When China closed its doors to foreign missionaries in 1948, FEBC moved its Asian base of operations to the Philippines. From that moment on, the Philippines became a launching point for the Gospel, a key hub sending the Good News to the world’s hardest-to-reach places. One of those places is Mindanao, the second-largest island in the Philippines.
Mindanao is known as the “food basket” of the Philippines, producing much of the nation’s bananas, pineapples, coconuts, and coffee. Its rich natural resources have also led to a diversity of cultures settling across the island, with Christians, Muslims, and indigenous peoples coexisting.
In some mountainous and remote areas, it can take hours to travel from one town center to another. In several rural communities, Gospel-believing churches are scarce, making access to spiritual encouragement as essential as access to basic needs.
The many heart languages spread across the island of Mindanao make it vital to communicate the Gospel in ways that resonate with each people group. And in this environment, creative solutions like the two-way radio play a crucial role since terrestrial radio signals often vary in coverage depending on terrain and distance.
Using the Radio to Create a Two-Way Conversation
For more than three decades, Pastor Mar has devoted his life to reaching Mindanao’s remote communities in the Davao region. Since the early 1990s, he has broadcasted the Gospel to the Matigsalug and Manobo tribes, as well as the Bisaya people, using radio to cross challenging terrain.
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Pastor Mar’s ministry took on new life. With permission from the government, military, and local tribal leaders, he distributed two-way radios to families in the mountains. Not only could families hear Scripture, but they could respond in real-time with Pastor Mar miles away.
These radios allowed FEBC to stay close to listeners in an isolated time, transforming one-way broadcasts into two-way conversations about the Gospel. It was common for Pastor Mar to have a listener radio back to him and say that many people were gathered to listen. “Praise God, I can hear Scripture,” many listeners would say.
But Pastor Mar’s mission extends far beyond sharing Scripture. He values education and uses the radio to teach practical wisdom for better hygiene and farming practices. “Because of lack of knowledge, people perish,” he says, quoting Hosea 4:6.
Pastor Mar’s passion for education inspired his own family, leading all of his children to finish school, including one daughter who went on to earn a law degree. Under his leadership, families are breaking poverty cycles and coming to know Christ.
Pastor Mar’s story is a powerful reminder of how God can use faith, creativity, and partnership to reach even the most distant hearts. As FEBC Philippines CEO Luis Miguel Castillo puts it, “Radio overcomes barriers, creating a Gospel connection among those in dire need of it.”
Because of your partnership and support, FEBC is able to continue sharing the Gospel with people who are desperate for hope – Thank you!
