Until All Have Heard
Until All Have Heard
Thinking Outside the Box (Ep. 297)
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“We have to be willing to change,” this is the advice from today’s guest, Wayne Belt, who is an experienced businessman and longtime FEBC supporter. While on the road meeting with FEBC friends and family, Ed and our host Wayne Shepherd had the chance to sit down and talk about the innerworkings of FEBC with our guest. Listen in as Mr. Belt shares how important it is to be ahead of the coming generational change by training new leaders and staying current with technology. Throughout the conversation, you’ll hear important insights on ministry stewardship, but you’ll also hear Wayne’s heart for the Gospel and the power that comes when we stay true to the message of Christ…Until All Have Heard.
This is until all have heard from the Far East Broadcasting Company. I'm Wayne Shepard with Ed Cannon. And Ed, we're normally in the studio for these uh podcasts as often as they come out. This time we're on the road.
SPEAKER_02We're in Tampa Bay, Florida, gathering together with a bunch of really good friends of FEBC's prayer warriors, people who love the ministry. There's a gentleman here with us that has been supporting FEBC for 53 years.
SPEAKER_01You know, I've been thinking about that. Think back through all the years, 80 years of ministry. Think about all the people who have been behind this ministry.
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_01It it's I mean, countless.
SPEAKER_02It's the backbone of our ministry. We've got brave, courageous, dedicated, passionate staff all around the world putting broadcasts together, visiting listeners. But none are more important than those people who pray for us constantly, who have a passion to come alongside and encourage and support the Far East Broadcasting Community.
SPEAKER_01We have a good example sitting right here, don't we?
SPEAKER_02That's right. This is a longtime friend of mine, Wayne Belt. Now he's not an old man. I didn't mean it that way. He's just been a friend of mine probably close to 25 years. Isn't that about right, Wayne?
SPEAKER_01It is. Every time I see Wayne, he says, uh, we need to stick together because they're not making Wayne's anymore, he said.
SPEAKER_02So that's a pretty good one. My memory of Wayne from way back when I was serving with you, Wayne, at Moody Bible Institute. Um, Wayne came along beside me and he encouraged me to think out of the box. Think big, he said. And he's encouraged me for you know these 20 years in that same capacity. So it's just a joy to have him come to this event for Far East Broadcasting Company. And um, Wayne, I'd just like you to share with our listeners uh what's your observation of FEBC? How do you look at this ministry and why do you come and share this time with us?
SPEAKER_00Well, I'm the one that gets blessed to come and to hear the stories and to meet these different brothers and sisters from around the world. It reminds me so much of one day we'll spend eternity in heaven worshiping and praising our Lord and Savior. And uh, but to hear the stories, uh, 80 years is a wonderful record of faithful ministry, and I'm so thankful. The people I've met with FEBC are uh cli-sac people, they're educated people, they're humble people, and they're people that love people and love the Word of God, and their lives are dedicated to getting the gospel of Jesus Christ to everyone.
SPEAKER_01I know you've been a longtime encourager of Ed Cannon. I have been. And here's God's provision for FEBC these last number of years. Your thoughts on that?
SPEAKER_00Well, I think that it was perfect timing for Ed to come here for such a time as this. And I remember when Ed was appointed to this job, and uh what a thrill it was for me. I'm very familiar with FEBC, but not to the point of when Ed uh came here uh to really see so much of the inner workings of what happened. I th I think it's really operating. I'm a business guy, and I love the good stewardship that I see and the way they can maximize the dollars and the way they can utilize things to get the most bang for the buck, and I think that's called good stewardship, and that's what the Lord wants us to do and be.
SPEAKER_02Yeah. You know, Wayne, one of the things that we've emphasized this weekend is training the next generation of leaders. And I think you being a businessman probably appreciate that more than than many people. Uh if if we are not functioning in a way to prepare ourselves for the future, especially when we're trying to hire staff out of countries with a half a percent Christian, uh, that's not good stewardship either, is it? Yep.
SPEAKER_00Well, I w what I love about it, and I'm very touched by it, it really is what what should be happening not only in mission organizations, but every church needs to be prayer preparing the next generation because many times they wait till it's too late to get everyone orientated and up to date. And I think it makes sense. And when your staff, when your people see that you're willing to invest in them to m make it where they can do a better job and be better equipped to do what they were called to do, it's gotta be a tremendous encouragement.
SPEAKER_01And I tie that into what Dr. Bowman's advice to you was many years ago, Ed, on finding people to serve in this ministry.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, I think what you're referring to is uh people would always ask Dr. Bowman, w what is the most difficult thing you have to do? How can we most effectively pray for you? And his answer was always, Well, pray that God would send us leaders. Um pray that God would send us these right people. And then when they would ask him, Well, you've got such extraordinary people working here at FEBC, I mean, these people in Korea and these people in Indonesia, these people in the Philippines, where have you found them? And his answer was humble, simple, and quiet. Well, you see, we didn't find them, God sent them to us.
SPEAKER_00I love uh I've heard you sh share several times, Ed, about um what uh uh he told you about uh adding uh I I love the fact you we gotta be willing to change.
SPEAKER_01Yes.
SPEAKER_00The the message never changes, but the methods do. And what I see FEBC doing is being a good stewardship as things change, you're hooking on and changing and being more efficient, being able to uh process this quicker. Bible translation is gonna be quicker. Getting on the airs, the way you utilize cell phones, the way you utilize in Ukraine the internet when the towers have been shot down and getting the messages out, it it overwhelms me because I you talk about a good role model, a good business model is to make do with what you got.
SPEAKER_02Yeah. Yeah, I think that's really at the core of of the way we operate. We think strategically and what is our what is our vision and mission. And at one point in time, back in the ear early days of FEBC, we might have said FEBC is a shortwave ministry, but we've realized our ministry is not about the platform that we produce content. The ministry is about the message we deliver. How we deliver it can change from year to year. And so as Wayne's talking here, we're evolving from shortwave and FM and AM to far more social media, internet, cell phone apps. And if you think about the population, ask your children or grandchildren if they're listening to FM or AM radio. God forbid you'd ask them about shortwave radio because they'd look at you and say, What is that? Well, what is it? I had short ribs last night, right? Uh and and yeah, we're we're really nimble and agile. And I think the quote, Wayne, that you were talking about from Dr. Bob Bowman was I asked him when I first met him in a in a community gathering there at our chapel in La Marada, Dr. Bowman, what advice would you give me as coming in as a new president? His comment was, Well, Ed, you see, FEBC takes Christ to the world by radio, and that's who we've been for decades. But now I would suggest you take Christ to the world by radio and new media.
SPEAKER_01There you go.
SPEAKER_02And that was a man that was 95 years old, and he had enough insight from the Lord to say, let's change and be nimble.
SPEAKER_00When uh I'm in a church that's 47 years old, and we've only had two pastors, which is an amazing thing. And the first one, after 22 years, graduated to heaven, which we called an excused absence. But what we at the time we started our church, we were learning about churches and elders and how to administrate. We all read a book, and uh and uh it really touched me. The title touched me. You may have read this, uh, and it's called the uh last seven words of the church. We never did it that way before. There's something about that. We've got to have a willingness to change, to be taught, and learn new things, but we don't change the message. Uh, I was telling Ed earlier today, I spent many years as a Christian, as we as then uh a victim of identity theft. We're hearing a lot about this these days. But for us who grew up in church and have been around the culture of church, for many of us, we really don't know who we are in Jesus Christ. And the most significant thing about Christ is that Christ actually lives inside of us and wants to work in and through us. And everyone listening to this broadcast, you're a missionary and God has put people in your life to minister to. And we need to take opportunities and we need to be willing to change.
SPEAKER_01Uh, I want to, before we let you go, Wayne, I want to talk about something. Ed, we we talk about this podcast as being uh kind of the behind the scenes for the Far East Broadcasting Company. Uh, to give our friends a little insight into the ministry, Wayne, you introduce yourself as a businessman. Ed comes from a business background. This ministry operates on very sound business principles in a ministry context. Do you want to comment on that?
SPEAKER_00Well, I think that uh one of the things I loved about D.L. Moody is he was a businessman and he was a shoe salesman and he wanted to make $25,000 a year a long time ago.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, which probably translates to a million now.
SPEAKER_00Yes, but but what what he was able to do, there's nothing business is important. We just don't need to worship it. But we can put good practices in, and that's the whole idea of training people, of educating people, of trying to have the latest technology available to be on the cutting edge so that we can carry this gospel through. I'm so excited about the next five or ten years because I think we're going to see a huge multiplication of the gospel going out by methods we had never thought of. When I see you guys doing with these guys from all over the world, it's phenomenal. Who would think the message is going on in places like Thailand and like Ukraine and under the most difficult circumstances? God is there and he's working through his obedient children. And this is a wonderful ministry. I encourage people to participate in it.
SPEAKER_01Well, you've been rubbing shoulders with some of the men from the Far East Broadcasting Company this week who represent those various parts of the world.
SPEAKER_00Oh, I've been so glad. It stirs your heart, doesn't it? Oh, it does. I'm so stirred, and I'm not going to say their names or where they're from, but I'm going to tell you this: my eyes have been full all weekend as I hear their stories and I see the heart and I see the humility and I see their willingness to serve. It's very, very moving. That's what I love about coming to these meetings is you see, you get a global view. We get to take away here and see things are happening all around the world. Don't be discouraged. There's wars, rumors, wars, and terrible things, and there's better things happening. The Lord is at war.
SPEAKER_02That's right. The best is yet to come. Wayne shared with that that with me at a coffee break earlier today. And you know, you you're being encouraged by the being, but I have to say, our staff are greatly encouraged when they talk to men like Wayne here, who's encouraging them, who's sharing with them these kind of uh comments that man, you guys are doing a great job. So it's a win-win for everybody. Yeah. And when you were talking about the sort of business principles, you know, God gives us business skills and he expects us to use those skills as he's blessed people for the purpose of advancing his word. God has given us technology. I used to think I hated the internet because it was filled with all kinds of bad stuff. But no, God gave us that tool. He expects us to use it. Cell phone apps, social media. Don't think it's bad stuff, because what we see at the Far East Broadcasting Company is millions, if not tens of millions, people hearing the gospel on this new technology that God's given us.
SPEAKER_01Wayne, earlier today you led our group in prayer. And I wonder if you would uh lead us in prayer now.
SPEAKER_00Oh, I would love to.
SPEAKER_01And uh on behalf of the Far East Broadcasting Company.
SPEAKER_00I would love to. Heavenly Father, we bow before you, thanking you for your great faithfulness to us, thanking you for placing your spirit inside of us. Father, we thank you that you guide our steps, that we can trust you with all of our heart and not lean on our own understanding, but we can all of our ways acknowledge you and trust you to direct our paths. I pray you'll continue to use FEBC. You'll continue to give them new ways to carry the message of Jesus Christ around the world. I pray you will let them find favor and doors will be open, and you will supply the need that is here, and that you'll let them be the best stewards possible of what you're providing. It's just with a great heart of affection to see, to know that you're on the throne, and we can trust you and call upon you. Now, unto you, who's able to do exceedingly abundantly above all we think or ask, unto you be the praise, the honor, and the glory in Jesus' name. Amen.
SPEAKER_01Amen. Wayne Belt, one of our many friends for the Far East Broadcasting Company. Thank you, brother.
SPEAKER_02Thanks, Wayne.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, good to have you here. All right. That'll be it for this time, this edition of Until All Have Heard. Our producer is Joe Carlson. I'm Wayne Shepherd. Thanks for listening. Make sure that uh you go back through the archive. If you're new to our podcast, check out the previous episodes that give you a great picture, a fuller picture of what the Lord is doing through the Far East Broadcasting Company. The archive is all there for you to look at and to listen to. So do that until all have heard. Thanks for listening.