Greek, that translates into... Yeah. You just got to have to take the word and be like, okay.

I want to be able to do that for myself. Yeah. Right.

Greek, I think, is what I would go for. That's awesome. That's amazing. We love you guys. We'll see you next time on Clear Read Today. Thank you.