I served in the United States Air Force. Yep! Served the country at Offutt AFB in Omaha, Nebraska. Believe me, Nebraska was a safe place from enemy combatants! Oh, I’m not bringing that up to brag about my service; I’m bringing it up to tell you of a feature associated with being in the Air Force. You see, they had a policy about sharing information. They only shared it under certain circumstances. They had a ‘qualifier’ for getting information. The qualifier was determined on “a need to know” basis. Their attitude was: if you did not have any need to know something, that information was not shared with you. If you did need to know the facts, they did share that information with you. That ‘need to know basis’ is why I’m sharing this information with you in our newsletter.
I had a lot of questions about our impending move. Almost every phone call to the office ends with a question about how the plans for moving the studios are going. Well, here goes: I don’t know everything about the move myself. Let me try and share where we are, why we are where we are, what we’re doing about a new location.
As most of you know, we were made aware of the need to move the studios in the early part of this year. In fact, we were under the impression that the sale of the property that we currently occupy would take place at the end of March. Here we are in the first of July and only in the last few weeks has that transfer actually taken place. WBVN has been ‘gifted’ the studio location by the owners of Sherlock Holmes Housing Center east of Marion for over 16 years. That business is continuing but under new ownership. Having that studio space gifted to us has been a blessing financially because it was provided for free. It also has been a blessing just to have the freedom to operate WBVN for so long in one place.
In March, during our Spring Celebration, we began raising contributions in preparations for moving the studios. At that point we did not have a specific date to move and no timetable for locating our new facilities. We were under the impression it could be quick and could have been within those next few weeks. As of June 7th, we now have a specific date that we have to be out of the building: Dec. 31st of this year. That’s very significant because rather than having to hurry and immediately leave the building, we now can better plan and prepare for the move because of the extended time to exit the property.
We want to be very deliberate about our next location. We need to make a quality decision. We also feel that amount of time will permit things that are not immediately obvious to become obvious to us as we wait for a clear choice. We feel like this move is one of the most important decisions that we’ve had to make about WBVN. In 1988, starting WBVN’s ministry and what that ministry would become in the community was the first critical decision to be made. This decision about where to place the new studio carries some of the same ‘weight’ as that first decision. Where we re-locate the studios will be a significant part of what the next 20 years holds for this ministry.
During that last few months, we’ve looked at dozens of buildings, lots and rental properties. We’ve had great co-operation and many good ideas given to us by many people throughout the area. We have not decided on any of those locations or solutions just yet. There are FCC limitations that have to be followed. There are also technical limitations. And there is ‘just good old common sense’ to be blended into the decision. Where we locate will not effect what you hear on the radio but it will affect some of the future plans we have for local ministry through this radio station. That’s hugely important to us. Having a few months rather than a few days will permit us to follow our hearts, not just using our heads, as we move forward. During the Spring Celebration, I remember describing the feeling of having God’s hand on our shoulder and with the tip of his fingers, applying just enough pressure, leading us to be still and to wait. Similarly with His thumb, pressing us quietly forward at the times we need to move. We believe that there’s a place for this ministry to re-locate the studios that will allow a continued and increasing influence in our listening area. Carefully placing the studio will allow that process to take place.
Historically, mixed with the hardships we’ve experienced at the station, we’ve also seen great favor and continue to be aware of the role God can play in our decision making process. What we’ve discovered so far is that many choices have been suggested, and many are ‘workable’ solutions.
As we pause on making any decision on a new location, don’t give up on us. Keep praying for this ministry. We are at a critical time for WBVN. There are many things where we will your need help, and God’s favor with, in the future. For now we need those prayers. Not just prayers that everything will be convenient, but prayers that wisdom will rule during this important time. We see an ever-increasing opportunity to stabilize WBVN for the next 20 years. Even now we’re working on future events that will expand the interest of the Christian community and the community as a whole.
We still need your financial help. As you might expect, as much as anytime since the beginning of this ministry, we are financially vulnerable. We have not and will not just turn ourselves over to worrying or fretting about the financial complications of this move. We’re a ministry that always seems to have our needs met in unusual and unpredictable ways. We’ve never had too much, always had just enough to accomplish what’s needed. We raised approximately twenty one thousand dollars to start the moving project. With those funds in hand and if we can continue to meet the monthly budget and additional funds from places that only God knows, we’ll move forward one day at a time. The truth is, all of our earthly futures are uncertain in some way or another. Uncertainty is never a reason for any believer to panic or fear. We will pledge to continue to do our best. We trust that God will ‘add to that best’ and we’ll see this through to a meaningful and successful conclusion. We’re excited to be placed in the position of depending on the Father. How can we see Him work if we are always sufficient in ourselves? As we move forward in the re-location, there are weaknesses to be overcome in the next few weeks and months. On some of them you will be able to help. With others only God can help.
I’ve often described the Christian life as a ‘life of discovery.’ We don’t know every thing about our tomorrow but we’ll discover it when we get up in the morning. Each day God’s mercies are new. Some days have held disappointment for all or us. Some have even been tragic. But you know, because The Spirit of God is involved and mixed into out lives, all days are manageable for us. In reality, most the days have been really good. Some are even ‘more than wonderful’. Even the bad days have a promise of recovery because of our Faith. Not being sure of tomorrow for this move is unsettling at some level but is exciting to us as well. We expect God to be in and on the other side of this process. We ask you to be patient with us as we ‘tip-toe’ through the next few weeks. While we can’t see the specific future, we’re encouraged by the promise of it being a ‘godly’ journey. Don’t forget to pray. Knowing that our listeners are praying for us will encourage us. Remember WBVN in your giving. We need your help.
Something broke for us on May 6th, 2005. Mark Schultz chose this place and the people in this area to bless. From that day forward we have seen the hand of God gently working inside this ministry and in this community. There’s a fulfillment of vision coming for WBVN. While this ministry is about Him, it includes a vision of you. Since the very first days we’ve believed that an encouraged ‘Church’ is an evangelical ‘Church’. We came to encourage believers every day, every hour. We expect that encouragement to continue and to even increase. We hope you will come join us in that vision for our communities.
In March we thought we might have to be out of here in 60 to 90 days. Now, because of the generosity of the new property owners, we will not have to ‘pack and move’ so quickly. It will let us be selective. It will let us ‘hear God’ rather than just solve our problem as quickly as possible. We will stay in touch about the move as we progress. Some day in the near future we will be able to ‘celebrate’ the work of God in this and rejoice in His provision. Thank you for your caring and thoughtfulness about WBVN.