Thomas Road Baptist Church U
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Scholars Crossing 1978 -- 1980 Liberty University School Newspaper Spring 1-26-1979 01-26-1979 (The Journal Champion Volume 1, Issue 19) Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/paper_78_80 Recommended Citation "01-26-1979 (The Journal Champion Volume 1, Issue 19)" (1979). 1978 -- 1980. 20. https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/paper_78_80/20 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Liberty University School Newspaper at Scholars Crossing. It has been accepted for inclusion in 1978 -- 1980 by an authorized administrator of Scholars Crossing. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Nm-Pr«ftt Opgonltaiit Thomas Road Baptist Church u. 1 r.uot. The Thomas Rood Family I PAID I.YNClllUiRG.VA 24514 Old Timi> Cosppl Hour journal • champion IV 26, 1979 Lyndibum, VA. 24514 for Truth HOW FAITH PARTNER PROGRAM WAS BORN Bv JERRY FALWELL The Thomas Road Baptist Church was evolve. I began asking the Lord to show me PaMor-Foundrr. Old-Timr (ttnprI Hour . how to underwrite this ministry. As a teenaged boy, 1 listened to Dr. born in June 1956. During that same month, I started a daily half-hour radio It was about that time that my associate Charles E. Fuller on the Old Fashioned pastor, Rev. Jim Soward, and I began Revival Hour radio broadcast out of Long broadcast on WBRG Radio in Lynchburg, Va. This was intended to be a local conducting rallies in cities and counties Beach, Calif., Municipal Auditorium. My around the eastern United States. Thomas mother would turn the radio on just before program for the purpose of helping this new local church. However, God had other Road Baptist Church had reached 2,000 in leaving for Sunday School. She was well Sunday School attendance for the very first aware that I would not get out of bed to ideas. This was actually the beginning of the time in 1967. Jim and I would perform our turn it off. pastoral duties in Lynchburg during the As a result of hearing that dear old man Old-Time Gospel Hour ministry, now heard daily on 300 stations across North morning and early afternoon and then we of God preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ, I would drive to churches and school increasingly became aware of my need of America and around the world. Six months later, I began conducting a 30-minute auditoriums within a 300-mile radius to the Lord. At age 18, a sophomore in conduct rallies for the purpose of raising college, I began looking for a church that television program over our local television station, Channel 13. That also became the funds to support the radio and television preached what I had been hearing Dr. ministries. Fuller preach on the radio. On Jan. 20, embryo of the Old-Time Gospel Hour 1952, Jim Moon and I attended the little television network. Today, 327 stations in Our first support program was called Park Avenue Baptist Church in our North America carry this telecast. "Doorkeepers." A Doorkeeper was a hometown, Lynchburg, Va. As Paul The Old-Time Gospel Hour radio and person who would contribute $1 each week Donnelson began to preach from the Bible television ministry is the largest such media to help support the television and radio that night, my lifelong buddy, Jim Moon , ministry in existance today. Literally ministry of the Old-Time Gospel Hour. and I responded to the invitation to receive millions of people hear the gospel everyday About that same time, we also started the Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour. Nothing over this radio and television outreach. Faith Partner ministry. A Faith Partner has been the same since. The radio and television network did was one who would give $10 or more each month. Jim and I would distribute pledge It should be no wonder to anyone that I not grow to its present size overnight. We have been growing gradually during these cards to people in the auditoriums at the have such an affinity for the use of radio end of the service. Usually, we would and television in propagating the Gospel to past 22'/2 years. Our greatest and most spectacular growth has occured since 1971. enroll 50 to 100 Doorkeepers and Faith the world. After completing my Partners in a average night's service. In the preparation for the Gospel ministry at In the mid-1960's I became aware that Thomas Road Baptist Church would never next several years, we were able to enroll Baptist Bible College, Springfield, Mo., I more than 5,000 persons who, as returned to Lynchburg, Va., to start the be able to support financially the vast media outreach that was beginning to Doorkeepers and Faith Partners, joined Thomas Road Baptist Church. hands with us to help get the Gospel out to the masses. It soon became evident that the Dr. Falwell points to the beginning of the Faith Partner Program in the late 1960s. Doorkeepers ministry would not work. With the increasing postage rates, $1 per week would not meet the need. So, we LARGEST AUDIENCE terminated our Doorkeeper program. At that time, Faith Partners became the backbone support of our ministry. They have continued so until this present hour. Now, we are making every effort to Commitment Day enroll-100,000 new Faith Partners this year - 1979 - to make it possible for us to preach the wonderful Word of God to every person in North America and in January 28 many of the islands of the sea. At the end of 1978, we had over 60,000 active Faith Partners. With inflationary problems By JERRY FALWELL spired and infallible Word of God. seizing upon us, plus the enlargement of Pastor and Founder uf The Old-1 imr (jospcl Hour • We believe in the Virgin Birth of the the network, we must greatly increase that The largest congregation ever to witness Lord Jesus Christ. number during 1979. We are making every an old-fashioned church service will do so possible effort to do that right now. • We believe in His Diety. on Sunday, January 28. This is certainly • We believe in His sinless life, His As I look back many years ago when our belief. vicarious death and His glorious bodily Jim Soward and I were driving over 50,000 On Jan. 28, the Old-Time Gospel Hour resurrection from the dead. miles each year to establish the Faith will be beaming the Sunday morning • We believe that a new birth experience Partner program, I realize now that God service of the Thomas Road Baptist church is necessary if a man is ever to see God. was laying the foundation stone on which into literally millions of homes in North • We believe that Jesus is coming again the Old-Time Gospel Hour is now built. America. some glorious day to catch away His Bride. These Faith Partners have prayed and Because of the massive promotion of • We believe in the Great Commission. given financially through these many years. this special Commitment Day service, we In a very real way, they are responsible for fully expect that the largest, single the more than 30,000 people who receive audience of people ever to witness an old- We are fundamentalist and separatists. Christ every year watching and listening to fashioned local church service will do so on We will be taking a firm stand on these the Old-Time Gospel Hour. Actually, there this special Sunday. cardinal issues during the television are probably many thousands more who Why are we having a Commitment program seen across this continent on Jan. Commitment Day is Jan. 28 and we need 100,000 partners. make decisions for Christ. However, more Day? than 30,000 write us each year to tell us of 28. I sincerely hope you will make every their new birth experience. effort to enlist your entire neighborhood in GOD GIVES OPPORTUNITY • First of all, we want all the world to this television audience. Old-Time Gospel Hour Ministry is Baptist Schools would be close by for the We thank God for every Faith Partner know the nature of our commitment here considering development of a Senior Saints purpose of ministering to the needs of these on the team. We must add another 100,000 at the Old-Time Gospel Hour. Faith Partners during these crucial times. We will also make an effort to commit community on Liberty Mountain. This dear saints. • We are committed to the faith of our thousands of persons to become Faith community would be developed near the At the same time, the Senior Saints Please pray with us, for a successful Fathers. campaign during these days. Partners on Jan. 28. We will be asking location of the Liberty Baptist Schools and could provide a parental ministry towards • We believe that the Bible is the in many thousands of our friends to call our the future site of the Thomas Road Baptist the young people. It is the opinion of the toll-free number 1-800-453-2400 and enlist Church. leaders of the Old-Time Gospel Hour as a Faith Partner. It is our conviction that A mammoth shopping mall is now minisry that this would be a very beautiful the coming of the Lord is imminent. being erected almost next door to the setting for such a development. Liberty Baptist College campus by private businessmen in Lynchburg, Va. Many For the purpose of determining interest If we are going to reach our generation other conveniences are in the immediate in such an undertaking, we are asking that for Christ, we must use the media.