by Matt Crouch
When TBN reached the important milestone of one million followers on our network Facebook page recently, it prompted me to think about how dramatically the delivery of television content has changed since TBN started almost forty-four years ago — and how we can use today’s cutting-edge technology and platforms to share the good news of hope and grace through Jesus with more people than ever.
Back in 1973 when my parents launched TBN in Southern California, they were absolutely thrilled to find that a couple thousand people across the Los Angeles area had found their little station and were enthusiastically watching this newfangled thing called Christian television.
It was just a few short years later that my dad took a big step of faith when he signed on to start sending TBN’s signal across the U.S. through the new technology of satellite broadcast — and soon millions of people across the nation were being inspired and encouraged through TBN’s innovative Christian programming.
Fast-forward to 2016, and TBN has grown to over thirty international networks reaching more than one billion potential viewers on every inhabited continent. And they’re not just catching our programming in the old-fashioned way on household television sets. Today’s high-tech broadcast platforms, like our exclusive TBN mobile app, have empowered people all over the world to watch their favorite shows live — or any time on demand — via smart phones, iPads, tablets, and laptops.That means at home, school, or work, in the coffee shop, or on the road wherever they happen to be, people are tuning in to TBN’s life-changing programming.
I’ll never forget the joy and satisfaction my late father experienced a few years ago when I showed how we could watch TBN live from my iPhone while we were traveling by train through China. He was seeing the reality of his dream of reaching every corner of the earth with life-saving Christian programming!
Yes, technology has transformed the way we watch the programming we once called “television.” And that technology includes social media platforms like Facebook that give us the ability to view — and share — an incredible wealth of faith-building content. Every day we update TBN’s Facebook page with messages, short videos, and other content that is specially selected to tell people about the awesome love of Jesus and to encourage and strengthen them in their faith. Here’s just one example of what I’m talking about:
Of course, the best way for people to be impacted by one of our Facebook posts is for someone to share it with them. And that’s where you come in. If you’re one of our one million (and counting) Facebook friends, you have the power to impact your friends, family, and others by simply clicking the “Like” and “Share” buttons on those daily TBN Facebook posts you think will really touch and impact those you know.
And remember, when you share a post the chances are pretty good that many of those who see it will share it with their friends, too, so that a message like the following could end up speaking God’s message of hope and grace into the lives of thousands — or even millions — of individuals.
If you’re not a TBN Facebook friend yet, now is a great time to start following us. Simply go to Our Facebook Page HERE, click the “Like” button at the top, and while you’re at it click the “Share” button, too, and share us on your own Facebook page.
Seriously, it’s that easy to use social media to extend the life-changing love of Jesus to family, friends, and others in your circle of influence. Every time you share one of TBN’s social posts, you’re partnering with us to help take the message of hope and grace to the ends of the earth. Only eternity will reveal the impact your simple act of faith and love had on individuals and families all over the earth.
Well done!