A YOUNG MONGOLIAN MAN, heartsick when he fails his medical admission test, decides to learn English. In the process, he meets a woman from England who agrees to help him. There’s one problem. She likes to talk about God, who, she insists, created heaven and earth. This doesn’t sit well with a biology major who solidly believes in Darwin’s theory of evolution. However, his English improves as they debate science and Christianity. Torn between his atheistic views and the woman’s convictions, he agrees to look at the Bible. Before long, he’s struck by Jesus’ complete freedom from fear, an enviable trait to someone raised in a Communist setting. Anxious for the peace he reads about in the Bible, he finally whispers: “God, if you’re there, strip my heart of the fear that grips me.” It doesn’t take long before he notices a sense of well-being replace his uneasy thoughts.
Moving out of the Shadows “God gave me courage, “ he later explains. “In a Communist country people fear everything, even their friends. Soon I met a couple of Christians and they also had courage. From then on, everything was different for me. I became involved in translating evangelistic material and leading a worship service. I even began preaching. It’s amazing how God prepared my path for all those years.”
The year was 1991. Mongolia, a country the size of Western Europe with only 2.4 million people, had recently renounced communism and formed a republic. For 1500 years its geographically remote location--sandwiched between China and Russia--had limited its exposure to Christianity. Less than a handful of believers were known to be living in the country at that time.
Jump ahead to 2004. The Christian population increased to 30,000. How did such phenomenal growth occur in less than 15 years?
Mongolia’s Amazing StoryThe 20-year-old atheist who gave his heart to the Lord in 1991 is Batjargal (Bat) Tuvshintsengel who now lives in the capital city of Ulaanbaatar. Bat, along with several other enthusiastic believers, helped mission agencies become established in Mongolia in the 1990s. Some of these agencies later formed a partnership to coordinate a national evangelistic outreach.
They reached out to youth who eagerly accepted Jesus. The Holy Spirit was clearly evident in these new believers as they, in turn, fanned out across Mongolia to spread the Word. Unlike their parents and grandparents raised under Communist control, the young people felt free to pursue a brighter future. Not surprisingly, most church members are less than 35 years old.
Circuitous Route to Radio
Being involved in radio ministry had never been Batjargal’s idea of serving the Lord, but God had different plans. “The Lord kept guiding me in the direction of evangelism through radio,” Batjargal explained. “So in 1995 I gathered together a group of people interested in radio ministry. We contacted Trans World Radio, Far East Broadcasting Company, and HCJB World Radio to see if any of these organizations would be interested in working with us. FEBC responded and we’ve been ministering together ever since.”
WIND FM’s Powerful Influence Significant national changes were unfolding as the country continued to adjust to the new government. As a result, Batjargal and his team carefully considered two critical factors as they developed long-term strategies to win their country to Christ:
* Christianity is a completely foreign concept to most Mongolians
* Suitable programming was necessary for government officials to continue WIND FM’s commercial license. Bat’s first step was to develop broadcasts that promote Christian values such as family and community. Evidence of the station’s success is seen in the fact that it has a large, faithful audience in a city of more than 1.2 million people.
“WIND FM happened to be on the scene at the right time,” Batjargal points out, “inspiring change through community-oriented broadcasts and call-in programs that are having a huge impact on the newly established government. For example, the President of Mongolia declared 2004 the ‘Year to Support Families,’ and there’s been a huge push in our country to promote family values and responsible living. This is a major turn of events for a nation ruled by nomadic lifestyles for hundreds of years. They’ve never thought of themselves in terms of community, but now they are.”
Batjargal at the Helm Bat and his young, dynamic team are using WIND FM as a tool to empower and support local churches and pastors. And many of these pastors, along with Gregg Harris, President of FEBC, were present at the dedication of the newly rebuilt radio studio in 2004.
“It’s one of the great strengths of FEBC’s national leadership philosophy, Harris points out, “to work with local pastors. And Batjargal definitely has their support.
“You can’t be around Batjargal for more than 20 minutes before you see how important it is to him to reach his people for Christ,” Gregg Harris points out. “He knew he had to establish a positive voice in the capital city, and he did. FEBC-Mongolia is creating a positive view of Christianity in a country that’s very new to the name of Jesus. “
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